Boies Penrose, known as “Big Grizzly,” who served in the U. S. Senate for 24 years. Penrose was born in 1860 in Philadelphia and lived at 1331 Spruce Street with his father and mother, Dr. Richard A. F. Penrose and Sarah H. Boies. Penrose attended Harvard University where he was almost expelled; however, his grades improved during his senior year and he managed to graduate with honors. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1883, but shortly after started what become a lifelong political career. Penrose was a commanding presence and was embraced by ward leaders in Philadelphia. He was a large man at six-feet-four-inches tall with a voracious appetite (reportedly eating a dozen eggs for breakfast and an entire turkey for lunch). He was also known for his appetite for politics, becoming a powerful boss of the Republican Party. His first position was as a Pennsylvania state representative, which he held from 1884 to 1886. After that, he was elected a state senator; and during his tenure, he was elected president pro tempore of the state senate. In 1895, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for mayor of Philadelphia. He was elected to the U. S. Senate in 1987, a position he held until his death in 1921. He is buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery photo credit HSP
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 05:48:07 +0000
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