Representative Alfred Crout Harmer

Alfred Crout Harmer (August 8, 1825 – March 6, 1900) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania who served a total of fourteen terms in Congress between 1871 and 1901. His long tenure in the House of Representatives spanned a significant period in American history, from the post–Civil War Reconstruction era through the closing years of the nineteenth century, during which he consistently participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his Pennsylvania constituents.

Harmer was born on August 8, 1825, in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Little is recorded in the contemporary congressional record about his formal schooling, but his early life in Germantown placed him within one of Philadelphia’s important and growing communities in the first half of the nineteenth century. Before entering public office, he engaged in private enterprise and began work as a shoe manufacturer, gaining experience in business and industry that would later inform his public service and understanding of the economic concerns of his district.

Harmer’s political career began at the municipal level in Philadelphia. He became a member of the Philadelphia City Council, serving from 1856 to 1860, a period marked by rapid urban growth and increasing demands on city governance. Following his council service, he held the office of recorder of deeds for Philadelphia from 1860 to 1863, overseeing the official recording of property transactions in the city. His growing prominence within the Republican Party was further demonstrated when he served as a delegate to the 1868 Republican National Convention, participating in the national deliberations of his party during the Reconstruction era.

Harmer was first elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Republican in 1870 and took his seat in Congress in 1871. He served two consecutive terms before being defeated in the 1874 election. Despite this setback, he returned to national office when he was elected again in 1876. From that point, he served continuously in the House of Representatives until his death in 1900. Over the course of fourteen terms in office, Harmer contributed to the legislative process during a transformative era in American politics and society, taking part in the democratic process as the nation addressed issues of reconstruction, industrialization, and expansion. His extended service reflected sustained support from his constituents and a durable position within the Republican Party.

Harmer died in office on March 6, 1900, while still serving as a Representative from Pennsylvania. His death placed him among the members of the United States Congress who died in office in the early twentieth century. He was interred in West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, a prominent burial place for many of the region’s political and civic leaders. In 1901, memorial addresses on his life and character were delivered in the House of Representatives and the Senate, later published under the title “Memorial addresses on the life and character of Alfred C. Harmer, late a representative from Pennsylvania,” reflecting the esteem in which he was held by his colleagues and his long-standing role in the national legislature.