Dewitt Clinton Senter
Encyclopedia
Dewitt Clinton Senter was governor of Tennessee from 1869 to 1871.
after reading law
on his own and passing the examination, a fairly common practice of the era. He was first elected to the state legislature
in 1857. He was serving as speaker
of the Tennessee State Senate in 1869 when the state legislature elected his predecessor as governor
, William G. Brownlow, to the United States Senate
(the way U.S. Senators were chosen prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment
), elevating him to the governor's office. He was the last Republican (United States) governor to hold office during Tennessee
Reconstruction.
Senter's administration occurred during a time when many Tennessee
citizens were former Confederates
who were yet to have their civil rights
restored to them, vastly reducing the size of the electorate from what it was prior to the Civil War
. This reduced electorate returned him to office resoundingly later in 1869. The rise of the Ku Klux Klan
, which had previously been organized in Pulaski, Tennessee
shortly after the end of the war, was the major event of his term, and a major threat to the rights of blacks
and others. A new state constitution
giving blacks the right to vote was enacted during his term in 1870, but the right was contingent upon the payment of a poll tax
, and thus most blacks remained disenfranchised then and for many years to come. Senter did not seek any further election, and lived in relative obscurity after the close of his term.
Centerville, Iowa
was named after Dewitt Senter, although the state legislature mistakenly corrected the spelling.
Biography
Senter was the son of a Methodist minister and was born in McMinn County, Tennessee. He was admitted to the barBar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
after reading law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
on his own and passing the examination, a fairly common practice of the era. He was first elected to the state legislature
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
in 1857. He was serving as speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Tennessee State Senate in 1869 when the state legislature elected his predecessor as governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
, William G. Brownlow, to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
(the way U.S. Senators were chosen prior to the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment
Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution established direct election of United States Senators by popular vote. The amendment supersedes Article I, § 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, under which senators were elected by state legislatures...
), elevating him to the governor's office. He was the last Republican (United States) governor to hold office during Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
Reconstruction.
Senter's administration occurred during a time when many Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
citizens were former Confederates
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
who were yet to have their civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
restored to them, vastly reducing the size of the electorate from what it was prior to the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. This reduced electorate returned him to office resoundingly later in 1869. The rise of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, which had previously been organized in Pulaski, Tennessee
Pulaski, Tennessee
Pulaski is a city in Giles County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 7,870 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Giles County. It was named to honor the Polish-born American Revolutionary War hero Kazimierz Pułaski...
shortly after the end of the war, was the major event of his term, and a major threat to the rights of blacks
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and others. A new state constitution
Tennessee State Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Tennessee defines the form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules of the U.S. State of Tennessee....
giving blacks the right to vote was enacted during his term in 1870, but the right was contingent upon the payment of a poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
, and thus most blacks remained disenfranchised then and for many years to come. Senter did not seek any further election, and lived in relative obscurity after the close of his term.
Centerville, Iowa
Centerville, Iowa
Centerville is a city in and the county seat of Appanoose County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,528 in the 2010 census, a decline from 5,924 in the 2000 census. After the turn of the 20th century Centerville had a booming coal mining industry that attracted many European immigrants...
was named after Dewitt Senter, although the state legislature mistakenly corrected the spelling.