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PA Canal Commissioner

RACE DETAILS

Parents

> United States > Pennsylvania > Canal Commission > Canal Commission - Seat 3

Office

Commissioner

Honorific

Commissioner - Abbr: Commissioner

Type

General Election

Filing Deadline

August 01, 1855 - 05:00pm Central

Polls Open

October 09, 1855 - 06:00am Central

Polls Close

October 09, 1855 - 07:00pm Central

Term Start

January 08, 1856 - 11:00am

Term End

January 08, 1859 - 05:00pm

Contributor

Chronicler

Last Modified

Chronicler March 22, 2025 08:06pm

Data Sources

Account of the state canvass published in the Carbondale Transcript, 10/26/1855 and the Indiana Progress, 11/6/1855

Description

Native American nomination
The Native American Party held a state convention in Harrisburg around 6/6/1855. The delegates nominated Cleaver (Lancaster Intelligencer, 6/12/1855).

American nomination
The American state convention met in Philadelphia on 9/4/1855. The delegates nominated Martin by a "nearly unanimous" vote (Lancaster Intelligencer, 9/4/1855 and Lancaster Examiner, 9/5/1855).

Republican nomination
The Republican state convention met in Pittsburgh on 9/5/1855. The delegates nominated Williamson unanimously (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 9/6/1855).

Whig nomination
The Whig state convention met in Harrisburg on 9/11/1855. The delegates nominated Henderson by a "large majority" (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 9/13/1855).

American Republican nomination
Leaders of the Whig, American, and Republican Parties gathered informally in Harrisburg on 9/27/1855 to discuss how to defeat the Democrats in the race for canal commissioner. The three existing nominees agreed to withdraw, and Nicholson became the joint nominee (Gettysburg Star & Banner, 9/28/1855). The three withdrawn candidates still received votes around Pennsylvania.