George Ashmun

This article is about the Massachusetts politician. For the Ohio politician, seeGeorge Parish Ashmun.

George Ashmun
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMassachusetts's6thdistrict
In office March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1851
Preceded by	Osmyn Baker
Succeeded by	George T. Davis
Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
In office 1841–1841
Preceded by	Robert Charles Winthrop
Succeeded by	Thomas Kinnicut
Member of theMassachusetts Senate
In office 1838–1840
Member of theMassachusetts House of Representatives
In office 1833–1837
Personal details
Born	December 25, 1804 Blandford, Massachusetts,U.S.
Died	July 16, 1870 (aged 66) Springfield, Massachusetts,U.S.
Political party	Whig,Republican

George Ashmun(December 25, 1804 – July 16, 1870) was aWhigmember of theU.S. House of RepresentativesfromMassachusetts.

Ashmun was born inBlandford, Massachusetts,toEli P. Ashmunand Lucy Hooker. He graduated from Yale in 1823 and was married to Martha E. Hall in 1828. He served in theMassachusetts House of Representativesfrom 1833 to 1837, and theMassachusetts Senatefrom 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 theSixth District of Massachusettsin 1844, held office from 1845 to 1851 and was a member of the committees on the judiciary, Indian affairs, and rules. He opposed theMexican–American War,and was a strong supporter ofDaniel Webster.

And the birth of the Republican Party

After leaving Congress, Ashmun moved toSpringfield, Massachusetts,where he spent the rest of his life practicing law in the firm Chapman & Ashmun, founded withReuben A. Chapman.There he met newspaper publisherSamuel Bowles (journalist),with whom he helped to found the U.S. Republican Party. Immediately, Ashmun joined theRepublican Party,and presided over the Republican Party's convention in 1860 that nominatedAbraham Lincolnfor President.

Death

George Ashmun died inSpringfield, Massachusetts,on July 16, 1870. He was buried inSpringfield Cemetery.

See also

• 62nd Massachusetts General Court (1841)

References

• "Ashmun, George."Dictionary of American Biography.Vol. 1, Charles Scribner's Sons. 1928.
• American National Biography,vol. 1, p. 684.

• United States Congress."George Ashmun (id: A000318)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

• United States Congress."George Ashmun (id: B000071)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.