Representative Ernest Francis Acheson

Ernest Francis Acheson (September 19, 1855 – May 16, 1917) was an American newspaper editor, lawyer, and Republican politician who served as a Representative from Pennsylvania in the United States Congress from 1895 to 1909. He was born in Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania, on September 19, 1855, the son of Alexander W. Acheson and Jane (Wishart) Acheson. Raised in Washington, he attended the local public schools, reflecting the town’s established educational traditions, and remained closely tied to his native community throughout his life.

Acheson pursued higher education at Washington & Jefferson College, from which he was recognized as an honorary graduate in 1875. Following his collegiate studies, he read law under M. C. Acheson in Washington, Pennsylvania, and was admitted to the bar in 1877. He practiced law in Washington from 1877 until 1879, building a professional foundation in the legal field. In 1889, Washington & Jefferson College further honored him with the honorary degree of A.M., acknowledging his growing prominence in public and professional life.

Transitioning from law to journalism, Acheson purchased the Washington Weekly Observer, a local newspaper in Washington, Pennsylvania, and became its editor. Under his leadership, the paper expanded its reach and influence, and in 1889 he established a daily edition of the same paper, reflecting both the growth of the community and his own entrepreneurial initiative in the press. His work as an editor brought him into broader professional circles: in January 1893 he became president of the Pennsylvania Editorial Association, and in June 1893 he was chosen recording secretary of the National Editorial Association, positions that underscored his standing among journalists at both the state and national levels. On November 22, 1882, he married Jannie B. Stewart, the daughter of Galbraith Stewart, further anchoring his personal and professional life in western Pennsylvania.

Acheson’s prominence in journalism and local affairs provided a platform for his entry into national politics. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania in 1894 and took his seat in the Fifty-fourth Congress, which convened on March 4, 1895. He served continuously in the House from 1895 to 1909, contributing to the legislative process during seven terms in office and representing the interests of his constituents during a significant period in American history marked by industrial expansion, economic change, and the emergence of the United States as an international power. During this time he served in the Fifty-fourth, Fifty-fifth, Fifty-sixth, Fifty-seventh, and Fifty-eighth Congresses, and continued in subsequent Congresses until the close of his service in 1909. His long tenure reflected sustained electoral support and his active participation in the democratic process as a representative of Pennsylvania.

Acheson’s congressional service came to an end when he was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1908, concluding his fourteen-year tenure in the House of Representatives the following year. After leaving Congress in 1909, he returned to his earlier vocation in editorial work, resuming his association with the newspaper field that had first brought him to public attention. He remained engaged in this work until his retirement in 1912, maintaining his connection to the civic and political discourse of his community even after his formal political career had ended.

In his later years, Acheson continued to reside in his native city of Washington, Pennsylvania, where he had been born, educated, and had built his professional and political life. He died there on May 16, 1917. His career as a lawyer, editor, and seven-term Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania reflected a lifelong commitment to public service and to the community in which he spent nearly all of his life.