Jonathan Elmer (November 29, 1745September 3, 1817) was an American

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

, of the Pro-Administration ( Federalist) Party.

Early life

Jonathan Elmer was born in Cedarville,

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...

, in 1745. He was the son of Reverend Daniel Elmer and Abigail (Lawrence) Elmer. He was privately tutored until 1765, when he began attendance in the first class of medical students at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universit ...

. He received the degree of bachelor of medicine in 1768, and 1771 he received his doctor of medicine degree, the first awarded by an American university.

Early career

Elmer practiced medicine in Bridgeton and became active in government and politics. From 1772 to 1775, he served 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 that is commonly transla ...

of Cumberland County. During the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of ...

he was a militia officer and attained the rank of captain as commander of a company. He was elected to the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communi ...

in 1774.

Later career

Elmer was a delegate to the Continental Congress three times: 1777 to 1778, 1781 to 1783, and 1787 to 1788. In 1780 and 1784 he represented Cumberland County in the New Jersey Legislative Council. The College of New Jersey (now known as

Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the n ...

) made Elmer a

trustee Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, is a synonym for anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility to ...

in 1782. He served in that position until 1795. The New Jersey Legislature appointed Elmer to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and ...

for the term of March 4, 1789 to March 3, 1791. His health declined after that, and Elmer died in 1817, and he was interred in

Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church Cemetery Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church and Cemetery is a historic church on Broad (New Jersey Route 49) and Lawrence Streets in Bridgeton, Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It was built in 1792 and added to the National Register of Hi ...

in Bridgeton.

Family

In 1769, Elmer married Mary Seeley, the daughter of Colonel Ephraim Seeley of Bridgeton. They were the parents of eight children. Elmer's younger brother,

Ebenezer Elmer Ebenezer Elmer (August 23, 1752 – October 18, 1843) was an American physician from Bridgeton, New Jersey. He represented New Jersey in the U.S. Congress from the Democratic-Republican Party from 1801 to 1807. Elmer's older brother, Jonathan ...

, and Ebenezer's son

Lucius Elmer Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus Elmer (February 3, 1793 – March 11, 1883) was an American Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district in the U.S. Congress from 1843 to 1845. He was son of Ebenezer Elmer a ...

were members of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

References

http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/rutgersnj/elmer_jonathan_b_nov_29_1745_d_sept_3_1817/0

External links

Jonathan Elmer
at

The Political Graveyard The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information. The name comes from the website's inclusion of burial locations ...

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Elmer, Jonathan 1745 births 1817 deaths People from Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey People of colonial New Jersey American people of English descent American Presbyterians Continental Congressmen from New Jersey Pro-Administration Party United States senators from New Jersey Members of the New Jersey Legislative Council New Jersey sheriffs 18th-century American physicians University of Pennsylvania alumni Princeton University people Burials in New Jersey Members of the American Philosophical Society