Abraham Rencher

{{short description|American politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Abraham Rencher | image = File:Abraham Rencher (New Mexico Governor).jpg | caption = Abraham Rencher, New Mexico Territory Governor. | office1 = 4th [[List of governors of New Mexico#Governors of the Territory of New Mexico|Governor of New Mexico Territory]] | term_start1 = August 17, 1857 | term_end1 = May 24, 1861 | appointer1 = [[James Buchanan]] | predecessor1 = [[David Meriwether (Kentucky politician)|David Meriwether]] | successor1 = [[Henry Connelly]] | office2 = Member of the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] from North Carolina's [[North Carolina's 10th congressional district|10th district]] | term_start2 = March 4, 1829 | term_end2 = March 3, 1839 | predecessor2 = [[John Long (North Carolina politician)|John Long]] | successor2 = [[Charles Fisher (congressman)|Charles Fisher]] | term_start3 = March 4, 1841 | term_end3 = March 3, 1843 | predecessor3 = Charles Fisher | successor3 = ''District eliminated'' | birth_date = {{birth date|1798|08|12|mf=y}} | birth_place = Near [[Raleigh]], [[North Carolina]] | death_date = {{death date and age|1883|07|06|1798|10|12}} | death_place = [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina]] | resting_place = St. Bartholomew's Protestant Episcopal Churchyard, [[Pittsboro, North Carolina]] | party = [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]] | spouse = Louisa Mary Jones (m. 1836) | children = 4 | alma_mater = [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]] | profession = Lawyer | signature = | footnotes = }}

'''Abraham Rencher''' (August 12, 1798 – July 6, 1883) was a politician from the state of [[North Carolina]]. His career included: [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. representative]]; [[chargé d'affaires]] to Portugal; and [[governor of New Mexico Territory]].

==Biography== Rencher was born near [[Raleigh, North Carolina]] on August 12, 1798 to John Grant, the county sheriff, and Ann (Nelson) Rencher.<ref name="nm">{{cite web |url=http://newmexicohistory.org/people/abraham-rencher |title=Abraham Rencher |website=New Mexico History |access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> He was tutored at home, and attended the common schools and [[Pittsboro, North Carolina|Pittsboro]] Academy. He graduated from the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]] in 1822, studied law with [[Frederick Nash]], was admitted to the bar in 1825, and commenced practice in [[Pittsboro, North Carolina]].

He was elected as a [[Jacksonian democracy|Jacksonian]] to the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Congresses, as an [[National Republican Party (United States)|Anti-Jacksonian]] to the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Congresses, and as a [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]] to the Twenty-fifth Congress, serving from March 4, 1829, to March 3, 1839. He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1838.

In 1840 Rencher was again elected to Congress as a Whig, and he served one term, March 4, 1841, to March 3, 1843 (the Twenty-seventh Congress). He declined to be candidate for renomination in 1842 on the grounds of ill health.

Rencher served as U.S. [[Chargé d'affaires]] to [[Portugal]] from 1843 to 1847, appointed by President [[John Tyler]].<ref name="nm"/>

From August 17, 1857 to May 24, 1861 Rencher served as [[Governors of New Mexico Territory|Governor of New Mexico Territory]], appointed by President [[James Buchanan|Buchanan]]. Rencher had previously declined Buchanan's suggestion to become Secretary of the navy, lobbying instead for the Governor position. He was appointed on August 17, 1857, and arrived in Santa Fe on November 11. While in office Rencher clashed with the military and was critical of their campaign against the Indians. Rencher was successful in passing legislation requiring all children to attend school. He also lowered the territory's debt significantly. He was a slaveholder<ref name="WaPo 012022">{{cite news |last1=Weil |first1=Julie Zauzmer |last2=Blanco |first2=Adrian |last3=Dominguez |first3=Leo |title=More than 1,700 congressmen once enslaved Black people. This is who they were, and how they shaped the nation. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/interactive/2022/congress-slaveowners-names-list/ |access-date=30 January 2022 |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |date=20 January 2022}}</ref> and in 1859, he signed legislation defining and protecting the status of slaves as property. However, at the beginning of the Civil War Rencher remained loyal to the Union and raised regiments to defend the territory. President Abraham Lincoln did not reappoint Rencher, and he left office in August 1861.<ref name="nm"/>

After leaving New Mexico Rencher returned to his home in Pittsboro, where he lived in retirement. He was a supporter of the Union and took no active part in the Civil War.

He died in [[Chapel Hill, North Carolina]] on July 6, 1883, and was interred at St. Bartholomew's Protestant Episcopal Churchyard in Pittsboro.

==Family== In 1836 Rencher married Louisa Mary Jones, daughter of Colonel Edward and Elizabeth Mallett Jones. They had four children.

==References== {{Reflist}} {{Congbio|R000162}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{s-bef|before=[[John Long (North Carolina politician)|John Long]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from North Carolina|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br />from [[North Carolina's 10th congressional district]]|years=1829–1839}} {{s-aft|after=[[Charles Fisher (congressman)|Charles Fisher]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Charles Fisher (congressman)|Charles Fisher]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from North Carolina|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br />from [[North Carolina's 10th congressional district]]|years=1841–1843}} {{s-aft|after=''District inactive''}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rencher, Abraham}} [[Category:Governors of New Mexico Territory]] [[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Portugal]] [[Category:1798 births]] [[Category:1883 deaths]] [[Category:North Carolina Whigs]] [[Category:19th-century American diplomats]] [[Category:Jacksonian United States representatives from North Carolina]] [[Category:National Republican Party United States representatives from North Carolina]] [[Category:19th-century United States representatives]]