Amos Ellmaker
Encyclopedia
Amos Ellmaker was a U.S. political figure from Pennsylvania
. He served as the Anti-Masonic
vice-presidential candidate in the 1832 presidential elections.
Amos Ellmaker was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
, the son of Nathaniel Ignatious and Elizabeth (Fellenbaum) Ellmaker.
, Esq., of Lancaster and at Litchfield Law School under Tapping Reeve
. He completed his studies at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
. in the office of Thomas Elder
, whose daughter he later married.
In 1808, Ellmaker was admitted to the bar, and began practicing law at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
.
He served as a representative in the Pennsylvania General Assembly
in the years 1813 and 1814, having been elected from the legislative district composed of Dauphin and Lebanon
Counties.
In 1814, he volunteered for the army, and served as aide de campe to General Forster during the Chesapeake campaign. While in this position, he was elected to the Fourteenth Congress for the congressional district consisting of the counties of Lancaster, Dauphin, and Lebanon, but never fulfilled that office, for on 3 July 1815, Ellmaker was appointed and commissioned president judge of the Twelfth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, composed of the counties of Dauphin, Lebanon, and Schuylkill
.
Ellmaker resigned as President Judge of the 12th district 21 December 1816 to accept an appointment made that same day by Governor Simon Snyder
as state attorney general
. Governor William Findlay re-appointed him to that office on 1 April 1818. He held the office until December 1819.
He declined an offer from James Monroe
of an appointment as United States Secretary of War
. During his career, he also twice turned down offers of appointment as Secretary of the Commonwealth, and twice as justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
.
In 1821, he removed to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to practice law there.
(later president of the United States
), and 13 others.
On 6 May 1828, he received a third appointment as attorney general of the State of Pennsylvania by Governor John Andrew Shulze
, and served until 17 August 1829.
, he was candidate for the Vice-Presidency of the United States on the Anti-Masonic
ticket, with William Wirt
as candidate for the Presidency. The ticket won in Vermont
, and received seven electoral votes.
In 1834, Ellmaker ran for the United States Senate
, finishing second to James Buchanan
. After this election, Ellmaker retired from partisan politics and practiced law the rest of his life in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
In 1838, the Lancaster Female Seminary was incorporated, with Ellmaker as one of 10 trustees.
Ellmaker died on 28 November 1851 in Lancaster County. He was buried in the churchyard of St. James' Episcopal Church in Lancaster.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He served as the Anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
vice-presidential candidate in the 1832 presidential elections.
Amos Ellmaker was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
, the son of Nathaniel Ignatious and Elizabeth (Fellenbaum) Ellmaker.
Education
He studied law at Princeton College in New Jersey. He continued his studies under the tutelage of James HopkinsJames Hopkins
James Hopkins may refer to:*James Herron Hopkins , American politician*James Campbell Hopkins , U.S. federal judge*James Hopkins , English association football player for Manchester United...
, Esq., of Lancaster and at Litchfield Law School under Tapping Reeve
Tapping Reeve
Tapping Reeve was an American lawyer and law educator. In 1784, he opened the Litchfield Law School in Litchfield, Connecticut, the first school to offer a comprehensive legal curriculum in the United States....
. He completed his studies at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. in the office of Thomas Elder
Thomas Elder
Sir Thomas Elder GCMG was a Scottish-Australian pastoralist, highly successful businessman, philanthropist, politician, race-horse owner and breeder and public figure...
, whose daughter he later married.
In 1808, Ellmaker was admitted to the bar, and began practicing law at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Public service
On Jan. 13, 1809, aged only 21 years, he was appointed deputy attorney general for Dauphin County, PennsylvaniaDauphin County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 census, the population was 268,100. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital...
.
He served as a representative in the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
in the years 1813 and 1814, having been elected from the legislative district composed of Dauphin and Lebanon
Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 120,327 people and 32,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 332 people per square mile . There were 49,320 housing units at an average density of 136 per square mile...
Counties.
In 1814, he volunteered for the army, and served as aide de campe to General Forster during the Chesapeake campaign. While in this position, he was elected to the Fourteenth Congress for the congressional district consisting of the counties of Lancaster, Dauphin, and Lebanon, but never fulfilled that office, for on 3 July 1815, Ellmaker was appointed and commissioned president judge of the Twelfth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, composed of the counties of Dauphin, Lebanon, and Schuylkill
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
-Notable people:*Boxing heavyweight great Muhammad Ali had his training camp in Deer Lake.*Charles Justin Bailey, commanding general of the 81st Division in World War I, was born in Tamaqua on June 21, 1859....
.
Ellmaker resigned as President Judge of the 12th district 21 December 1816 to accept an appointment made that same day by Governor Simon Snyder
Simon Snyder
Simon Snyder was the third Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1808 to 1817. A Jeffersonian Democrat, he served three terms as speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives before becoming governor...
as state attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
. Governor William Findlay re-appointed him to that office on 1 April 1818. He held the office until December 1819.
He declined an offer from James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
of an appointment as United States Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
. During his career, he also twice turned down offers of appointment as Secretary of the Commonwealth, and twice as justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the court of last resort for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It meets in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.-History:...
.
In 1821, he removed to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to practice law there.
Pennsylvania Railroad Company
On 31 March 1823, by act of legislature, the Pennsylvania Railroad Company was incorporated, with Ellmaker as one of nine incorporators. On 7 April 1826, the Legislature granted a charter for the Columbia, Lancaster and Philadelphia Railroad. The incorporators included Ellmaker, James BuchananJames Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
(later president of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), and 13 others.
On 6 May 1828, he received a third appointment as attorney general of the State of Pennsylvania by Governor John Andrew Shulze
John Andrew Shulze
John Andrew Shulze was a Pennsylvania political leader and the sixth Governor of Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Muhlenberg family political dynasty....
, and served until 17 August 1829.
1832 Presidential Campaign
In 1832United States presidential election, 1832
The United States presidential election of 1832 saw incumbent President Andrew Jackson, candidate of the Democratic Party, easily win re-election against Henry Clay of Kentucky. Jackson won 219 of the 286 electoral votes cast, defeating Clay, the candidate of the National Republican Party, and...
, he was candidate for the Vice-Presidency of the United States on the Anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
ticket, with William Wirt
William Wirt (Attorney General)
William Wirt was an American author and statesman who is credited with turning the position of United States Attorney General into one of influence.-History:...
as candidate for the Presidency. The ticket won in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, and received seven electoral votes.
In 1834, Ellmaker ran for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, finishing second to James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
. After this election, Ellmaker retired from partisan politics and practiced law the rest of his life in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
In 1838, the Lancaster Female Seminary was incorporated, with Ellmaker as one of 10 trustees.
Family life
He was married 13 June 1816 at Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Mary Rachael Elder (born 31 December 1799 at Harrisburg, PA; died 15 March 1866), the daughter of Thomas Elder. They had two sons, Nathaniel (born 28 April 1817 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) and Levi (born 1828, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)Ellmaker died on 28 November 1851 in Lancaster County. He was buried in the churchyard of St. James' Episcopal Church in Lancaster.