17 Facts About Benning Wentworth

Benning Wentworth was an American merchant, landowner and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.

Benning Wentworth is best known for issuing several land grants in territories claimed by the Province of New Hampshire west of the Connecticut River while serving as governor, which led to disputes with the neighboring Province of New York and the eventual establishment of Vermont.

Negotiations in London to resolve this led to Benning Wentworth being appointed governor in 1741.

Benning Wentworth used his position as governor to entrench his family's economic and political dominance in New Hampshire.

Benning Wentworth soon retired to his house in Portsmouth, where he died four years later.

Benning Wentworth's father, John Wentworth, was a ship's captain, businessman and colonial administrator who served as the lieutenant-governor of colonial New Hampshire from 1717 until 1730 after spending two years serving on merchant ships.

Benning Wentworth subsequently used the influence of political ally David Dunbar, then serving as the lieutenant-governor of the colony, to become appointed to the governor's council in 1734.

Benning Wentworth lodged a claim against the British government, claiming that they needed to repay him for the Spanish state's refusal to pay for the timber shipment.

In 1738, Benning Wentworth travelled to London to negotiate a deal with his British contacts, including both merchants and government officials, as he was on the verge of bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, Benning Wentworth continued to negotiate with his contacts in London.

Benning Wentworth joined them in the early-1740's and supported the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, a missionary arm of the Church, by issuing them several land grants on the North American frontier.

From 1748 to 1752, Benning Wentworth sparked a constitutional crisis by extending representation to newly-established colonial settlements which he knew politically supported him.

Benning Wentworth vetoed the house's decision to nominate Waldron as speaker of the house, taking these steps because his political opponents had by now gained a majority in the house.

Benning Wentworth eventually received instructions from Crown officials supporting his position, which led to the standoff being resolved in his favor.

Benning Wentworth was the eldest child in a family which consisted of eight brothers and five sisters, all of them sharing the same parents.

Benning Wentworth had several children with Martha, though all of them were stillborn.

Benning Wentworth parlayed his mercantile and political career to acquire a small fortune, which included 10,000 guineas and several real estate properties.