Biography

05/24/1862 - 09/27/1926

Thomas Lawrence “Uncle Larry” Eyre (R19) Chester County 1917-1926

Early Life: 

Thomas Lawrence “Uncle Larry” Eyre, born May 24, 1862, Birmingham Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania; son of David W. and Mary Phipps Swayne Eyre, private and public schools; engaged, wholesale-grocery business; engaged, stock brokerage business; secretary, Congressman Smedley Darlington, 1887-1888; appointed, clerk, president pro tempore, John C. Grady, 1889; married Mary Smith, 1889, son Wallace Delameter Eyre, 1890; appointed, Governor James A. Beaver, Pennsylvania Department of Internal Affairs, collector of statistics, 1889-1891; chairman, Chester County Republican Committee, 1893-1894; appointed, Governor Daniel H. Hastings, Pennsylvania Department of Internal Affairs, deputy secretary, 1895-1897; general assistant, chair, Republican State Committee, 1897-1898; appointed, Governor Daniel H. Hastings, deputy collector of customs, Port of Philadelphia, 1898-1899; appointed, Governor William A. Stone, director, Department of Public Grounds and Buildings 1899-1903; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1917-1926; president pro tempore, 1921-1923; died in office of the Senate, “heart trouble”, September 27, 1926, (aged 64) West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania; interment, Oaklands Cemetery, West Goshen Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. 

Pennsylvania Politics:  
Secretary, Congressman Smedley Darlington, 1887-1888. 

Appointed, clerk, president pro tempore, John C. Grady, 1889. 

Appointed, Governor James A. Beaver, Pennsylvania Department of Internal Affairs, collector of statistics, 1889-1891. 

Chairman, Chester County Republican Committee, 1893-1894. 

Appointed, Governor Daniel H. Hastings, Pennsylvania Department of Internal Affairs, deputy secretary, 1895-1897. 

General assistant, chair, Republican State Committee, 1897-1898; 

Appointed, Governor Daniel H. Hastings, deputy collector of customs, Port of Philadelphia, 1898-1899; 

Appointed, Governor William A. Stone, director, Department of Public Grounds and Buildings, 1899-1903.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 19th district, Chester County, 1917-1926; president pro tempore, 1921-1923, chaired, Public Roads and Highways 1917-1920, Appropriations, 1921-1922; committee assignments, Congressional Apportionment, Elections, Executive Nominations, Finance, Judiciary Special, Law and Order, Municipal Affairs, Public Printing, Public Suply of Light, Heat, and Water and Railroads.

Legacy: 

Third cousin of Stanley Eyre Bowdle (1868-1919) United States Representative from Ohio, 1st District, 1913-15; fourth cousin once removed of Joseph Larkin "Mr. Republican" Eyre Mayor of Chester, Pennsylvania, 1956-1963.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. Senate Members "E" (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Miller, H.P., (Compiler). Baker, W.H., (Assistant Compiler). Smull's Legislative Hand Book, (1919) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 1131.

Whitmore, R.E., (Compiler). (1923-1924). The Pennsylvania Manual, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 983, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 961.

Rodearmel, 1895, 1901; West Chester Daily Local News, September 27-28, 1926.; Legislative Journal, March 22, 1926, 1570-1571.

Thomas Lawrence “Uncle Larry” Eyre (1862-1926) - Find a Grave Memorial