Joseph Ritner was the eighth Governor of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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...

, elected as a member of the Anti-Masonic Party

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....

. He was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in the Pennsylvania Gubernatorial election, 1835

Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1835

The Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 1835 was between three candidates. Incumbent Governor George Wolf ran as an Independent Democrat. In the end Joseph Ritner won the election and became Pennsylvania's first and only Anti-Masonic governor.-Results:...

, and served from 1835 to 1839. Controversy surrounding his 1838 electoral defeat led to the Buckshot War

Buckshot War

After the Pennsylvania state election of 1838, both the Whig and the Democratic parties claimed control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Two speakers were elected. A mob, largely from Philadelphia, assembled in Harrisburg and threatened violence. Thaddeus Stevens, Charles B. Penrose...

. In 1856, Governor Ritner was a delegate to the first Republican National Convention

Republican National Convention

The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...

 in Philadelphia.

Governor Ritner has a residence hall named in his honor on the University Park campus of Penn State .

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