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Anthony Ellmaker Roberts (October 29, 1803 – January 23, 1885), was an American politician, member of the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
from 1855 to 1859, an
abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...
and close associate of
Thaddeus Stevens Thaddeus Stevens (April 4, 1792August 11, 1868) was an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, being one of the leaders of the Radical Republican faction of the Histo ...
.


Early life

Anthony Ellmaker Roberts was born near Barneston Station in
Chester County, Pennsylvania Chester County (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Tscheschter Kaundi''), colloquially referred to as Chesco, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in ...
. He was the son of John Roberts and Mary Ellmaker. His family moved to Lancaster County in 1804. Growing up, Roberts received the limited education available from the local
common school A common school was a public school in the United States during the 19th century. Horace Mann (1796–1859) was a strong advocate for public education and the common school. In 1837, the state of Massachusetts appointed Mann as the first secretar ...
. In 1816, at the age of thirteen, Roberts began working for his uncle Isaac Ellmaker as a clerk in Isaac's country store in New Holland; at the age of twenty, Anthony received a share in the ownership of the store, and continued in the business until 1839.


Early political career

On October 8, 1839, Roberts was elected on the Democratic Antimasonic ticket as
Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...
of Lancaster County. He then moved to
Lancaster City Lancaster City Football Club is an English semi-professional non-League football club based in the northern city of Lancaster, Lancashire. They currently compete in and play at Giant Axe. They are full members of the Lancashire County Foot ...
, where he served his three-year term as sheriff from 1839 to 1842. In the fall of 1843, Roberts ran for a seat on the Twenty-Eighth Congress on the Anti-Masonic Party ticket, but he was defeated by the Whig Party candidate, Jeremiah Brown. On May 16, 1850, Roberts was appointed by US President
Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military officer and politician who was the 12th president of the United States, serving from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States ...
as the
United States Marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the United States federal judi ...
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, a position he held until May 29, 1853.


Resistance at Christiana


The incident

Just a few months after Roberts was appointed Marshal, the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
passed the ''
Fugitive Slave Law The fugitive slave laws were laws passed by the United States Congress in 1793 and 1850 to provide for the return of slaves who escaped from one state into another state or territory. The idea of the fugitive slave law was derived from the Fugi ...
'' as part of the
Compromise of 1850 The Compromise of 1850 was a package of five separate bills passed by the United States Congress in September 1850 that temporarily defused tensions between slave and free states during the years leading up to the American Civil War. Designe ...
. The law put Roberts in a difficult position as a Marshal who was also an abolitionist, because he was expected to enforce laws promoting the return of
runaway slaves In the United States, fugitive slaves or runaway slaves were terms used in the 18th and 19th centuries to describe people who fled slavery. The term also refers to the federal Fugitive Slave Acts of 1793 and 1850. Such people are also called fre ...
to the South or risk a fine of one thousand US$ per incident. After many tense incidents in the north between local communities harboring runaway slaves and southern slave owners seeking to reclaim their "''
property Property is a system of rights that gives people legal control of valuable things, and also refers to the valuable things themselves. Depending on the nature of the property, an owner of property may have the right to consume, alter, share, re ...
''". An incident arose in which blood was shed: on September 11, 1851, Edward Gorsuch, a
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
slave owner, came to Christiana in Lancaster County to reclaim a runaway slave named Nelson Ford. A group of runaway slaves in Christiana, headed by William Parker, had formed a vigilante group to protect one another from any attempts by Southern slave owners to enslave them again. Edward Gorsuch soon learned that his former slave was staying with William Parker. He went to William Parker's house along with a small
posse Posse is a shortened form of posse comitatus, a group of people summoned to assist law enforcement. The term is also used colloquially to mean a group of friends or associates. Posse may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Posse'' (1975 ...
to take back the slave he claimed to own. The fugitive slaves, led by William Parker, sounded an alarm, which summoned other
blacks Black is a racial classification of people, usually a political and skin color-based category for specific populations with a mid- to dark brown complexion. Not all people considered "black" have dark skin and often additional phenotypical ch ...
as well as some local white abolitionists. As Edward Gorsuch advanced to reclaim his "''property''", William Parker led an active resistance, and a small battle ensued. One hour later the incident was over and Gorsuch lay dead. Two days later, Anthony Roberts was on the scene with a detachment of Philadelphia police. Those who participated in the resistance, including the white bystanders, were arrested and put on trial for treason, beginning with Castner Hanway, a white man who was not a Quaker but was sympathetic to Quaker ideals. Thaddeus Stevens took on the case as the defense attorney, while Roberts was responsible for keeping those on trial in custody.


