Amasa Walker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amasa Walker
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 9th district |
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| In office December 1, 1862 – March 3, 1863 |
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| Preceded by | Goldsmith Bailey |
| Succeeded by | William B. Washburn |
| 11th Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth | |
| In office 1851–1853 |
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| Preceded by | William B. Calhoun |
| Succeeded by | Ephraim M. Wright |
| Massachusetts State Senate | |
| In office January 1850 – January 1851 |
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| Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
| In office January 1850 – January 1850 |
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| In office January 1860 – January 1861 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | May 4, 1799 Woodstock, Connecticut |
| Died | October 29, 1875 (aged 76) North Brookfield, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Anti-Masonic Democratic (before 1844) Liberty Party (1844–48) Free Soil Party (1848–56) Republican (after 1856) |
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Amasa Walker (born May 4, 1799 – died October 29, 1875) was an important American thinker. He was an economist, which means he studied how money and resources work. He also served in the United States House of Representatives, which is part of the U.S. government. Amasa Walker was the father of Francis Amasa Walker, who also became a famous economist.
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Amasa Walker's Early Life and Career
Amasa Walker was born in Woodstock, Connecticut. When he was young, his family moved to North Brookfield, Massachusetts. He went to the local school there.
In 1814, Amasa started working in business. By 1820, he had his own business partnership in North Brookfield. Later, he worked for a manufacturing company. In 1825, he started a new company in Boston. After a few years, he decided to work independently in business.
Becoming a Public Figure
Amasa Walker became involved in public life. In 1836, he was a delegate at the Democratic National Convention. This was a big meeting for the Democratic Party.
He also worked to improve society. In 1839, he became the president of the Boston Temperance Society. This group worked to encourage people to avoid alcohol. Around the same time, he suggested building a railway that would connect Boston all the way to the Mississippi River. This would have been a huge project for transportation.
In 1840, Amasa Walker left his business career. He decided to focus on teaching and studying.
Amasa Walker's Academic Work
Amasa Walker spent many years teaching about economics. From 1842 to 1848, he taught political economy at Oberlin College. Political economy is the study of how politics, government, and laws affect the economy.
Later, he worked at other famous universities. From 1853 to 1860, he was an examiner for political economy at Harvard University. Then, from 1859 to 1869, he lectured on the same subject at Amherst College. Amherst College even gave him an honorary degree in 1867. This degree, called LL.D., recognized his important contributions.
Amasa Walker's Writings
Amasa Walker wrote many articles, especially about money and finance. His most important book was Science of Wealth, a Manual of Political Economy. It was published in 1866.
He also wrote other books, including Nature and Uses of Money and Mixed Currency in 1857. He also helped write a series of books about farming in Massachusetts. In 1857, he started writing articles about economics for a magazine called Hunt's Merchant's Magazine.
Political and Social Activism
Amasa Walker was a strong supporter of ending slavery. He was very active in the anti-slavery movement. In 1848, he helped start the Free Soil Party. This political party was against slavery spreading into new U.S. territories.
Walker served in the government of Massachusetts several times:
- He was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1849 and again in 1860.
- He served in the Massachusetts State Senate in 1850.
- He was the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth from 1851 to 1853.
In 1862, Amasa Walker was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He was a member of the Republican Party. He filled a spot that became open when another representative, Goldsmith Bailey, passed away.
In 1853, he was part of a group that worked to update the state's constitution. He led the committee that focused on voting rights. In 1860, he was chosen to be part of the electoral college for Massachusetts. He voted for Abraham Lincoln to become president.
Amasa Walker also worked for peace. He was a delegate at the first International Peace Congress in London in 1843. He also attended the Paris Congress in 1849.
Death
Amasa Walker passed away in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, on October 29, 1875. He was buried in Maple Street Cemetery.
Books
- The Science of Wealth: A Manual of Political Economy. Embracing the Laws of Trade, Currency, and Finance, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown & Co. (1866).
