Biography

10/11/1854 - 10/26/1931

Arthur Granville Dewalt (D16) Lehigh County 1902-1910

Early Life:

Arthur Granville Dewalt, born October 11, 1854, Bath, Northampton County, Pennsylvania; son of Reuben and Annie Bieber Dewalt; common school education; Keystone State Normal School, Kutztown, Pennsylvania, 1870; Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, 1874; studied law; admitted bar, 1877; law private practice, Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1878; elected, district attorney, Lehigh County, 1880-1883; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate 1902-1910; unsuccessful Democratic candidate, Auditor General, 1903; unsuccessful candidate, Democratic nomination, Governor, 1906; delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1904,1908; lead investigator, Pennsylvania Capitol Graft Scandal Investigation, 1906; chaired, Democratic State Committee, 1909-1910; adjutant, Fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard, nine years; elected, Democrat, United States House of Representatives, Congress 1915-1921; declined re-nomination, 1920; unsuccessful congressional candidate, 1926; resumed, law practice, Allentown, Pennsylvania,1921-1931; married, Fannie Ritter Dewalt; died, October 26, 1931, (age 77 years, 15 days) Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania; interment, Fairview Cemetery, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. 

Early Career:

Studied law under, John Dodson Stiles, who was United States House of Representatives member from Pennsylvania, opened private law practice, Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1878; admitted, practice before Pennsylvania Supreme Court, 1883, all the courts of Philadelphia, 1888. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, district attorney, Lehigh County, 1880-1883.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 16th district, Lehigh County, 1902-1910; lead investigator, Pennsylvania Capitol Graft Scandal Investigation, 1906; committee assignments, Appropriations, City Passenger Railways, Corporations, Insurance, Judiciary General, Judiciary Special, Legislative Apportionment; Municipal Affairs, New and County Seats. 

Unsuccessful Democratic candidate, Auditor General, 1903. 

Unsuccessful candidate, Democratic nomination, Governor, 1906.

Delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1904,1908. 

Chaired, Democratic State Committee, 1909-1910. 

Adjutant, Fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard for ten years. 

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Democrat, United States House of Representatives, Congress 1915-1921; declined re-nomination, 1920; unsuccessful congressional candidate,1926.

Cited: 

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

The Pennsylvania Manual, (1910). Miller, H.P., (Compiler). Baker, W.H., (Assistant Compiler). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 993, 1000-1003, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 971.

Arthur Granville Dewalt (1854-1931) - Find a Grave Memorial