Involvement in the slaves' trial

The prosecuting attorneys held two blacks in "''voluntary''" custody for the case. These men discovered Edward Gorsuch's plot to reclaim his slaves the day before the resistance took place and warned William Parker. The prosecution was planning to use their testimony to prove that the Christiana incident was an organized effort to resist the laws of the United States. Two weeks before the trial began, however, the two blacks mysteriously disappeared from custody. The prosecution hinted that Marshal Roberts had let them go, since there was no evidence of a broken lock or use of force in their escape. The defense denied the accusation. Twenty-one years later,
William Still William Still (October 7, 1819 – July 14, 1902) was an African-American abolitionist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a conductor of the Underground Railroad and was responsible for aiding and assisting at least 649 slaves to freedom ...
, the black leader of the Philadelphia
Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was an organized network of secret routes and safe houses used by freedom seekers to escape to the abolitionist Northern United States and Eastern Canada. Enslaved Africans and African Americans escaped from slavery ...
, revealed the truth. While in custody, the two black men had been identified by their owner as runaway slaves. Still reports that the two men did indeed find a "''true friend and ally''" in Roberts. Still clarified the matter further when he wrote in response to the suspicions of the prosecuting attorney with respect to Anthony Roberts: "''To add now, that those suspicions were founded on fact, will doubtless do him no damage''". Roberts did other things within his power to sway the outcome of the case. As the Marshal, Roberts was responsible for summoning potential jurors. Robert J. Brent, Maryland's
Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...
, who was part of the prosecution team, later claimed that "''a large majority''" of the potential jurors called by Marshal Roberts were "''unfavorable to a conviction''". On November 27, 1851, Roberts permitted a
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...
meal to be prepared for all the prisoners, and even joined them in the prison for the meal. The incident caused the Maryland Attorney General to censure Roberts's lack of "''
impartiality Impartiality (also called evenhandedness or fair-mindedness) is a principle of justice In its broadest sense, justice is the idea that individuals should be treated fairly. According to the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the mo ...
''" and "
decorum Decorum (from the Latin: "right, proper") was a principle of classical rhetoric, poetry, and theatrical theory concerning the fitness or otherwise of a style to a theatrical subject. The concept of ''decorum'' is also applied to prescribed lim ...
".


Scott's testimony

Later in the trial, Roberts participated in another event that had a major role in determining the outcome of the case. A certain black named George Washington Scott was going to offer testimony to the fact that he was at the scene of the battle on September 11, that he saw the men who shot Gorsuch, and that the group was organized to "''resist all slave holders''". When called upon to testify in court, however, he changed his story and claimed that he was not present that day (an admission that came as quite a surprise to the prosecuting attorneys). It turned out that the night before, Roberts had allowed several black men into the prison to "''converse''" with Scott. Maryland's Attorney General cried foul, and indirectly accused Marshal Roberts of witness tampering, citing the interesting fact that all of the black men in custody had a neat appearance except for Scott who was "''ragged, dirty, and filthy''". Despite protests from the prosecution, Scott maintained that he was not at the battle scene and that he had initially lied about being there because he was scared. In the end, Castner Hanway was acquitted. Since his was a test case, the prosecution decided not to prosecute the remaining cases.


Late political career

In the 1854 congressional election, Thaddeus Stevens put his support behind Roberts as the
Know-Nothing The American Party, known as the Native American Party before 1855 and colloquially referred to as the Know Nothings, or the Know Nothing Party, was an Old Stock nativist political movement in the United States in the 1850s. Members of the m ...
candidate for the congressional seat of the ninth district of Pennsylvania. The Whigs were appalled by Roberts' candidacy; an article in the ''Lancaster Examiner'' reflects this attitude: Despite such resistance to Anthony Roberts, on October 13, 1854, Roberts defeated his rival and relative,
Isaac Ellmaker Hiester Isaac Ellmaker Hiester (May 29, 1824 – February 6, 1871) was a nineteenth century American political leader. A member of the Hiester Family political dynasty, he was also descended from the prominent Ellmaker family. The son of William Hieste ...
, by a vote of 6,561 to 5,371 (with 4,266 votes going to the Democratic nominee). Thus Roberts won Pennsylvania's Ninth District seat in the Thirty-Fourth Congress. That same year, the Republican Party was beginning to form around the central tenet of stopping the spread of slavery. In 1855 and 1856, Roberts was among the leaders who established the Party in Pennsylvania, and he strongly advocated its principles. When his first term in Congress ended, he sought re-election as a Republican, and won a second term. During his second term he served on the Public Buildings and Grounds Committee. Altogether, he served in Congress from March 4, 1855, to March 3, 1859, as the first Republican to represent Lancaster County in Congress. He was not a candidate for re-nomination in 1858. Roberts continued in politics as an active organizer of the Republican Party in Pennsylvania. He ran for Mayor of Lancaster in 1867, but was defeated by the Democratic candidate in a city that had strong Democratic support. Roberts' obituary, published in the ''Clarion'' on January 24, 1885, states that his actions in Congress "''were always true to his constituents''".


