From 1828 to 1829, Ellmaker served another term as Pennsylvania Attorney General. In 1832, Ellmaker was nominated as the Anti-Masonic vice presidential candidate. The ticket of William Wirt and Ellmaker took 7.8% of the national popular vote and won the state of Vermont. Ellmaker sought election to the United States Senate in 1834 but was defeated by James Buchanan. After the election, Ellmaker retired from politics and practiced law in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Education
Amos Ellmaker was born in Leacock Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on a property called, "Apple Bottom", the son of Peter Ellmaker and Susannah (Carpenter) Ellmaker. He graduated from Princeton College in 1805, attended the Litchfield Law School, and continued his legal studies under James Hopkins, the same Lancaster attorney who trained James Buchanan. Ellmaker completed his studies in the Harrisburg office of Thomas Elder, whose daughter he later married. In 1808, Ellmaker was admitted to the bar and began practicing law in Harrisburg.
He volunteered for the militia during the War of 1812 and served in 1814 as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General John Forster during the Chesapeake Campaign. While in this position, he was elected to the Fourteenth Congress from the congressional district consisting of Lancaster, Dauphin, and Lebanon Counties, but never filled that office. On July 3, 1815 Ellmaker was appointed Judge of the Twelfth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, composed of Dauphin, Lebanon, and Schuylkill Counties.
In 1832, Ellmaker was the candidate for Vice President on the Anti-Masonic ticket, with William Wirt as the candidate for president. Wirt and Ellmaker won in Vermont, and received seven electoral votes.
In 1834, Ellmaker ran for the United States Senate, losing to James Buchanan. After this election, Ellmaker retired from politics and continued the practice of law.
In 1838, the Lancaster Female Seminary was incorporated, with Ellmaker as one of the original 10 trustees.
Personal life
In 1816, Ellmaker married Mary Rachael Elder (born December 31, 1799 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; died March 15, 1866), the daughter of Thomas Elder. They had two sons, Nathaniel (born April 28, 1817 in Harrisburg) and Levi Ellmaker (born 1828 in Harrisburg).
Death and burial
On November 28, 1851, Ellmaker died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was buried in the churchyard of St. James' Episcopal Church in Lancaster.
References
Egle, William Henry Pennsylvania Genealogies: Chiefly Scots-Irish and German (1896).
Ellis, Franklin History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men (1883)
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans (1904).
Carpenter, Seymour D. , 1826?. Genealogical notes of the Carpenter family, including the autobiography, and personal reminiscences of Dr. Seymour D. Carpenter, lieutenant colonel in the war for the union. With genealogical and biographical appendix. editeds by Walker, Edwin Sawyer Springfield, Ill., Illinois state journal co., printers, 1907. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/08005901/. (image 227)
