Joshua Van Sant
Encyclopedia
Joshua Van Sant was a United States Congressional representative
from Maryland
.
Van Sant was born in Millington
in Kent County, Maryland
. He moved with his parents to Wilmington, Delaware
, in 1807, and later to Philadelphia in 1812. He attended the common schools before moving to Baltimore, Maryland. He engaged in hat making in 1817, became a journeyman
, and continued at that trade until 1835. He was an unsuccessful candidate as a Jackson Democrat to the Maryland House of Delegates
in 1833 and 1834, but served as a delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1836. He also served as postmaster of Baltimore from 1839 to 1841, served as a member of the House of Delegates in 1845, and as commissioner of Baltimore finances from March 1, 1846 to March 1, 1855. He was trustee of the city and county almshouse
from 1847 to 1853 and in 1861. He also served as commissioner of public schools from 1852 to 1854, and later as president of that organization in 1854.
Van Sant was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-third Congress, where he served from March 4, 1853, to March 3, 1855. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Thirty-fourth Congress in 1854. He later served as a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket of John C. Breckinridge
in 1860, and was delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1867. He was director of the Maryland State Penitentiary from 1867 to 1869, serving two years as president. He was member of the board of trustees of the McDonough Educational Fund and Institute from 1867 to 1871, serving as president in 1871, and member and president of the board for Bay View Asylum from 1868 to 1870.
Van Sant served as mayor of Baltimore from 1871 to 1875, but declined to be a candidate for renomination. He was appointed city comptroller
of Baltimore in July 1876 and served until January 1881. Afterwards, he was elected to that office and served until his death in Baltimore. He is interred in Greenmount Cemetery
.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
.
Van Sant was born in Millington
Millington, Maryland
Millington is a town in Kent and Queen Anne's counties in the U.S. state of Maryland. The population was 416 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Millington is located at ....
in Kent County, Maryland
Kent County, Maryland
Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, on its Eastern Shore. It was named for the county of Kent in England. Its county seat is Chestertown. In 2010, the county population was 20,197...
. He moved with his parents to Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, in 1807, and later to Philadelphia in 1812. He attended the common schools before moving to Baltimore, Maryland. He engaged in hat making in 1817, became a journeyman
Journeyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
, and continued at that trade until 1835. He was an unsuccessful candidate as a Jackson Democrat to the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
in 1833 and 1834, but served as a delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1836. He also served as postmaster of Baltimore from 1839 to 1841, served as a member of the House of Delegates in 1845, and as commissioner of Baltimore finances from March 1, 1846 to March 1, 1855. He was trustee of the city and county almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
from 1847 to 1853 and in 1861. He also served as commissioner of public schools from 1852 to 1854, and later as president of that organization in 1854.
Van Sant was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-third Congress, where he served from March 4, 1853, to March 3, 1855. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Thirty-fourth Congress in 1854. He later served as a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket of John C. Breckinridge
John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Kentucky and was the 14th Vice President of the United States , to date the youngest vice president in U.S...
in 1860, and was delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1867. He was director of the Maryland State Penitentiary from 1867 to 1869, serving two years as president. He was member of the board of trustees of the McDonough Educational Fund and Institute from 1867 to 1871, serving as president in 1871, and member and president of the board for Bay View Asylum from 1868 to 1870.
Van Sant served as mayor of Baltimore from 1871 to 1875, but declined to be a candidate for renomination. He was appointed city comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
of Baltimore in July 1876 and served until January 1881. Afterwards, he was elected to that office and served until his death in Baltimore. He is interred in Greenmount Cemetery
Greenmount Cemetery
Green Mount Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Established on March 15, 1838, and dedicated on July 13, 1839, it is noted for the large number of historical figures interred in its grounds as well as a large number of prominent Baltimore-area families...
.