George Ashmun
Encyclopedia
George Ashmun was a Whig
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts
.
Ashmun was born in Blandford, Massachusetts
to Eli P. Ashmun
and Lucy Hooker. He graduated from Yale
in 1823 and was married to Martha E. Hall in 1828. He served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
from 1833 to 1837, and the Massachusetts Senate
from 1838 to 1840. In 1841, he returned to the Massachusetts House where he served as Speaker.
Ashmun was elected to the U.S. Congress from the Sixth District of Massachusetts
in 1844, held office from 1845 to 1851 and was a member of the committees on the judiciary, Indian affairs, and rules. He opposed the Mexican-American War, and was a strong supporter of Daniel Webster
.
where he spent the rest of his life. There he met newspaper publisher Samuel Bowles (journalist)
, with whom he helped to found the U.S. Republican Party. Immediately, Ashmun joined the Republican Party
, and presided over the Republican Party's convention in 1860 that nominated Abraham Lincoln
for President.
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Ashmun was born in Blandford, Massachusetts
Blandford, Massachusetts
Blandford is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the home of the Blandford Ski Area.- History :...
to Eli P. Ashmun
Eli P. Ashmun
Eli Porter Ashmun was a Federalist United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1816 to 1818.Born in a small village north of Albany, New York on the Hudson River, he attended the local school and attended Middlebury College, graduating in 1807...
and Lucy Hooker. He graduated from Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
in 1823 and was married to Martha E. Hall in 1828. He served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
from 1833 to 1837, and the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
from 1838 to 1840. In 1841, he returned to the Massachusetts House where he served as Speaker.
Ashmun was elected to the U.S. Congress from the Sixth District of Massachusetts
Massachusetts's 6th congressional district
Massachusetts's 6th congressional district is in northeastern Massachusetts. It contains most of Essex County, including the North Shore and Cape Ann. It is currently represented by John F...
in 1844, held office from 1845 to 1851 and was a member of the committees on the judiciary, Indian affairs, and rules. He opposed the Mexican-American War, and was a strong supporter of Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
.
And the birth of the Republican Party
After leaving Congress, Ashmun moved to Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
where he spent the rest of his life. There he met newspaper publisher Samuel Bowles (journalist)
Samuel Bowles (journalist)
Samuel Bowles III was an American journalist born in Springfield, Massachusetts. Beginning in 1844 he was the publisher and editor of The Republican , a position he held until his death in 1878....
, with whom he helped to found the U.S. Republican Party. Immediately, Ashmun joined the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and presided over the Republican Party's convention in 1860 that nominated Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
for President.