Amasa Walker

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Amasa Walker (1799-1875) was an American economist, born at Woodstock, Conn. From 1820 to 1840 he was engaged in business, retiring in 1840 from commercial life. In 1842-1848 he lectured on political economy at Oberlin College; in 1853-69 was examiner on political economy at Harvard; and in 1859-69 lecturer on political economy at Amherst. In 1848 he was delegate to the First International Peace Congress at Brussels, and in 1849 delegate to the Peace Congress at Paris. He was elected to several political offices, among them that of Secretary of State of Massachusetts (1851-53), and Representative in Congress (1862-63). He was a frequent contributor to periodical literature, especially on financial subjects, on which his authority was regarded as of the highest. His principal work was Science of Wealth (1866), a manual of political economy which became very popular. He was the father of Francis Amasa Walker.

• This article incorporates text from an edition of the New International Encyclopedia that is in the public domain.