Charles Samuel Deneen Passes Away

Today in Masonic History Charles Samuel Deneen passes away in 1940.

Charles Samuel Deneen was an American politician.

Deneen was born on May 4th, 1863 in Edwardsville, Illinois. After being raised in Lebanon, Illinois he attended McKendree College where he graduated in 1882. He went on to study law at McKendree and Union College of Law. He supported himself during his time in college by working as a teacher. He was admitted to the bar in 1886.

In 1892, Deneen was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. In the late 1890's he became the Illinois State's Attorney. In 1896 he appointed Ferdinand Lee Barnett, the first African-American assistant state's attorney in Illinois. The two men would work closely together over the next twenty years.

In 1904, Deneen was elected the 23rd Governor of Illinois and served until 1913.

In 1924, Deneen ran for the United States Senate defeating Joseph Medill McCormick, the first term senator from Illinois, in the Republican primary. Deneen went on to win the general election. After Deneen took office, McCormick committed suicide. McCormick's widow blamed Deneen for her husband's death and used that to defeat Deneen in the 1930 Republican primary. She went on to lose the general election.

Deneen passed away on February 5th, 1940.

Deneen was a member of Garden City Lodge No. 141 in Chicago, Illinois.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.