John Martin Broomall (January 19, 1816 – June 3, 1894) was an American politician from
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
who served as a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
member of the
U.S. 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 they ...
from
Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district includes all of Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties; and parts of Monroe County. The district is represented by Democrat Susan Wild.
From 2013 through 2018, the district incorporated parts of th ...
from 1863 to 1869. He also served as a member of the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the
Delaware County district from 1851 to 1852.
Early life
John M. Broomall was born in
Upper Chichester Township, Pennsylvania
Upper Chichester Township is a civil township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 16,738 at the 2010 census.
History
The Lenni Lenape Indians were the earliest occupants of Upper Chichester. They erected several s ...
to John and Sarah (Martin) Broomall.
He was a twin to his sister Elizabeth Martin Broomall.
[ He attended Samuel Smith's Quaker boarding school in ]Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington (Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...
and after graduation began studying law under John Bouvier
John Bouvier (1787 – November 18, 1851), was a French-American jurist and legal lexicographer, is known for his legal writings, particularly his ''Law Dictionary Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America and of the S ...
, a prominent lawyer in Philadelphia.[
He continued the study of law under U.S. Congressman Samuel Edwards, was admitted to the Delaware County bar in 1840 and commenced practice in ]Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census.
Incorporated in 1682, Chester i ...
.
Career
In 1848, Broomall was appointed deputy attorney general for Delaware County by Attorney General Cooper.[
He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1851 and 1852. He served on the State revenue board in 1854. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in ]1854
Events
January–March
* January 4 – The McDonald Islands are discovered by Captain William McDonald aboard the ''Samarang''.
* January 6 – The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes is perhaps born.
* January 9 – The ...
and in 1858
Events
January–March
* January –
** Benito Juárez (1806–1872) becomes Liberal President of Mexico. At the same time, conservatives install Félix María Zuloaga (1813–1898) as president.
** William I of Prussia becomes regen ...
. He was a delegate to the 1860 Republican National Convention. He moved to Media, Pennsylvania
Media is a borough in and the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It is located about west of Philadelphia, the sixth most populous city in the nation with 1.6 million residents as 2020. It is part of the Delaware Valley metropolita ...
, in 1860 and continued the practice of law.
Broomall served in the Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
as Captain of Company C, Twenty-ninth Regiment, Pennsylvania Emergency Militia Infantry, from June 18 to August 1, 1863.
In 1862, Broomall was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-eighth, Thirty-ninth, and Fortieth Congresses. An active opponent of slavery, he signed the 13th amendment to the Constitution. He also advocated for a universal suffrage amendment. He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Accounts The United States House Committee on Accounts was a standing committee of the
US House of Representatives from 1803 to 1946. It had purview over the financial accounts of the House's contingent fund, as well as some matters related to facilities a ...
during the Fortieth Congress. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1868.
In 1874, Broomall resumed the practice of law. He and his law partner William Ward began investing in real estate in Chester, Pennsylvania building homes in the south ward.[ Broomall was a delegate to the State constitutional convention. In March 1874, he was appointed President Judge of the newly created Thirty-Second Judicial District of Pennsylvania by Governor John F. Hartranft and served until January 1875, when he lost election to the position to ]Thomas J. Clayton
Thomas Jefferson Clayton (July 20, 1826 – January 30, 1900) was an American lawyer from Pennsylvania who served as the first elected President Judge of the Thirty-Second Judicial District of Pennsylvania from 1874 to 1900. Clayton was an autho ...
.[
Broomall was an originator and President of the Delaware County Mutual Insurance Company][ as well as the first president of the Chester Gas Company.][ He was elected president as the first president of the Law Library Association of the Delaware County bar][ and as president of the Delaware County Institute of Science.][
]
Personal life
In 1841, Broomall married Elizabeth Booth and together they had two children, including Anna Broomall
Anna Elizabeth Broomall (March 4, 1847 – April 4, 1931) was an American obstetrician, surgeon, and educator who taught obstetrics at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. She established the first maternal health and prenatal care clin ...
who was a pioneering woman physician in Pennsylvania. Broomall was a Quaker but was "read out of meeting" for marrying Elizabeth, a non-Quaker. He was not shunned, where he could no longer attend meetings but was no longer permitted to participate in the business affairs of the meeting. Broomall was known to attend the Providence Friends Meetinghouse and regularly spoke there.[
His wife Elizabeth died young and in 1852 Broomall was remarried to Caroline Larkin. Together they had an additional five children, three of whom lived to adulthood.][
In 1894, Broomall died in ]Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
and was interred in the Media Cemetery
Media Cemetery is a historic cemetery established in 1857 in Upper Providence Township, Pennsylvania. It is located at 40 Kirk Lane and is 21 acres in size. In 1928, the cemetery merged with the adjacent West Media Cemetery and became a non-profi ...
in Upper Providence Township, Pennsylvania.[
]
Legacy
The community of Broomall, Pennsylvania
Broomall is a census-designated place (CDP) in Marple Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,789 at the 2010 census.
History
This crossroads community was renamed for the post office established to hon ...
is named for John Martin Broomall. In 1868, toward the end of his time in Congress, Broomall established a new post office at the crossroads of West Chester Pike and Sproul Road. The post office was named in his honor and the community kept the name as it grew.
In 1967, the Media Swimming and Rowing Club was renamed Broomall's Lake Country Club in honor of Broomall.
References
Further reading
Retrieved on 2008-02-14
The Political Graveyard
In search of Broomall … An Appreciation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Broomall, John Martin
1816 births
1894 deaths
19th-century American politicians
Broomall, Pennsylvania
Burials at Media Cemetery
Republican Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania lawyers
Pennsylvania state court judges
People from Upper Chichester Township, Pennsylvania
People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
American twins
Union Army officers
19th-century American judges
19th-century American lawyers