Biography

06/08/1782 - 03/24/1858

Brigadier General Jacob Eyster (D11) Adams and York Counties 1819-1822 (D14) Adams and York Counties 1822-1824 

Early Life: 

Brigadier General Jacob Eyster, born June 8, 1782, Hanover, York County (now, Adams County), Pennsylvania; son of George and Margaret Slagle Eyster; married, Mary Middlecoff, 1810, children, Doctor Alfred E. Eyster; George Washington Eyster; Juliana Matilda Jacobs and Louisa E. Eyster; moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, engaged in business, 1811; enrolled, Adams County Militia, brigadier general, War of 1812-1814; unsuccessful candidate, Sheriff, Adams County, 1809; unsuccessful candidate, Auditor, Adams County, 1810, 1811; unsuccessful candidate, Auditor, Adams County, 1811; unsuccessful candidate, Trustee, Academy, Adams County, 1812; unsuccessful candidate, Commissioner, Adams County, 1813; unsuccessful candidate, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Adams County, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1818; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1819-1822; Pennsylvania State Capitol moved from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, served different district; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate,1822-1824; resigned, 1824; state deputy surveyor-general, 1824-1839; cashier, bank, Hagerstown, Maryland; died, March 24, 1858 (age 75), Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. No interment information available. 

Early Career:

Enrolled, Adams County Militia; appointed, first sergeant, rose to captain, then major. Appointed, Brigadier General, Governor Simon Snyder Second Brigade, Fifth Division, Pennsylvania militia, 1814. During the invasion of Maryland by the British that year he was employed by the Secretary of War John Armstrong and the Governor of Pennsylvania in distributing and forwarding arms and supplies to the militia who were called into service.

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Unsuccessful candidate, Sheriff, Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1809.

Unsuccessful candidate, Auditor, Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1810, 1811.

Unsuccessful candidate, Auditor, Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1811.

Unsuccessful candidate, Trustee, Academy, Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1812.

Unsuccessful candidate, Commissioner, Adams County, 2 Year Term, Pennsylvania, 1813

Unsuccessful candidate, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1818.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 11th district, Adams and York Counties, 1819-1822.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 14th district, Adams and York Counties, 1822-1824; resigned his seat prior to the beginning of the 1824 session, replaced by Zephaniah Herbert. 

State deputy surveyor-general, 1824-1839.

Cited:

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

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)

Harrisburg Telegraph (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) Saturday, July 15, 1882, Page 5.