Sydenham E. Ancona

Ex-congressman; born in Lititz, Lancaster County, Pa., November 20, 1824; removed with his parents to Berks County at an early age, and was educated in the common schools of the county. Mr. Ancona married. May 20, 1848, Francisca E. Feger. He held a clerical position with the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company in the office of the general superintendent, then in the city of Reading. Mr. Ancona was elected to Congress at the November election, 1860, as a Democrat, and was twice reelected, thus serving three terms, covering the exciting times of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1867. He was one of the representatives of Congress appointed in 1866 to attend the funeral of General Winfield Scott. Mr. Ancona was one of the organizers of the Reading Fire Insurance and Trust Company, serving as its secretary and treasurer for over thirty years, until the fire insurance business was sold to another company. He has since devoted much time and attention to traveling in the United States and foreign countries; is deeply interested in home institutions, and especially the Fire Department; president of the Hampden Fire Company from its organization; member of the Firemen's Union for many years; served also in the Reading School Board for a number of terms. Address: Reading, Pa.

John W. Leonard. Who's Who in Pennsylvania: A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries, 2nd ed. New York: L.R. Hamersly & Co., 1908, p. 12.

Contributed by: Nancy.