Member Biography

William Henry Semmens 

Seal
Sessions Office Position District Party
1915-1916       40 Republican
1917-1918       40 Republican

COUNTIES: Allegheny  


Biography

06/04/1854 - 07/25/1918


William Henry Semmens (R40) Allegheny (Part) County 1915-1918

Early Life:

William Henry Semmens, born June 4, 1854, Penzance, Cornwall, England; resided, Michigan, 1855-1869, came to Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1869; public school education, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; coal miner; employed, mills; employed, general merchandise business; engaged, real estate; treasurer, Turtle Creek Public School District; elected, first burgess, Turtle Creek; member, Turtle Creek Borough Council, eighteen years; president, National Bank of Turtle Creek; president, Turtle Creek Savings and Trust Company; secretary, treasurer, East Pittsburgh Construction Company and Penn Avenue Investment Company; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1913-1914, not a candidate for reelection, 1914; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1915-1918; foreman, Westinghouse Machine Company; died, July 18, 1925, city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California; interment, Grandview Cemetery, North Versailles, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Treasurer, Turtle Creek Public School District. 

Elected, first burgess, Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania. 

Member, Turtle Creek Borough Council, for eighteen years.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1913-1914, not a candidate for reelection, 1914. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 40thn district, Allegheny (Part) County, 1915-1918; committee assignments, Appropriations, Banks and Building and Loan Associations, Corporations, Education (Chairman), Game and Fisheries, Insurance, Legislative Apportionment, Mines and Mining, Public Roads and Highways, Public Supply of Light, Heat and Water.

Pennsylvania State House of Representatives Biography:

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

Cited:

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

The Pennsylvania Manual, (1918). Miller, H.P., (Compiler). Baker, W.H., (Assistant Compiler). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 1084, 1097, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 1063. 

Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Monday July 27, 1925, · Page 14. 

William H Semmens (1854-1925) - Find a Grave Memorial