Representative Esbon Blackmar

Esbon Blackmar (June 19, 1805 – November 19, 1857) was an American politician, businessman, and a Whig Party U.S. Representative from New York. He was born in Freehold, New York, the son of Abel Blackmar and Polly (Trowbridge) Blackmar. He attended the local schools of his native community before leaving his birthplace as a young man. In 1826 he moved to Wayne County, New York, first settling in Arcadia and later establishing himself in Newark, which became the center of his business and political activities.

Blackmar married Arabella Reed, with whom he had two children, Jane Augusta and Frank. In Wayne County he developed a diversified career as both a merchant and a farmer, entering into partnership with his brother. Their business interests included buying and selling grain and other agricultural produce, boat building, and the shipment of grain and commodities along the Erie Canal, which was then a vital artery of commerce in New York State. As his operations grew, Blackmar expanded his trade westward, shipping produce to emerging markets in Michigan, Iowa, and Illinois, thereby linking his local enterprise to the broader economic development of the Midwest.

In addition to his commercial pursuits, Blackmar was active in the New York Militia. He initially served as Quartermaster of the 5th Horse Artillery Regiment, responsible for the supply and logistical needs of the unit, and later rose to the rank of regimental lieutenant colonel and second-in-command. His militia service paralleled his growing involvement in local public affairs. From 1834 to 1835 he served as Town Supervisor of Newark, marking his entry into elective office and local governance.

Blackmar’s political career advanced to the state level when he became a member of the New York State Assembly, representing Wayne County in 1838 and again in 1841. As a legislator he was aligned with the Whig Party, which at the time advocated for internal improvements, economic development, and a strong role for the legislature in shaping the state’s infrastructure. His prominence in business and politics also led him into regional development projects; he served as treasurer and as a member of the board of directors of the Sodus Point and Southern Railroad, an enterprise intended to improve transportation links and commercial opportunities in upstate New York.

Elected as a Whig to the Thirtieth United States Congress, Blackmar entered national office to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative John M. Holley. He represented New York’s 27th congressional district from December 4, 1848, to March 4, 1849, serving one term in the House of Representatives during a significant period in American history marked by debates over territorial expansion and sectional tensions. As a member of the Whig Party representing New York, Esbon Blackmar contributed to the legislative process during his term in office, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents in the national legislature.

After leaving Congress, Blackmar returned to Newark and resumed his former business activities. His commercial interests continued to extend beyond New York, and in 1844 he made a notable philanthropic contribution by donating the land for the original campus of Hillsdale College in Michigan, reflecting his support for education and the development of new institutions in the expanding West. He also remained engaged in local public service, serving again as Town Supervisor of Newark from 1852 to 1853.

In the later years of his life, Blackmar’s fortunes declined. His business failed during the financial turmoil of the Panic of 1857, leaving him reportedly in debt for more than $150,000, an amount estimated at about $3.7 million in 2014 dollars. On November 19, 1857, he died by drowning in a well at his home in Newark, New York, at the age of 52 years and 153 days. Esbon Blackmar was interred at Willow Avenue Cemetery in Newark, closing a life that combined commercial enterprise, militia service, local and state office, and a brief tenure in the United States Congress.