Biography

10/17/1849 - 01/31/1902

James Satterfield Fruit (R47) Lawrence and Mercer Counties 1893-1896

Early Life:

James Satterfield Fruit, born October 17, 1849; Jefferson Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania; son of Thomas and Anna Campbell Fruit; common school education; Edinboro State Normal School (now Edinboro State University of Pennsylvania); clerk; proprietor, hardware stores, J.S. Fruit, and Company, Fruit, Ohl and Company, Fruit-Ohl Company; elected, delegate, Republican State Convention, 1884; member, Republican State Committee, 1885; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1887-1892, not a candidate for reelection, 1892; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1893-1896; internal revenue collector, United States Department of Treasury, Pittsburgh district; died, January 31, 1902 (aged 52), Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; interment, Oakwood Cemetery, Sharon, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

Early Life:

January 1879 formed a partnership with J. J. Spearman, as J. S. Fruit and Company; purchased the hardware store of A. E. Carter and Company. The following month they bought out Ohl, Vile and Company, the firm of Fruit, Ohl and Company was then organized. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, delegate, Republican State Convention, 1884; member, Republican State Committee, 1885.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1887-1892, not a candidate for reelection, 1892. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 47th district, Lawrence and Mercer Counties, 1893-1896; committee assignments, Appropriations (Chairman), Congressional Apportionment, Constitutional Reform, Library, Public Health and Sanitation.

Pennsylvania State House of Representatives Biography:

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

Cited: 

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

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1896). Cochran, T.B., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 1054, 1061-1064, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 1019.

History of Mercer County, 1888, pages 724-725. 

James Satterfield Fruit (1849-1902) - Find a Grave Memorial