Member Biography

Biography

Daniel Ermentrout (D8) Berks County 1874 (D11) Berks County 1875-1880

Early Life: 

Daniel Ermentrout, born January 24, 1837, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, son of William Ermentrout and Justina (Silvis) Ermentrout; attended, public and classical schools, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Elmwood Institute, Norristown, Pennsylvania; studied law; admitted, bar 1859, commenced practice, Reading, Pennsylvania; elected, district attorney, 1862-1865; solicitor, city of Reading 1867-1870; member, board of school control of Reading 1868-1876; delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1868 and 1880 (Convention Vice-President); chairman, standing committee of Berks County, 1869, 1872, and 1873; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate 1874-1880, appointed, Pennsylvania Statuary Commission, 1877; elected, Democrat, United States House of Representatives, Pennsylvania, 1881-1889; elected, Democrat, United States House of Representatives, Pennsylvania, 1897-1899; delegate, Democratic State conventions, 1895-1899; married, Adelaide Louise Metzger Ermentrout, children: Fitz Daniel Ermentrout, Adelaide E. Ermentrout Henry; died, September 17, 1899, (age 62 years, 236 days) while in office, home, choking, Reading, Berks, County, Pennsylvania; interment, Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading, Berks, County, Pennsylvania. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, district attorney, 1862-1865. 

Solicitor, city of Reading 1867-1870; member, board of school control of Reading 1868-1876. 

Delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1868, 1880 (Convention Vice-President). 

Chairman, standing committee of Berks County, 1869, 1872, 1873; delegate, Democratic State conventions 1895-1899.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 8th district, Berks County, 1874. 

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 11th district, Berks County, 1875-1880; committee assignments, Federal Relations, Judiciary Local, Municipal Affairs and Public Buildings; appointed, Governor John F. Hartranft, member, Pennsylvania Statuary Commission, 1877. 

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Democrat, United States Representative, Pennsylvania, 8th District, 1881-1889.

Elected, Democrat, United States Representative, Pennsylvania, 9th District 1897-1899. 

Legacy: 

Harboring a lifelong interest in Pennsylvania-German history, delivered an address during the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia titled "The Pennsylvania German in History", 1876.   

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. Senate Members "E" (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1875). Smull, J.A., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 601, 606-608.

Adelaide Ermentrout scrapbooks on Daniel Ermentrout 3629 (hsp.org) 

Reading Times (Reading, Pennsylvania) Monday September 18, 1899, Page 1.

Daniel Ermentrout (1837-1899) - Find a Grave Memorial