Jacob Collamer

Jacob Collamer
United States Senator from Vermont
In office March 4, 1855 – November 9, 1865
Preceded by	Lawrence Brainerd
Succeeded by	Luke P. Poland
Judge of the Vermont Circuit Court
In office 1850–1854
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Abel Underwood
13th United States Postmaster General
In office March 8, 1849 – July 22, 1850
President	Zachary Taylor Millard Fillmore
Preceded by	Cave Johnson
Succeeded by	Nathan K. Hall
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1849
Preceded by	William Slade
Succeeded by	William Hebard
Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
In office 1833–1842
Preceded by	Nicholas Baylies
Succeeded by	William Hebard
State's Attorney of Windsor County
In office 1820–1824
Preceded by	Asa Aikens
Succeeded by	Isaac Cushman
Personal details
Born	(1791-01-08)January 8, 1791 Troy, New York, U.S.
Died	November 9, 1865(1865-11-09) (aged 74) Woodstock, Vermont, U.S.
Political party	Whig (Before 1854) Republican (1854–1865)
Spouse	Mary Stone
Children	7
Education	University of Vermont (AM)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	Vermont Militia
Years of service	1812–1815
Rank	First Lieutenant
Unit	4th Regiment, Vermont Detached Militia Brigade 2nd Brigade, 4th Division
Battles/wars	War of 1812

Jacob Collamer (January 8, 1791 – November 9, 1865) was an American politician from Vermont. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, as Postmaster General in the cabinet of President Zachary Taylor, and as a U.S. Senator.

Born in Troy, New York, and raised in Burlington, Vermont, Collamer graduated from the University of Vermont, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1813. After service in the militia during the War of 1812, he became active as an attorney, first in Royalton, and then in Woodstock. Highly regarded in the legal profession, he became a respected prosecutor, legislator, and judge.

Elected to the House of Representatives in 1842, Collamer became a prominent Whig leader and advocate of the anti-slavery cause. President Taylor selected Collamer to serve as Postmaster General following the 1848 presidential election. Collamer served until shortly after Taylor's death when he resigned to allow Taylor's successor, Millard Fillmore, to name his own appointee.

Collamer was elected to the Senate as a Republican in 1855, shortly after the formation of the new party. He became a respected voice against slavery and a prominent supporter of the Lincoln administration during the American Civil War. An advocate of more stringent postwar Reconstruction measures than those that were favored by Lincoln and his successor, Andrew Johnson, Collamer advocated congressional control of the Reconstruction process. He died in Woodstock and was buried at River Street Cemetery in Woodstock.