Biography

10/10/1790 - 10/13/1853

William Hiester, Jr. (Whig6) Lancaster and York Counties 1841-1843

Early Life:

William Hiester, Jr., born October 10, 1790, Berne Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, son of William Hiester, Sr. and Anna Maria Myer; common school education; engaged, farming, merchandising; married, Lucy Ellmaker Hiester, 1821, son, Isaac Ellmaker Hiester; Lancaster County Justice of the Peace, 1823-1828; unsuccessful Congressional Campaign, Anti-Masonic Convention, 1828; elected, Secretary, State Caucus, Anti-Masonic Convention, 1828; elected, Anti-Masonic, United States House of Representatives, 1831-1837; delegate, Pennsylvania State Constitutional Convention, 1837; elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1841-1843, elected, Speaker, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1842; engaged, agricultural pursuits 1843-1853; died, October 13, 1853 (aged 63, 3 days) New Holland, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; interment, Lancaster Cemetery, Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Lieutenant, Pennsylvania Militia, War of 1812. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Lancaster County Justice of the Peace, 1823-1828. 

Unsuccessful Congressional Campaign, Anti-Masonic Convention; James Buchanan, elected, 1828. 

Elected, Secretary, State Caucus, Anti-Masonic Convention, 1828.

Delegate, Pennsylvania State Constitutional Convention, 1837-1838.

Elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State Senate, 6th District, Lancaster and York Counties, 1841-1843; elected, Speaker Pennsylvania State Senate, 35th ballot, July 26, 1842; advocated the only legislative pay decrease in upper house history, following the state’s dramatically declining economy in the early 1840s. Chairman, Agriculture and Manufacturing Committee. 

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Anti-Masonic, United States House of Representatives, Twenty-second, Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Congresses, 1831-1837. 

Legacy:

A member of the notable Hiester-Muhlenberg-Clymer-Ellmaker political families. 

Nephew, Hiester Clymer, Pennsylvania State Senate, 6th district, Berks County 1861-1864, 8th district, 1865-1866; United States Congressman, 1873-1881.

Hiester Clymer  - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

Son, Congressman Isaac Ellmaker Hiester, United States House of Representatives, Thirty-third Congress, 1853-1855.

Uncle, Congressman, John Hiester,United States House of Representatives, Tenth Congress, 1807-1809.

Nephew, Daniel Hiester, renowned Revolutionary War officer, United States House of Representatives,  first six United States Congresses, representing Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members H". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Biographical Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania, ed. Charles Robson (Philadelphia: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1894), 333

William Hiester (1790-1853) - Find a Grave Memorial