Amos Ellmaker (February 2, 1787 – November 28, 1851) was a U.S. politician, attorney, and judge from Pennsylvania. He served as the Pennsylvania Attorney General and was the Anti-Masonic vice presidential candidate in the 1832 presidential election.
Quick Facts Attorney General of Pennsylvania, Governor ...
Amos Ellmaker |
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In office May 6, 1828 – August 17, 1829 |
Governor | John Andrew Shulze |
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Preceded by | Calvin Blythe |
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Succeeded by | Philip S. Markley |
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In office December 21, 1816 – July 7, 1819 |
Governor | Simon Snyder William Findlay |
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Preceded by | Jared Ingersoll |
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Succeeded by | Thomas Sergeant |
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Born | (1787-02-02)February 2, 1787 Leacock Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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Died | November 28, 1851(1851-11-28) (aged 64) Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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Political party | Democratic-Republican (Before 1828) Anti-Masonic (1828–1840) |
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Education | Litchfield Law School |
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Born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, he established a legal career in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania after attending Litchfield Law School. During the War of 1812, he served as an aide to General John Forster. After serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Ellmaker accepted appointment as the Pennsylvania Attorney General. He returned to private practice in 1819 and helped found the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad.
From 1828 to 1829, Ellmaker served another term as Pennsylvania Attorney General. In 1832, Ellmaker was nominated as the Anti-Masonic vice presidential candidate. The ticket of William Wirt and Ellmaker took 7.8% of the national popular vote and won the state of Vermont. Ellmaker sought election to the United States Senate in 1834 but was defeated by James Buchanan. After the election, Ellmaker retired from politics and practiced law in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
On Jan. 13, 1809, at age 21, Ellmaker was appointed deputy attorney general for Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
He served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1813 and 1814, elected from the legislative district composed of Dauphin and Lebanon Counties.
He volunteered for the militia during the War of 1812 and served in 1814 as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General John Forster during the Chesapeake Campaign. While in this position, he was elected to the Fourteenth Congress from the congressional district consisting of Lancaster, Dauphin, and Lebanon Counties, but never filled that office. On July 3, 1815 Ellmaker was appointed Judge of the Twelfth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, composed of Dauphin, Lebanon, and Schuylkill Counties.
Ellmaker resigned from the bench in December 1816 to accept Governor Simon Snyder's appointment as Pennsylvania Attorney General. Governor William Findlay re-appointed him in 1818, and Ellmaker served until December 1819.
In 1817 Ellmaker declined an offer from James Monroe to serve as 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 Ellmaker moved from Harrisburg to Lancaster, where he continued to practice law.
1832 Presidential Campaign
In 1832, Ellmaker was the candidate for Vice President on the Anti-Masonic ticket, with William Wirt as the candidate for president. Wirt and Ellmaker won in Vermont, and received seven electoral votes.
In 1834 Ellmaker ran for the United States Senate, losing to James Buchanan. After this election, Ellmaker retired from politics and continued the practice of law.
In 1838, the Lancaster Female Seminary was incorporated, with Ellmaker as one of the original 10 trustees.
In 1816 Ellmaker married 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).