jurist lawyer politician statesman
Edward Kent was born on January 8, 1802 in Concord, New Hampshire, United States, the son of William Austin and Charlotte (Mellen) Kent. His father was a native of Charlestown, and his mother, of Sterling, Massachusetts. He was one of a family of eight children.
Kent graduated from Harvard College in the class of 1821, at the age of nineteen, with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Among his classmates were Josiah Quincy and Ralph Waldo Emerson. After graduation he read the law under Benjamin Orr and Chancellor Kent.
Kent opened a law office in 1825 in Bangor, Maine, where he maintained his legal residence from that date until his death fifty-two years later. His first law partner was Jonathan P. Rogers, attorney-general of Maine; later for eighteen years he was a member of the firm of Kent & Cushing; and from 1853 to 1859 he was associated with his brother, George Kent. His interest in public affairs, his commanding personality, and his agreeable manner soon secured for him election to numerous local offices, including that of moderator of the town meeting, member of the superintending school committee (1829 - 1831), and mayor of Bangor (1836 - 1838).
He first attained state office upon his election to the lower house of the state legislature in which he represented the Bangor district in 1828-1829. In 1827 Kent was admitted to practice in the supreme judicial court. He was appointed the same year chief justice of the court of sessions of Penobscot County, which office he filled for two years. His legal success and political prominence won for him the Whig nomination for governor in 1836, but he was defeated by the Democratic nominee, Robert P. Dunlap of Brunswick. Nominated again in 1837 he was opposed by his fellow townsman Gorham Parks. His election was contested by the Democrats in the legislature on the ground of "informalities" in the election proceedings in several towns. The state supreme court ruled, however, that the legislature was not competent to "go behind the returns" from those communities. After the Democrats had won under the leadership of John Fairfield in the next two elections Kent was again chosen governor in 1840, but this time by the legislature since no candidate received a clear majority at the polls. Despite the fact that he received only a slight plurality at the polls, it was proclaimed in song and story that Maine "went hell-bent for Governor Kent. "
During his two terms Kent by his vigorous attitude probably stirred the national government to action in bringing the Northeastern boundary question to a final settlement. In 1842 he was appointed by the legislature on a commission to confer with the secretary of state, Daniel Webster, during the Webster-Ashburton negotiations, in support of Maine's claims. Although his stand for the so-called "territorial integrity of the state" was disregarded, he finally joined his colleagues in approving the agreement.
Following his support of President Taylor in the nominating convention of 1848 he was appointed consul to Rio de Janeiro and served from 1849 to 1853. In 1859 he was appointed by Governor Morrill a justice of the supreme judicial court which position he filled with ability for fourteen years. He afterward continued his law practice in Bangor until his death in 1877. His last public service was to act as chairman of a commission of ten appointed in 1875 by Governor Dingley "to consider and frame" amendments to the constitution of Maine.
Kent was a member of the Whig Party.
Kent was married on July 26, 1827, to Sarah Johnston of Hillsboro, New Hampshire. She died in 1853 and in 1855 he was married to Abby A. Rockwood, daughter of the Reverend Otis Rockwood of Lynn, Massachusetts.
