onathan Jennings, the first Governor of Indiana was born in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, in the year 1784. His father, a Presbyterian clergyman, moved to Pennsylvania shortly after Jonathan's birth, in which state the future governor received his early educational training and grew to Manhood. He early began training himself for the legal profession, but before his admission to the bar he left Pennsylvania and located at Jeffersonville, Indiana, where he completed his preparatory study of the laws, and became a practitioner in the courts of that and other towns in the territory. He was subsequently made clerk in the territorial legislature, and while discharging the duties of that position became a candidate for congress, against Thomas Randolph, attorney general of the territory. The contest between the two was exciting and bitter, the principal question at issue being slavery, which Mr. Randolph opposed, while his competitor was a firm believer in the divine right of the institution. Jennings was elected by a small majority. He was re-elected in 1811, over Walter Taylor, and in 1813 was chosen the third time, his competitor in the last race being Judge Sparks, a very worthy and popular man. Early in 1816, Mr. Jennings reported a bill to congress, enabling the people of the territory to take the necessary steps to convert it into a state. Delegates to a convention to form a state constitution were elected in May 1816, Mr. Jennings being chosen one from the county of Clark. He was honored by being chosen to preside over this convention, and in the election, which followed; he was elected governor of the new state by a majority of 1,277 votes over his competitor, Gov. Posey. In this office, he served six years, also acting as Indian commissioner in 1818 by appointment of President Monroe. At the close of his term as governor, he was elected as representative in congress, and was chosen for four terms in succession. He was nearly always in public life and filled his place acceptably. He died near Charleston, July 26, 1834.