Henry Clay Longnecker
Encyclopedia
Henry Clay Longnecker was a Republican
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
.
. He graduated from the Norwich Military Academy of Vermont
and from Lafayette College
in Easton, Pennsylvania
. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and practiced in Easton.
He served during the Mexican–American War
as first lieutenant, captain, and adjutant in all principal engagements under General Winfield Scott
. He was wounded at the Battle of Chapultepec
on September 13, 1847. He returned to Pennsylvania, and served as district attorney of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
, from 1848 to 1850.
Longnecker was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-sixth
Congress. During the American Civil War
, Longnecker participated in organizing Pennsylvania troops and served in the Union Army
as colonel of the Ninth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He resumed the practice of his profession in Allentown, Pennsylvania
, in 1865. He served as associate judge of Lehigh County in 1867, and died in Allentown in 1871. Interment in Fairview Cemetery.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Early life
Henry Clay Longnecker was born in Allen Township, PennsylvaniaAllen Township, Pennsylvania
Allen Township is a township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Allen Township is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Allen Township was 2,630 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. He graduated from the Norwich Military Academy of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and from Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
in Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and practiced in Easton.
He served during the Mexican–American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
as first lieutenant, captain, and adjutant in all principal engagements under General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
. He was wounded at the Battle of Chapultepec
Battle of Chapultepec
The Battle of Chapultepec, in September 1847, was a United States victory over Mexican forces holding Chapultepec Castle west of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.-Background:On September 13, 1847, in the costly Battle of Molino del Rey, U.S...
on September 13, 1847. He returned to Pennsylvania, and served as district attorney of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
-Climate:Most of the county's climate is considered to fall in the humid continental climate zone. Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold. Precipitation is almost uniformly distributed throughout the year....
, from 1848 to 1850.
Longnecker was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-sixth
36th United States Congress
The Thirty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1859 to March 4, 1861, during the third and fourth...
Congress. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Longnecker participated in organizing Pennsylvania troops and served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
as colonel of the Ninth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He resumed the practice of his profession in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
, in 1865. He served as associate judge of Lehigh County in 1867, and died in Allentown in 1871. Interment in Fairview Cemetery.