Abner Lacock was an American farmer, politician and canal builder. He served in both houses in the state legislature and represented Pennsylvania in both the U. S. House and Senate.
Background
Abner Lacock was born on Cub Run, near Alexandria, Virginia, the son of William and Lovey Lacock. His father was a native of England and his mother of France. When Abner was quite young the family moved to Washington County, Pa. , and settled on a farm.
Education
Young Lacock lacked the advantages of early education, but native ability, careful observation, and extensive reading, helped to overcome this handicap.
Career
In 1796 Lacock moved to the sparsely settled region of Beaver (then in Allegheny County), Pa. The same year he was appointed justice of the peace, and later became an innkeeper. In 1801 he was elected to the legislature, and continued his services there until 1803, when he was appointed the first associate judge of Beaver County. He resigned his judgeship a year later to reenter the legislature.
Here (1804 - 08) he was identified with the radical Republicans in their attacks on the judiciary, and as one of "the puppets of Leib's machine" (Freeman's Journal, Philadelphia, Aug. 14, 1807), was conspicuous in the impeachment proceedings against Gov. Thomas McKean. From 1808 to 1810 he was a member of the state Senate. Elected to Congress as a "war candidate" in 1810, Lacock supported President Madison and the war measures. From 1813 to 1819 he was in the United States Senate. A bitter enemy of A. J. Dallas, he acquiesced in that gentleman's appointment as secretary of the treasury only because of the country's desperate financial condition (Henry Adams, History of the United States, vol. VIII, 1891, p. 243).
The investigation of Jackson's conduct in the Seminole campaign was instigated by Lacock, and his report (February 24, 1819) in the capacity of chairman of the investigating committee severely censured the General's actions in raising and organizing armed forces and in attacking Spanish territory as violations of the Constitution and of international law (Ibid. , 15 Cong. , 2 Sess. , pp. 256-68). He was also a member of the committees on naturalization, post roads, appropriations, rules, foreign relations, military affairs, accounts, and pensions.
Between terms of Congress he cultivated his farm. After leaving the Senate he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the construction project of Delaware and Ohio canal. He was one of five commissioners appointed on April 11, 1825, to survey a route for the contemplated improvements, was a member of the board of canal commissioners, and after the legislature had authorized construction, supervised the building of the western division of the canal, from Pittsburgh to Johnstown. The first canal boat to run west of the Alleghanies, a freight and passenger packet, was the General Abner Lacock. In 1829 his services as canal commissioner terminated.
From 1832 to 1835 he was again in the state legislature, this time a Clay Whig and conspicuous for his advocacy of free popular education. In 1836 he was appointed commissioner to survey and construct the Pennsylvania and Ohio canal, known as the "crosscut canal, " connecting the Erie division of the Pennsylvania canal with the Portsmouth and Ohio canal.
Illness brought on by exposure while working on this project subsequently caused his death at his residence near Freedom, Pa. Lacock derived his title of "General" from his service as brigadier-general of the Pennsylvania militia. He was an expert surveyor, an accomplished writer, and a good public speaker. His library, well selected and one of the largest in western Pennsylvania, was destroyed by the Ohio floods in 1832.
Achievements
Connections
His wife was Hannah Eddy. He had three sons and four daughters.