Biography

07/01/1859 - 09/14/1938

John Galen Homsher (R13) Lancaster (Part) County 1908-1938

Early Life:

John Galen Homsher, born July 1, 1859, East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; son of Jacob and Rachel Groff Homsher; attended, Millersville State Normal School (now Millersville University of Pennsylvania); teacher; traveling salesman, A.W. Wright; surveyor and conveyancer; elected, justice of the peace 1883-1899; married Harriet Viola Eager, 1884, three children, Frederick Lloyd Homsher, Pennsylvania State Senator John E Homsher 1939-1950 and Mary Elizabeth Homsher Ressler; printer; publisher, Justice of the Peace; publisher, legal blanks; publisher, Strasburg Weekly News 1898-1938; elected, delegate, Republican State Convention, 1897-1898; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1900-1908; not a candidate for reelection, 1908; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1908-1938; elected, Senate President pro tempore, 1923, elected, Senate President pro tempore, 1935; died while in office of the Senate, September 13, 1938, Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; interment, Strasburg Mennonite Cemetery, Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Justice of the Peace, 1883-1899.

Printer; publisher, Justice of the Peace; publisher, legal blanks; publisher, Strasburg Weekly News 1898-1938.

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

Member, Lancaster General Hospital, board of directors; member, Millersville State Teachers College board.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, delegate, Republican State Convention 1897-1898.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1900-1908, not a candidate for reelection, 1908.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 13th district, Lancaster (Part) County, 1908-1938; elected, Senate President pro tempore, 1923, elected, Senate President pro tempore, 1935; chaired, Canals and Inland Navigation Committee, 1909-1910; Congressional Apportionment Committee, 1911-1914; City Passenger Railways Committee, 1915-1920, 1931-1934; Agriculture Committee, 1921-1922; Elections Committee, 1923-1924; Corporations Committee, 1927-1930; and Banks Committee, 1933-1934.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Legacy: 

A Homsher family member served the 13th senatorial district, 1908-1950.

Son, Frederick Lloyd Homsher, 1939-1950. 

Frederick Lloyd Homsher  - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

At the time of his death, was the oldest member to have ever served in the state legislature, at age 79.

Cited:  

Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster), September 14, 1938; Senate Journal, April 11, 1935

Smull’s Legislative Handbook (1935-1936) Biographical Sketches of Senators, pages 257 and 285. 

John Galen Homsher (1859-1938) - Find a Grave Memorial