Jacob Broom (congressman) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacob Broom
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 4th district |
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| In office March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 |
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| Preceded by | William H. Witte |
| Succeeded by | Henry M. Phillips |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 25, 1808 Baltimore, Maryland |
| Died | November 28, 1864 (aged 56) |
| Political party | American |
Jacob Broom (born July 25, 1808 – died November 28, 1864) was an American politician from Pennsylvania. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, which is where laws are made for the whole country. He belonged to the American Party.
Jacob Broom was the son of Delaware congressman James Madison Broom. His grandfather, also named Jacob Broom, was a politician from Delaware. Jacob Broom was born in Baltimore, Maryland.
In 1819, when Jacob was about 11 years old, his family moved to Philadelphia. He studied law and became a lawyer in 1832. He started his law practice in Philadelphia. He also worked for the state government. In 1840, he became a deputy auditor for the state. From 1848 to 1852, he was a clerk for the Philadelphia Orphans’ Court.
Running for President
In 1852, Jacob Broom ran for President of the United States. This was under unusual circumstances for his party. His party was first known as the Native American Party. Later, it became known as the American Party, or more commonly, the Know Nothings.
Broom was in charge of his party's national meeting. At this meeting, they chose Daniel Webster as their presidential candidate. However, Webster sadly passed away just nine days before the election. Because of this, Broom was quickly named as his replacement. Reynell Coates of New Jersey was chosen as his running mate.
Broom received 2,566 popular votes in the election. This was about 0.08% of all votes. He finished fifth, behind Daniel Webster, who still received more votes even after he died. Neither Broom nor Webster received any electoral votes.
Serving in Congress
In 1854, Jacob Broom was elected to the Thirty-fourth Congress. He was elected as a candidate for the American Party. During his time in Congress, he was the chairman of the House Committee on Revolutionary Pensions. This committee dealt with payments to people who served in the American Revolutionary War.
Broom tried to be nominated again in 1856, but he was not successful. He also tried to be elected to the Thirty-sixth Congress in 1858, but he did not win. He passed away in Washington, D.C., in 1864. He was buried in Congressional Cemetery.
