John R. Farr
American politician (1857–1933)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Richard Farr (July 18, 1857 – December 11, 1933) was an American politician. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
John R. Farr | |
|---|---|
Farr, between 1921 and 1922 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 10th district | |
| In office February 25, 1921 – March 3, 1921 | |
| Preceded by | Patrick McLane |
| Succeeded by | Charles Robert Connell |
| In office March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1919 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas David Nicholls |
| Succeeded by | Patrick McLane |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives | |
| In office 1891 1893 1895 1897 1899 (as speaker) | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 18, 1857 |
| Died | December 11, 1933 (aged 76) Scranton, Pennsylvania, US |
| Party | Republican |
| Lafayette College | |
| Signature | .png){kind=small} |
Biography
Farr was born on July 18, 1857, in Hyde Park, Scranton, Pennsylvania,[1] to Edward and Elizabeth Farr.[2] He attended Scranton's School of the Lackawanna and Phillips Academy, then studied at Lafayette College, though never graduated.[3] He worked as a newsboy, journalist, as well as in the real estate business.[4]
For four years, Farr served on the Scranton School Board. A Republican, he was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1891, 1893, 1895, 1897, and 1899, serving as speaker of the 1899 session.[4] As a state legislator, he introduced bills to provide free textbooks to public schools and to make public education compulsory; both measures passed, in 1893 and 1895, respectively.[1][2]
A candidate from Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district, Farr was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1908, but was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-second and to the three succeeding Congresses. He successfully contested the election of Patrick McLane to the Sixty-sixth Congress, though his success came almost at the end of McLane's term.[2] He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1920, 1930, and 1932.[4][5]
Farr resumed the real estate business in Scranton. He was married with four children. He died on December 11, 1933, aged 76, in Scranton, from a heart attack.[2] The heart attack hospitalized him at West Side Hospital, which he had helped establish in the 1890s.[6] He was buried on December 12,[7] at Shady Lane Cemetery, in Chinchilla.[4][5]