Our common ancester is Captain John Fillmore, his granddaughter, Fanny, married our David Kennon.
Fillmore attained the presidency when Zachary Taylor died in office. He served from 1850 - 1853, he was not elected to his own term. Historians say northern Whigs were angry for his having signed the Compromise of 1850. That law brought California in as a free state and guaranteed that no restrictions of slavery would be put on Utah Territory or New Mexico. The compromise established a Fugitive Slave Law that guaranteed that runaway slaves apprehended would be returned to their owners. It is said that Fillmore was personally against slavery but he was attemting to appease the South and indeed he is credited for keeping America from civil war for more than a decade.
