JENNESS, Benning Wentworth, senator, born in Deerfield, New Hampshire, 14 July, 1806; died in Cleveland, Ohio, 16 November, 1879. He received a good education at Bradford academy, Massachusetts, and in 1823 moved to Stratford, New Hampshire, and entered into mercantile business, which he successfully pursued for thirty years. He was postmaster fifteen years, and repeatedly represented his adopted town in the lower branch of the New Hampshire legislature. He held the office of sheriff of Stratford county five years, and was judge of probate for the same county five years. Mr. Jenness received appointment to fill a vacancy in the United States senate from November, 1845, till June, 1846, occasioned by the promotion of Levi Woodbury to the United States supreme court. He was defeated as a candidate for election to the seat, and in 1846 was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for congress. In 1850 he was a member of the convention to revise the constitution of New Hampshire. In 1852 he was a member of the Democratic national convention that nominated Franklin Pierce. In 1861 he was nominated for governor, but withdrew in favor of General George Starke. Judge Jenness moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to attend to large financial and lumber interests in that state and in Michigan, and there spent his remaining years.