Abner Lacock (July 9, 1770 – April 12, 1837) was an American politician from Rochester, Pennsylvania. He served in both houses in the state legislature and represented Pennsylvania in both the U.S. House and Senate.

Abner Lacock
United States Senator
from Pennsylvania
In office
March 4, 1813 – March 4, 1819
Preceded byAndrew Gregg
Succeeded byWalter Lowrie
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 11th district
In office
March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813
Preceded bySamuel Smith
Succeeded byWilliam Findley
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
In office
1808-1810
Member of the Pennsylvania State Legislature
In office
1801-1803
1804-1808
1832-1835
Personal details
Born(1770-07-09)July 9, 1770
Alexandria, Virginia Colony, British America
DiedApril 12, 1837(1837-04-12) (aged 66)
Freedom, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic-Republican

Biography

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Abner Lacock was born on July 7, 1770, near Alexandria in the Colony of Virginia. He moved with his parents to Washington County, Pennsylvania, as a youth. In 1796 he moved to Beaver, Pennsylvania. He was a justice of the peace in 1796. He also worked as an innkeeper. He served in the Pennsylvania State Legislature from 1801 to 1803. He was an associate judge of the Beaver County Court from 1803 to 1804. He served again in the State legislature from 1804 to 1808. He was member of the Pennsylvania Militia and served as brigadier general in 1807. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1808 to 1810.

Lacock was elected as a Democratic Republican to the Twelfth Congress. He was re-elected to the Thirteenth Congress but resigned before it commenced, having been elected Senator. He was elected to the United States Senate as a Democratic Republican in 1812. He served as chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Pensions during the Fifteenth Congress. After he left Congress, he was appointed a State commissioner to survey routes for canals and railways in Pennsylvania in 1825. He again served in the State legislature from 1832 to 1835. He was appointed to survey and construct the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal in 1836. He died near Freedom, Pennsylvania, in 1837. Interment in Lacock Cemetery in Rochester, Pennsylvania.

Abner was frequently referred to as General Lacock after he served as a brigadier general in the state militia.

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  • United States Congress. "Abner Lacock (id: L000011)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  • The Political Graveyard
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district

1811–1813
Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. senator (Class 3) from Pennsylvania
1813–1819
Served alongside: Michael Leib, Jonathan Roberts
Succeeded by