Anson Herrick

Who was Anson Herrick?

Anson Herrick was a U.S. Representative from New York during the latter half of the American Civil War.

Born in Lewiston, Maine, Herrick attended public school. He was a son of Ebenezer Herrick. Later on, Herrick learned the art of printing. Herrick established The Citizen at Wiscasset, Maine, in 1833, and moved to New York City in 1836. Herrick established the New York Atlas in 1838, which he continued until his death in 1868. Herrick served as a member of the New York city board of aldermen from Ward 19 during 1853-1857. Herrick was appointed by President James Buchanan as naval storekeeper for the port of New York, serving from 1857-1861.

Herrick was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-eighth Congress. Herrick was one of the few Democrats to vote for the submission of the 14th Amendment to the states.

Herrick was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1864 to the Thirty-ninth Congress, and subsequently resumed his journalistic pursuits. He served as a delegate to the Union National Convention at Philadelphia in 1866. Herrick died in New York City February 6, 1868, and was interred in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.