Poster of Asa Packer Letter of Acceptance for Governor SC MS 0241 Eleanor Nothelfer.

Last updated on June 11, 2019.

Lehigh University Special Collections Poster of Asa Packer Letter of Acceptance for Governor

Table of Contents

Summary Information...... 3 Biography/History...... 3 Biography/History...... 4 Scope and Contents...... 5 Administrative Information...... 5 Related Materials...... 5 Controlled Access Headings...... 6 Bibliography...... 6 Collection Inventory...... 7 Description of Poster...... 7

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Summary Information

Repository Special Collections

Title Poster of Asa Packer Letter of Acceptance for Governor

Call number SC MS 0241

Date 1869

Extent 1 frame

Language English

Abstract Political poster contains Asa Packer's acceptance of running for governor in the 1869 gubernatorial elections on the Democratic Party ticket. The election took place on October 12, 1869 and Packer lost to republikcan candidate John W. Geary by 4596 votes.

Cite as:

Cite as: Asa Packer Poster for Governor Letter of Acceptance, SC MS 0241, Special Collections, Linderman Library, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA

Biography/History

Asa Packer was a self-made man as businessman and pioneer in railroad construction. He was born in Mystic, Connecticut and came to as a carpenter apprentice to his cousin Edward Packer in Brooklyn, Susquehanna County. In 1833 he settled in Mauch Chunk (currently Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania) entered the mercantile business which he gave up to work on canal boats. He

- Page 3 - Poster of Asa Packer Letter of Acceptance for Governor became a captain of a canal boat carrying coal to . Packer built canal boats and locks for the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company – the first shippers of Pennsylvania anthracite coal to . In 1851 risking financial ruin, Packer acquired nearly all of the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad stock. During 1852-1855 he urged building a railroad from Mauch Chunk to Easton and by January 1853 he founded the Railroad connecting the main line along the Lehigh River to the coal mines in the anthracite region of Pennsylvania. Packer was active in Pennsylvania politics. In 1841-1842 he was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1843-1848 as county judge in Carbon County earning the title Honorable. Packer served two terms as Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives beginning 1853. In 1865 he established Lehigh University. Packer was among 14 candidates being considered by the 1868 Democratic National Convention for the party presidential candidate. of New York became the Democratic candidate and he lost the campaign to Civil War General U.S. Grant. In July 1869 Packer got the 1869 Democratic Party's nod for candidate for Pennsylvania governorship which is what the poster promotes. The acceptance letter was first publicly printed July 30, 1869 in Philadelphia and reprinted in the New York Times, July 31, 1869. Packer lost the campaign for governor to John W. Geary – an Army veteran from both the Mexican-American War and the Civil War – by 4,596 votes – one of the closest statewide races in Pennsylvania history.

Biography/History

In July 1869 at the Pennsylvania Democratic State Convention held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Asa Packer was a strong candidate among four potential candidates proposed to run against the incumbent Republican governor. Among the persons proposed to stand for the Democrats were two Civil War generals George Cass and William McCandles and two millionaires Asa Packer and Winfield Hancock (who stated he would not be a candidate). Cass was a strong favorite but a rambunctious convention caused him not to get a majority on the first ballot. A second ballot was taken. Again no majority was reached but the number of votes necessary for a choice being 68 was attained by votes for Asa Packer so he received the nomination nod. On July 30, 1869 Asa Packer's Letter of Acceptance was published in Philadelphia newspapers and on July 31 the New York Times republished the letter. It is believed that the campaign poster of the "Governor Asa Packer Letter of Acceptance" printed by McLauchlin Brothers of Philadelphia was printed shortly after the July 1869 Democratic State Convention. According to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission poster collection, there are two versions of the political poster: one in English (copies in Lehigh University Special Collections and the Pennsylvania State Archives Poster 13) and a version in German (poster 13 in the Pennsylvania State Archives MG-200 Poster Collection, 1854 – 1971, undated.

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Scope and Contents

One political poster printed in English in three ink colors – red, blue and black/gray on tan paper, poster contains Asa Packer's acceptance of running for governor in the 1869 gubernatorial elections on the Democratic Party ticket. The election took place on October 12, 1869 and Packer lost to republikcan candidate John W. Geary by 4596 votes.

Administrative Information

Lehigh University Special Collections Eleanor Nothelfer.

Access Restrictions Collection housed remotely. Users need to contact 24 hours in advance.

Use Restrictions Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions Please inquire about copyright information.

Immediate Source of Acquisition Purchased from Alderfer Auction Company, 2001?

Related Materials

Related Materials Pennsylvania State Archives – MG-200 Poster Collection 1854-1971, and undated. www.phmc.state.pa.us

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Controlled Access Headings

Form/Genre(s)

• Posters.

Geographic Name(s)

• Governors – Pennsylvania – Elections – History

Personal Name(s)

• Packer, Asa, 1805-1879

Subject(s)

• Pennsylvania -- Politics and government -- 1865-1950

Bibliography

New York Times, July 15, 1869. "Political. The Pennsylvania Democratic State Convention in Harrisburg, Hon. Asa Packer Nominated for Governor." New York Times, July 31, 1869. "Political. Pennsylvania. "The Democratic Canvass—Letter From Hon. Asa Packer Accepting the Nomination for Governor."

- Page 6 - Poster of Asa Packer Letter of Acceptance for Governor Description of Poster

Collection Inventory

Description of Poster. Box frame 0241 01 Scope and Contents

The collection is one framed political poster printed in English in three ink colors – red, blue and black/gray on tan paper. The center feature is a bust of Asa Packer flanked by a miner wearing blue striped pants, red shirt and a pick ax across his shoulder with sketch of steam locomotive in background beneath image is Byram Slack; opposite is a farmer in blue pants and jacket, red shirt holding a scythe and in background is a canal boat and sketch of a full masted ship beneath this image is printed H. Del. These images are above bold red print ASA PACKER. Beneath in black ink Letter of Acceptance and the entire letter is printed in black ink.

Box frame

0241.01. Poster. 0241 01

Scope and Contents

The collection is one framed political poster printed in English in three ink colors – red, blue and black/gray on tan paper. The center feature is a bust of Asa Packer flanked by a miner wearing blue striped pants, red shirt and a pick ax across his shoulder with sketch of steam locomotive in background beneath image is Byram Slack; opposite is a farmer in blue pants and jacket, red shirt holding a scythe and in background is a canal boat and sketch of a full masted ship beneath this image is printed H. Del. These images are above bold red print ASA PACKER. Beneath in black ink Letter of Acceptance and the entire letter is printed in black ink.

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