Amasa Walker

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Amasa Walker was an American economist and United States Representative, and was the father of Francis Amasa Walker. He was born in Woodstock, Connecticut on May 4, 1799. He moved with his parents to North Brookfield, Massachusetts and attended the district school. 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 1853-1869 he was an examiner on political economy at Harvard, and in 1859-1869 lecturer on political economy at Amherst College. He was a frequent contributor to periodical literature, especially on financial subjects. His principal work was Science of Wealth, published in (1866).

He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1836. Walker was a delegate to the 1st International Peace Conference in London in 1843, and he served at the Paris conference in 1849. Walker was elected to several political offices, among them that of a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1849, a member of the Massachusetts State Senate in 1850, the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth (1851-1853), and a Representative in Congress (1862-1863). For his seat in the US House, he was elected as a Republican to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Goldsmith Bailey. Walker died in North Brookfield on October 29, 1875. His interment was in Maple Street Cemetery.