Biography

10/30/1888 - 03/06/1968

Reverend Doctor Frank William Ruth, Sr., (D11) Berks County 1937-1960

Early Life:

Reverend Doctor Frank William Ruth, Sr., born October 30, 1888, Quakertown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania; son of George A. and Emma C. Daily Ruth; Perkiomen Seminary, 1915; Central Theological Seminary, 1918; Gettysburg College, divinity degree, 1950; pastor, Saint Thomas United Church of Christ, Bernville, 1918-1962; farming; cigar maker; married, Florence Ursala Iobst Ruth, children, Florence Mamie Ruth Hiester, Dorothea Emma Ruth Douple, Franklin William Ruth, Robert F. Ruth, Richard Iobst Ruth, Willard W. Ruth; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1931-1936; elected, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Majority Leader, 1935-1936; elected, Pennsylvania State Senate, Berks County, 1937-1960; died, March 6, 1968, Berks County, Pennsylvania; interment, Saint Thomas Cemetery, Bernville, Berks County, Pennsylvania. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, School Board, Bernville, Penn-Bernville, Berks County School Districts; member, Young Men's Christian Association, Masons, Odd Fellows, Sons of Veterans, Patriotic Order Sons of America, Order of Independent Americans, Grange. Chaplin, Pennsylvania State Fireman’s Association; Berks Count County Chaplain.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1931-1936; elected, Majority Leader, 1935-1936; appointed, Commission on Interstate Cooperation, 1935-1936.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 11th district, Berks County, 1937-1960; Minority Whip 1937-1956; Chairman, Education Committee, 1937; appointed, Joint Legislative Commission to Investigate Philadelphia Courts, 1937-1938; appointed, Joint Legislative Sub-Committee on Cooperatives 1945-1946; appointed, Commission to Study School System, 1945-1946; appointed, Joint Legislative Committee on Retirement Systems and Laws, 1947-1948; appointed, Joint Legislative Historical Committee, 1947-1948; appointed, Joint State Government Commission, 1957-1960; served on Senatorial Aeronautics, Appropriations, Education, Elections, Executive Nominations, Finance, Forestry, Game and Fisheries, Highways, Law and Order, Legislative Apportionment, Municipal Government, Pensions, Public Health, and Public Utilities Committees; not a candidate for reelection, State Senate, 1960.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members "R"". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. 

The Pennsylvania Manual (1938). Westbrook, C.H. (Editor). (Vol. 83). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 788 and 797.

The Pennsylvania Manual (1940). Westbrook, C.H. (Editor). (Vol. 84). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 704 and 712.

Reading Times, (Reading, Pennsylvania) Wednesday November 4, 1936, page B13.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Thursday March 7, 1968, page ADH20.

The Daily News (Lebanon, Pennsylvania) Thursday March 7, 1968, Page 2

Standard-Speaker (Hazleton, Pennsylvania) Friday March 8, 1968, Page 28

Rev Franklin William Ruth Sr. (1888-1968) - Find a Grave Memorial