Peter Newhard

Peter Newhard (July 26, 1783 – February 19, 1860) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district from 1839 to 1843. Over the course of a long public career, he held numerous local and state offices before representing his district in the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh Congresses, participating in the legislative process during a significant period in American history and representing the interests of his constituents as a member of the Democratic Party.

Newhard was born on July 26, 1783, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, then a small but growing community in the Lehigh Valley. Little is recorded about his early family life or formal schooling, but his later prominence in local affairs suggests that he was well integrated into the civic and commercial life of the borough from a young age. By the early nineteenth century he had established himself as a figure of some standing in Allentown, combining business activity with an emerging role in public service.

In 1812 Newhard opened a hardware store in Allentown, an enterprise for which he is credited as having introduced that line of business to the borough. That same year he entered local government as street commissioner of Allentown, reflecting the trust placed in him to oversee basic municipal infrastructure at a time of urban growth. He continued to build his public profile in Lehigh County, serving as coroner in 1816 and 1817. These early positions marked the beginning of a long trajectory of service in both local and state offices.

Newhard’s legislative career began in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, to which he was elected for multiple one-year terms. He served in the state House in 1817, 1818, 1819, 1824, 1825, and 1829, participating in the governance of a rapidly developing commonwealth. In addition to his work at the state level, he remained active in Allentown’s civic affairs. He was a trustee of Allentown Academy in 1822 and 1826, contributing to the oversight of local educational institutions. In 1824 he served as chairman of the town council, a role he would hold again in 1837, demonstrating his continuing influence in municipal leadership.

Advancing within state government, Newhard was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 12th district, serving from 1833 to 1836. His tenure in the Senate coincided with important debates over internal improvements, banking, and party realignments in Pennsylvania, and it further solidified his standing within the Democratic Party. Throughout these years he balanced responsibilities at the state level with ongoing engagement in local governance, maintaining close ties to his home community in Allentown.

Newhard was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district in the Twenty-sixth and Twenty-seventh Congresses, serving from 1839 to 1843. His two terms in Congress placed him in the national legislature during a period marked by contentious issues such as economic policy following the Panic of 1837 and debates over federal authority and expansion. As a Democratic member of the House, he contributed to the legislative process and participated in the democratic governance of the nation, acting on behalf of his district’s interests. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1842, thereby concluding his service in the federal legislature after two consecutive terms.

After leaving Congress, Newhard returned to local public service in Allentown. In 1843 he served as burgess of the borough, an office roughly equivalent to mayor, and again took up responsibilities as a trustee of Allentown Academy that same year. These later roles reflected his enduring commitment to municipal leadership and education in his hometown, even after his experience in state and national office.

Peter Newhard died in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1860. His life and career spanned the early national and antebellum periods of American history, and he left a record of sustained public service at the local, state, and federal levels. He was interred in his native community, where his long involvement in civic, educational, and political affairs had helped shape the development of Allentown and the surrounding region.