Other activities

Roberts active public life resulted in his appointment to many committees. In 1830 he was part of a committee to distribute ''remonstrances'' (protests) in Earl Township, in response to a proposal to form Conestoga County from parts of Lancaster,
Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...
, and Berks counties. On April 5, 1841, Roberts was chosen as a secretary of a meeting in which citizens of Lancaster adopted resolutions to express their sorrow and grief over the unexpected death of President
William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was the ninth president of the United States, serving from March 4 to April 4, 1841, the shortest presidency in U.S. history. He was also the first U.S. president to die in office, causin ...
. On June 13, 1848, Roberts was appointed to a committee to solicit contributions to mitigate the losses suffered two weeks earlier in a devastating fire in
Allentown Allentown may refer to: Places * Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California * Allentown, Georgia, a city in four counties in Georgia * Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Tazewell County * Allentown, New Jersey, a boroug ...
. After the death of President
James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861. He also served as the United States Secretary of State, secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and represented Pennsylvan ...
in 1868, Roberts was appointed as one of the vice-presidents of a committee to arrange the president's funeral services. Roberts also served for a time as chairman of the visiting committee of the School Board in Lancaster. Roberts owned a lot of real estate in and near New Holland in Lancaster County. He seems to have used his real estate holdings to promote education and the general public welfare. On October 22, 1845, he bought a plot of ground with a brick house on it known as the ''
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
Meeting House''. Six years later he sold it to the Earl School District. In 1850, he completed construction on what was then the largest dwelling in eastern Lancaster County. The construction's purpose was mysterious until its completion, when Roberts announced that a select school would be opened in part of his home. He also assisted in freeing many pieces of property from rent structures that harmed the common people dwelling in New Holland. In 1860, in the City of Lancaster, he was one of the incorporators of an institution dedicated to providing homes for poor and uncared for children. One biographer notes that " he common people of New Hollandlooked upon him as their friend and champion of their rights". As a close friend of Thaddeus Stevens, Roberts was designated one of the executors of Stevens' will.


Family and late life

In 1840, Anthony married Emma Bushong, who was about eighteen years his junior, and they had twelve children. Anthony died in Lancaster City on January 23, 1885, at the age of eighty-one. He was buried in Lancaster Cemetery. One biographer summarized his life as


References

*''Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1949: The Continental Congress September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and The Congress of the United States From the First to the Eightieth Congress March 4, 1789, to January 3, 1949. Inclusive''. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1950. *
Thomas William Herringshaw Thomas William Herringshaw (January 27, 1858 – June 27, 1927) was an American journalist, publisher, genealogist and biographical author, best known for editing and publishing biographical reference works.'Herringshaw, Thomas William', ''He ...
. ''Herringshaw's Encyclopedia of American Biography of the Nineteenth Century''. Chicago, IL: American Publishers' Association, 1902. *''A History of New Holland, Pennsylvania: covering its growth and activities during two hundred years of existence, 1728-1928''. Weaver, Martin Good, unknown. unknown. 1928. *''History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania''. Philadelphia: Everts and Peck, 1883. *Jonathan Katz. ''Resistance at Christiana''. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1974. *Hans L. Trefousse. ''Thaddeus Stevens''. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2001. *"Appointments", in ''The Star & Banner'' ettysburg, Pennsylvania May 11, 1849. *No Title, ''The Adams Sentinel & General Advertiser'' ennsylvania July 8, 1850. *"The Christiana Negro Riot", in ''New York Daily Times'', September 29, 1851, 3. *"Pennsylvania Election", ''New York Daily Times'', October 4, 1854, 4. *"Standing Committees of the House of Representatives", in ''New York Daily Times'', February 2, 1856, 8. *"Passage of the Army Bill", in ''New York Daily Times'', September 2, 1856, 3. *"Common Pleas", in ''Gettysburg Compiler'' ettysburg, Pennsylvania May 13, 1870. *"The Stevens' Estate", in ''Gettysburg Compiler'' ettysburg, Pennsylvania December 2, 1880. *"Executors' Sale", in ''Gettysburg Compiler'' ettysburg, Pennsylvania October 26, 1881. *''Last Will and Testament of Anthony E. Roberts''. 22 January 1884. Register of Wills, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Probated 2 February 1885. *''Last Will and Testament of John Roberts''. 29 September 1847. Register of Wills, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Probated 22 December 1847. *A. E. Roberts Death Certificate. 23 January 1885. Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Archives Division, Records and Archives Services, Lancaster County Courthouse. Death Affidavit, Book B, Volume 1, Page 563.


External links


''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Anthony E. 1803 births 1885 deaths Law enforcement officials from Pennsylvania Politicians from Chester County, Pennsylvania Anti-Masonic Party politicians from Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Know Nothings Opposition Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania United States Marshals American abolitionists 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives