Biography

01/24/1837 - 09/17/1899

Daniel Ermentrout (D1) Philadelphia County 1873, (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 1873-1880 (1st District 1873, 11th District 1875-80); appointed, Governor John F. Hartranft, October 1877, member, Pennsylvania Statuary Commission; elected, Democrat, United States Representative, Pennsylvania, 1881-89, 1897-99 (8th District 1881-89, 9th District 1897-99); delegate, Democratic State conventions 1895-1899; married, Adelaide Louise (Metzger) children: Fitz Daniel and Adelaide E. Ermentrout Henry; died, home, while in office, choking, September 17, 1899, (age 62 years, 236 days) Reading, Berks, County, Pennsylvania, interment in Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading, Berks, County, Pennsylvania. (i) (ii)

Early Career:

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; delegate, Democratic State conventions 1895-1899.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, Philadelphia County, 1st District 1873 Berks County, 11th District 1875-80); member, Federal Relations, Judiciary Local, Municipal Affairs and Public Buildings Committees; appointed, Governor John F. Hartranft, October 1877, member, Pennsylvania Statuary Commission.

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Democrat, United States Representative, Pennsylvania, 1881-89, 1897-99 (8th District 1881-89, 9th District 1897-99).

Federal Judiciary Biography:

https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/E000205

Legacy:

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

Cited:  

Smull’s Legislative Hand Book, (1875) Smull, J.A., page 601 and 606-608.

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

 (ii)  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12478957/daniel-ermentrout

(iii) http://www2.hsp.org/collections/manuscripts/e/Ermentrout3629.html