# Abraham Rencher

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American politician

Abraham Rencher Abraham Rencher, New Mexico Territory Governor. 4th Governor of New Mexico Territory In office August 17, 1857 – May 24, 1861 Appointed by James Buchanan Preceded by David Meriwether Succeeded by Henry Connelly Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 10th district In office March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1839 Preceded by John Long Succeeded by Charles Fisher In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843 Preceded by Charles Fisher Succeeded by District eliminated Personal details Born (1798-08-12)August 12, 1798 Near Raleigh, North Carolina Died July 6, 1883(1883-07-06) (aged 84) Chapel Hill, North Carolina Resting place St. Bartholomew's Protestant Episcopal Churchyard, Pittsboro, North Carolina Party Whig Spouse Louisa Mary Jones (m. 1836) Children 4 Alma mater University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Profession Lawyer

**Abraham Rencher** (August 12, 1798 – July 6, 1883) was a politician from the state of [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina). His career included: [U.S. representative](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives); [chargé d'affaires](/source/Charg%C3%A9_d'affaires) to Portugal; and [governor of New Mexico Territory](/source/Governor_of_New_Mexico_Territory).

## Biography

Rencher was born near [Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina) on August 12, 1798 to John Grant, the county sheriff, and Ann (Nelson) Rencher.[1] He was tutored at home, and attended the common schools and [Pittsboro](/source/Pittsboro%2C_North_Carolina) Academy. He graduated from the [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/source/University_of_North_Carolina_at_Chapel_Hill) in 1822, studied law with [Frederick Nash](/source/Frederick_Nash), was admitted to the bar in 1825, and commenced practice in [Pittsboro, North Carolina](/source/Pittsboro%2C_North_Carolina).

He was elected as a [Jacksonian](/source/Jacksonian_democracy) to the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Congresses, as an [Anti-Jacksonian](/source/National_Republican_Party_(United_States)) to the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Congresses, and as a [Whig](/source/Whig_Party_(United_States)) 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](/source/Charg%C3%A9_d'affaires) to [Portugal](/source/Portugal) from 1843 to 1847, appointed by President [John Tyler](/source/John_Tyler).[1]

From August 17, 1857 to May 24, 1861 Rencher served as [Governor of New Mexico Territory](/source/Governors_of_New_Mexico_Territory), appointed by President [Buchanan](/source/James_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[2] 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.[1]

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](/source/Chapel_Hill%2C_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

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-nm_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-nm_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-nm_1-2) ["Abraham Rencher"](http://newmexicohistory.org/people/abraham-rencher). *New Mexico History*. Retrieved 20 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-WaPo_012022_2-0)** Weil, Julie Zauzmer; Blanco, Adrian; Dominguez, Leo (20 January 2022). ["More than 1,700 congressmen once enslaved Black people. This is who they were, and how they shaped the nation"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/interactive/2022/congress-slaveowners-names-list/). *[Washington Post](/source/Washington_Post)*. Retrieved 30 January 2022.

- United States Congress. ["Abraham Rencher (id: R000162)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=R000162). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

U.S. House of Representatives Preceded by John Long Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 10th congressional district 1829–1839 Succeeded by Charles Fisher Preceded by Charles Fisher Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 10th congressional district 1841–1843 Succeeded by District inactive

v t e Governors of New Mexico U.S. Military Admin (1846–1851) Military Kearny Price Washington Munroe Civilian Bent Vigil Connelly U.S. Territory (1851–1912) Calhoun Lane Meriwether Rencher Connelly Mitchell Pile Giddings Axtell Wallace Sheldon Ross Prince Thornton Otero Hagerman Curry Mills State (since 1912) McDonald C. De Baca Lindsey Larrazolo M. Mechem Hinkle Hannett Dillon Seligman Hockenhull Tingley Miles Dempsey Mabry E. Mechem Simms E. Mechem Burroughs E. Mechem Bolack Campbell Cargo King Apodaca King Anaya Carruthers King Johnson Richardson Martinez Lujan Grisham See also Mexican governors of New Mexico, Spanish governors of New Mexico

v t e United States ambassadors to Portugal Minister Plenipotentiary Humphreys (Minister Resident) Smith Sumter Graham Dearborn (Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary) Chargé d'Affaires Brent Kavanagh Barrow Rencher Hopkins Clay Haddock O'Sullivan Minister Resident O'Sullivan G. Morgan Harvey Shellabarger C. Lewis Moran Moran (chargé d'affaires) Minister Resident/Consul General Francis Richmond E. Lewis Loring Batcheller Pierce Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary Caruth Townsend Irwin Loomis Bryan Gage E. Morgan Woods Birch Dearing South Caldwell Pell Fish Norweb Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Norweb Baruch Wiley MacVeagh Cannon Guggenheim Bonbright Elbrick Anderson Bennett Knight Scott Carlucci Bloomfield Holmes Shakespeare Rowell Briggs Bagley McGowan Palmer Hoffman Stephenson Katz Sherman Glass Levine Arrigo

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States People US Congress Other Open Library SNAC Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Abraham Rencher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Rencher) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Rencher?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.