Richard Jenness (1802 - 1872)
Born at Deerfield (NH); died at Portsmouth (NH).
Busienssman, banker, state politician.
Portrait by U.D. Tenney, 1877.
Presented to the State of New Hampshire, 1877.

Jenness (1802 - 1872) was one of eleven children born to a wealthy Deerfield (NH) family. In addition to substantial land holdings the family had hop-fields, a tannery and a potash manufactory. In 1812 they established The Old Red Store, a longlived country store at which all eleven children served apprenticeships.

Jenness became a clerk at The Old Red Store in 1820. In 1823 he married; soon he represented the family at a major social event of the decade by serving as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Bartlett during General Lafayette's 1824 reception at Concord (NH).

Jenness moved with his wife to Concord (NH) in 1827, then to Portsmouth (NH) in 1829. At Portsmouth Jenness became a successful hardware merchant, selling to New Hampshire's growing interior towns.

Jenness served as a State Representative (1838, 1840). President Polk appointed Jenness Navy Agent for the district (served 1845 - 1849). Jenness was then elected to the State Senate (1849, 1850; President of the Senate, 1850).

Jenness retired from business in 1856, turning to banking and to supporting education by private philanthropy. He gave a gift of $5,000 to the Town of Deerfield (NH), and when he died (at Portsmouth, NH) he died an honored citizen.

Reference: Elliott C. Cogswell, History of Nottingham, Deerfield and Northwood (1972 facsimile reprint of the 1878 edition).