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Wilson Shannon (February 24, 1802 - August 30, 1877) was a Democratic politician from Ohio and Kansas. He served as the 14th and 16th Governor of Ohio, and was the first governor of Ohio born in the state.
Shannon was born in Mt. Olivet, Belmont County, Ohio. His older brother, Thomas Shannon, served a partial term in the United States House of Representatives from 1826-1827. After attending Ohio University and Transylvania University, Shannon was admitted to the bar and began practicing law in 1830. He ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1832, losing by only 37 votes. Shannon then served as a prosecutor in Belmont County before winning election to the governorship in 1838. He lost a re-election bid to the Whig candidate, Thomas Corwin in 1840, but defeated Corwin for a second term two years later. Corwin resigned on April 15, 1844 to take up an appointment from President John Tyler as Minister to Mexico. Corwin spent a year in the post before being recalled. He later won election to the House of Representatives in 1852. He served a single term before taking up an appointment from Franklin Pierce as Governor of the Kansas Territory in 1855. He served during a very fractious period, and was removed on August 21, 1856.
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