Member Biography

Elijah Catlin Wadhams 

Member

Portrait: Governor’s Photograph Album, 1878, Pa. State Archives
 

Sessions Office Position District Party
1877       21 Republican
1878       21 Republican
1879-1880       21 Republican

COUNTIES: Luzerne  


Biography

07/17/1825 - 01/18/1889


Elijah Catlin Wadhams (R21) Luzerne (Part) County 1877-1880

Early Life:

Elijah Catlin Wadhams, born July 17, 1825, Plymouth, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; son of Samuel and Clorinda Starr Catlin Wadhams; educated, Dana’s Academy; Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania;  New York University, 1847; engaged, general merchandising; merchant; justice of the peace, Plymouth Borough, twenty years; first burgess of Plymouth, 1866-1873; participated, Avondale Mine Disaster inquisition, 1869; moved, Wilkes-Barre, 1878; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1877-1880; married, Esther Taylor, 1851, Children, Ellen Hendrick Wadhams, Samuel French Wadhams, Cornelia Frances Wadhams, Moses Waller Wadhams, Stella Catlin Wadhams, Lydia French Wadhams, Ralph Holberton Wadhams; died, January 18, 1889 (aged 63) Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, interment Hollenback Cemetery, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.  

Early Career:

Director, Wyoming Bank, Wyoming National Bank of Wilkes-Barre, thirty years; President, First National Bank of Wilkes-Barre. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Mason; lifelong member of the Methodist-Episcopal Church. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Justice of the peace, Plymouth Borough, twenty years; first burgess of Plymouth, 1866-1873.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 21st district, Luzerne (Part) County 1877-1880, committee assignments, Banks, Canal and Inland Navigation, Judicial Local and Pension and Gratuities. 

Cited: 

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

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1879). Smull, J.A., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 704, 710-712, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 668.

Elijah Catlin Wadhams (1825-1889) - Find a Grave Memorial