Benjamin Alden Bidlack
Benjamin Alden Bidlack (born September 8, 1804 in Paris , New York , † February 6, 1849 in Bogotá , Colombia ) was an American politician . Between 1841 and 1845 he represented the state of Pennsylvania in the US House of Representatives .
Career
Benjamin Bidlack attended public schools in his home country and the Wilkes-Barre Academy . After studying law and being admitted to the bar in 1825, he began to work in this profession in Wilkes-Barre . In the same year he was elected district attorney in Luzerne County . In 1830 he moved to Milford , in 1834 he became a treasurer in Pike County there . He then returned to Wilkes-Barre, where he edited two newspapers. Politically, he joined the Democratic Party . He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1835 and 1836 .
In the congressional election of 1840 Bidlack was elected to the 15th constituency of Pennsylvania in the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC , where he succeeded David Petrikin on March 4, 1841 . After a re-election in the eleventh district of his state, he was able to complete two terms in Congress until March 3, 1845 . That period was fraught with tension between President John Tyler and the Whigs . In addition, a possible annexation of the Republic of Texas , which has been independent of Mexico since 1836, was already being discussed.
After the inauguration of the Democratic President James K. Polk , Bidlack was appointed the American Chargé d'affaires in New Granada. He held this office until his death. In this capacity he succeeded in negotiating a friendship treaty between New Granada and the United States, which granted the United States the right to build a canal or a railroad through the Isthmus of Panama . Benjamin Bidlack died on February 6, 1849 in Bogotá, where he was also buried.
Web links
- Benjamin Alden Bidlack in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
- Benjamin Alden Bidlack in the database of Find a Grave (English)
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| David Petrikin |
United States House Representative for Pennsylvania (15th constituency) March 4, 1841 - March 3, 1843 |
Henry Nes |
| James Gerry | United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania (11th constituency) March 4, 1843 - March 3, 1845 |
Owen D. Leib |
| William M. Blackford | Chargé d'affaires in New Granada December 5, 1845 - February 6, 1849 |
Thomas M. Foote |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Bidlack, Benjamin Alden |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American politician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 8, 1804 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Paris , New York |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 6, 1849 |
| Place of death | Bogotá , Colombia |