Abraham Herr Smith (March 7, 1815 – February 16, 1894) was an American politician who served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district from 1873 to 1885.

A. Herr Smith
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 9th district
In office
March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1885
Preceded byOliver James Dickey
Succeeded byJohn Andrew Hiestand
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 7th district
In office
1845–1848
Preceded byLevi Kline
Succeeded byJoseph Konigmacher
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In office
1843–1844
Personal details
Born(1815-03-07)March 7, 1815
Near Millersville, Pennsylvania, US
DiedFebruary 16, 1894(1894-02-16) (aged 78)
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US
Political partyRepublican
Alma materDickinson College
ProfessionPolitician

Early life and education

edit

Smith was born near Millersville, Pennsylvania to Jacob Smith and Elizabeth Herr. His parents died when he was eight years old and he was raised by his paternal grandparents.

He attended Professor Beck's Academy at Lititz, Pennsylvania, studied at Harrington College, and then graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1840. After completing his law studies, he was admitted to the bar in 1842, and commenced practice in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.[1]

Career

edit

He served as a Whig member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1843 to 1844 and in the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 7th district from 1845 to 1848.[2]

Smith was elected as a Republican to the Forty-third and to the five succeeding Congresses. He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Mileage during the Forty-seventh Congress, and served for six years on the War Claims Committee and the Appropriations Committee.[1]

An unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1884, he resumed the practice of law, and died in Lancaster in 1894. He was interred in the Woodward Hill Cemetery.[2]

Legacy

edit

The A. Herr Smith Memorial Hall in the Denny Hall building of the Union Philosophical Society at Dickinson College was named in his honor.[1]

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Abraham Herr Smith (1815-1894)". www.archives.dickinson.edu. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Pennsylvania State Senate - A Herr Smith Biography". www.legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved 6 March 2019.

Sources

edit
edit
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Preceded by
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
1843-1844
Succeeded by
Pennsylvania State Senate
Preceded by
Levi Kline
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate, 7th district
1845-1848
Succeeded by
Joseph Konigmacher
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district

1873–1885
Succeeded by