Henry G. Hager, III

Photo credit:

Sessions

Session	Office	Position	District	Party
1973			23	Republican
1974			23	Republican
1975			23	Republican
1976			23	Republican
1977			23	Republican
1978			23	Republican
1979			23	Republican
1980			23	Republican
1981		President Pro Tempore	23	Republican
1982		President Pro Tempore	23	Republican
1983		President Pro Tempore	23	Republican
1984		President Pro Tempore	23	Republican

Counties	Bradford, Clinton, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga, Union

Biography

04/28/1934 -

Henry G. “Merc” Hager (R23) Clinton, Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga and Union (Part) Counties 1972-1984

Early Life:

Henry G. Hager born, April 28, 1934, Williamsport, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania; son of Doctor Henry G. and Eleanor Watt Hager; Wesleyan University, BA, 1956; University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1959; married, Sallie Ann Parrish, 1958 (d. 2017) daughters, Hannah Hager Davis and Eleanor Hager Temelini, three grandchildren; special deputy, attorney general, 1962-1963; Lycoming County District Attorney, 1964-1968; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1972-1984; Republican, Minority Leader, 1977-1980, president pro tem, 1981-1984. President, Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania, 1984.

Early Career:

Chaired, Pennsylvania Cancer Society; past master, John F. Laedlein Mason Lodge, Number707; member, Williamsport Consistory; senior warden, Trinity Episcopal Church. President, Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Special deputy, attorney general, 1962-1963.

Lycoming County District Attorney, 1964-1968.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 23rd district, Clinton, Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, and Tioga Union (Part) Counties, 1972-1984; Minority Leader, Republican Caucus, 1977, succeeded, deceased Richard Frame (R-Venango), president pro tem, 1981-1984, member ex-officio all standing committees; resigned, November 30, 1984.

Notable accomplishments included passage of the Agricultural Area Security Law, June 30, 1981; addition of the first Senate computer system, installation and employment of a bipartisan management committee’s service; establishment, Independent Regulatory Review Commission.

Unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate, 1978, Pennsylvania’s first open primary.

Legacy:

Nicknamed “Merc,” derived from the chemical symbol indicated by his initials, HGH (mercury).

Named in his honor is, The Hager Lifelong Education Center, Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Currently resides in Florida.

Cited:

Ackley, G. (Ed.). Avery, K. (Assistant Ed.). (1982-1983). The Pennsylvania manual, 106. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, page 66