Representative Ephraim Milton Woomer

Ephraim Milton Woomer (January 14, 1844 – November 29, 1897) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania who served two terms in Congress from 1893 to 1897. He was born in Jonestown, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, where he attended the common schools. His early life in rural Pennsylvania shaped his familiarity with the concerns of small communities and laid the foundation for his later public service at the local, state, and national levels.

During the American Civil War, Woomer enlisted in Company A of the 93rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in September 1861. He served in the Union Army and was later promoted to the rank of sergeant, gaining leadership experience in a time of national crisis. Following his military service, he returned to civilian life in Pennsylvania and taught school until 1869, reflecting both his commitment to education and his role in rebuilding local communities in the postwar period.

In 1869, Woomer left teaching and entered mercantile pursuits, marking the beginning of a broader career in business and public administration. That same year, he became clerk of the orphans’ court of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, a position he held from 1869 to 1872. His work in the orphans’ court introduced him to county-level governance and legal administration, and it helped establish his reputation as a capable local official. Afterward, he continued to build his standing in the community through his involvement in business and finance.

Woomer’s career in banking and municipal government developed in tandem during the 1880s. He served as cashier of the People’s Bank of Lebanon, a role that placed him at the center of local economic life and gave him practical experience in financial affairs. At the same time, he entered municipal politics, serving as a member of the council of the borough of Lebanon from 1884 to 1886. When Lebanon became a city, he advanced to president of the select council of the city of Lebanon, serving in that capacity from 1886 to 1890. His influence within the Republican Party also grew, and he was chosen as a delegate to the 1888 Republican National Convention, reflecting his rising prominence in state and national party politics.

Building on his local and party leadership, Woomer was elected as a Republican to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania in the Fifty-third and Fifty-fourth Congresses. His service in Congress extended from March 4, 1893, to March 3, 1897. As a member of the House of Representatives during a significant period in American history marked by economic and political change, Ephraim Milton Woomer participated in the democratic process and contributed to the legislative work of the era. He represented the interests of his Pennsylvania constituents and took part in the deliberations of a Congress that confronted issues of industrial growth, monetary policy, and the evolving role of the federal government. A member of the Republican Party throughout his tenure, he served two full terms but was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1896.

After leaving Congress in 1897, Woomer returned to private life and again engaged in banking in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, drawing on his long experience in finance and local affairs. He remained a respected figure in his community until his death in Lebanon on November 29, 1897. Ephraim Milton Woomer was interred in Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, closing a life that spanned service as a Civil War soldier, educator, local and municipal official, banker, party delegate, and United States Representative from Pennsylvania.