William Dennison, Jr., Ohio's twenty-fourth governor and the first to hold office during the Civil War, was born at Cincinnati November 23, 1815.
Dennison was drawn back into politics in February 1856, when, as one of the first prominent Whigs to become a Republican, he attended the new party's preliminary convention at Pittsburgh and served on the committee on resolutions.
Dennison's star continued to ascend, reaching a new height in 1859 with his nomination by acclamation for the governorship.