John Fenno
Encyclopedia
John Fenno was a Federalist Party
editor and major figure in the history of American newspapers
. His Gazette of the United States played a major role in shaping the beginnings of party politics
in the United States in the 1790s.
, the son of Ephraim Fenno, leather-dresser and alehouse keeper, and Mary Chapman. He wed Mary Curtis, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, on May 8, 1777, and the couple had thirteen children. Fenno spent some early years as a teacher, and was secretary to General Artemas Ward
during part of the American Revolution
. Failure of an import business led to a move to New York City
, which at that time was the nation's capital. Having previously written for the Massachusetts Centinel, Fenno on April 11, 1789 in New York City published the first issue of the Gazette of the United States to support Federalist Party
positions. Fenno moved it to Philadelphia when the national capital moved there in 1790.
As opposing factions, centered around Alexander Hamilton
and Thomas Jefferson
, developed within President Washington's
administration, political newspapers such as the Gazette became increasingly important. Fenno's little three-column folio, printed on a sheet seventeen by twenty-one inches, became the semi-official government newspaper, with a share of the government's printing and with contributions from prominent Federalists such as John Adams
. Hamilton was especially active, writing articles under various pseudonyms and rescuing the editor from bankruptcy in 1793 by raising $2,000 to pay off creditors.
Jefferson and his colleagues, angry at Fenno's attempt "to make way for a king, lords, and Commons" set up rival newspapers, the Aurora edited by Benjamin F. Bache and the National Gazette
edited by Philip Freneau, to promote the newly formed Democratic-Republican Party. As a highly visible Federalist spokesman, Fenno was engaged in verbal disputes that once led to fisticuffs with Bache. The tone of the Gazette of the United States was somewhat above the average of its contemporaries, and the Federalists were well served through its columns, although the circulation never exceeded 1,400. Copies circulated to major cities where other Federalist newspapers freely copied the news and editorials.
Fenno, along with his wife and a newborn daughter, died in Philadelphia during the yellow fever
epidemic of 1798. His son, John Ward Fenno, carried on with the paper until 1800, when he sold it.
John Fenno's daughter Harriet Fenno married John Rodman
and they had a daughter. Harriet Rodman died in 1808.
Another daughter, Maria Fenno (1781-1823), married on August 7, 1802, New York Attorney General Josiah Ogden Hoffman
, and their son was Charles Fenno Hoffman
(1806-1884).
Another daughter, Nary Eliza Fenno, married Gulian C. Verplanck in 1811, and they had two sons. Mary Verplanck died in 1817 in Paris
, and was buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery
.
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
editor and major figure in the history of American newspapers
History of American newspapers
The history of American newspapers goes back to the 17th century with the publication of the first colonial newspapers.-Colonial period:-The New England Courant:...
. His Gazette of the United States played a major role in shaping the beginnings of party politics
First Party System
The First Party System is a model of American politics used by political scientists and historians to periodize the political party system existing in the United States between roughly 1792 and 1824. It featured two national parties competing for control of the presidency, Congress, and the states:...
in the United States in the 1790s.
Biography
Fenno was born in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, the son of Ephraim Fenno, leather-dresser and alehouse keeper, and Mary Chapman. He wed Mary Curtis, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, on May 8, 1777, and the couple had thirteen children. Fenno spent some early years as a teacher, and was secretary to General Artemas Ward
Artemas Ward
Artemas Ward was an American major general in the American Revolutionary War and a Congressman from Massachusetts...
during part of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. Failure of an import business led to a move to 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...
, which at that time was the nation's capital. Having previously written for the Massachusetts Centinel, Fenno on April 11, 1789 in New York City published the first issue of the Gazette of the United States to support Federalist Party
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
positions. Fenno moved it to Philadelphia when the national capital moved there in 1790.
As opposing factions, centered around Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
and Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, developed within President Washington's
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
administration, political newspapers such as the Gazette became increasingly important. Fenno's little three-column folio, printed on a sheet seventeen by twenty-one inches, became the semi-official government newspaper, with a share of the government's printing and with contributions from prominent Federalists such as John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
. Hamilton was especially active, writing articles under various pseudonyms and rescuing the editor from bankruptcy in 1793 by raising $2,000 to pay off creditors.
Jefferson and his colleagues, angry at Fenno's attempt "to make way for a king, lords, and Commons" set up rival newspapers, the Aurora edited by Benjamin F. Bache and the National Gazette
National Gazette
The National Gazette was a Democratic-Republican partisan newspaper that was first published on October 31, 1791. It was edited and published semiweekly by poet and printer Philip Freneau until October 23, 1793....
edited by Philip Freneau, to promote the newly formed Democratic-Republican Party. As a highly visible Federalist spokesman, Fenno was engaged in verbal disputes that once led to fisticuffs with Bache. The tone of the Gazette of the United States was somewhat above the average of its contemporaries, and the Federalists were well served through its columns, although the circulation never exceeded 1,400. Copies circulated to major cities where other Federalist newspapers freely copied the news and editorials.
Fenno, along with his wife and a newborn daughter, died in Philadelphia during the yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
epidemic of 1798. His son, John Ward Fenno, carried on with the paper until 1800, when he sold it.
John Fenno's daughter Harriet Fenno married John Rodman
John Rodman
John Rodman was an American lawyer and politician from New York and Florida.-Life:...
and they had a daughter. Harriet Rodman died in 1808.
Another daughter, Maria Fenno (1781-1823), married on August 7, 1802, New York Attorney General Josiah Ogden Hoffman
Josiah Ogden Hoffman
Ogden Hoffman was an American lawyer and politician.Hoffman was the son of New York State Attorney General Josiah Ogden Hoffman and Mary Hoffman. He pursued classical studies and graduated from Columbia College in 1812...
, and their son was Charles Fenno Hoffman
Charles Fenno Hoffman
Charles Fenno Hoffman was an American author, poet and editor associated with the Knickerbocker group in New York.-Biography:...
(1806-1884).
Another daughter, Nary Eliza Fenno, married Gulian C. Verplanck in 1811, and they had two sons. Mary Verplanck died in 1817 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and was buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the city of Paris, France , though there are larger cemeteries in the city's suburbs.Père Lachaise is in the 20th arrondissement, and is reputed to be the world's most-visited cemetery, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the...
.