Elias Kane
Encyclopedia
Elias Kent Kane was one of the first U.S. Senators
from Illinois
.
He was born in New York City
, attended the public schools, and graduated from Yale College
in 1813.
After he studied law, he admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Nashville, Tennessee
, and then moved to Kaskaskia, Illinois
in 1814.
He was appointed a judge of the Territory of Illinois and was a delegate to the first state constitutional convention
in 1818.
After an unsuccessful 1820 campaign for election to the 17th Congress, he became Illinois' first Secretary of State
, and served from 1820 to 1824. He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives
in 1824, and in the same year to the United States Senate
. He was reelected in 1831 and served from March 4, 1825, until his death in Washington, D.C.
, in 1835.
On January 16, 1836, the Illinois legislature formed a new county, Kane
, in honor of Elias Kent Kane.
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...
from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
He was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, attended the public schools, and graduated from Yale College
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1813.
After he studied law, he admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, and then moved to Kaskaskia, Illinois
Kaskaskia, Illinois
Kaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. In the 2010 census the population was 14, making it the second-smallest incorporated community in the State of Illinois in terms of population. A major French colonial town of the Illinois Country, its peak population was about...
in 1814.
He was appointed a judge of the Territory of Illinois and was a delegate to the first state constitutional convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
in 1818.
After an unsuccessful 1820 campaign for election to the 17th Congress, he became Illinois' first Secretary of State
Secretary of State of Illinois
The Secretary of State of Illinois is one of the six elected executive state offices of the government of Illinois, and one of the 47 secretaries of states in the United States. The Illinois Secretary of State keeps the state records, laws, and archives, and is the state's vehicle registration and...
, and served from 1820 to 1824. He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
in 1824, and in the same year 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...
. He was reelected in 1831 and served from March 4, 1825, until his death in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in 1835.
On January 16, 1836, the Illinois legislature formed a new county, Kane
Kane County, Illinois
Kane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 515,269, which is an increase of 27.5% from 404,119 in 2000. Its county seat is Geneva, and its largest city is Aurora.- Geography :...
, in honor of Elias Kent Kane.