Biography

03/12/1863 - 03/27/1937


FOCHT, Benjamin Kurtz, a Representative from Union County; born, March 12, 1863 in New Bloomfield, Perry County, Pa.; attended, Bucknell Academy (now Bucknell University), Pennsylvania State College (now Pennsylvania State University), and the Selinsgrove Institute (now Susquehanna University); engaged in the printing business; editor and owner, Lewisburg Saturday News (1881-1937); elected as a Republican to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1892; reelected to the House for 2 more consecutive terms; unsuccessful campaign for reelection to the House (1898); elected, Pennsylvania State Senate (1901-1904); elected, United States Congress (1907-1913, 1915-1923, 1933-1937); member, Water Supply Commission of Pennsylvania (1913-1914); deputy secretary, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1928-1929); unsuccessful campaign for reelection, United States Congress (1912, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1928, 1930, 1932); died while in office of the Congress, March 27, 1937 in Washington, District of Columbia; interred, Lewisburg Cemetery, Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania.

 

Archival Collections

Papers of Benjamin K. Focht, Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pa. (unprocessed)

 

Bibliography

United States. 75th Congress, 1st session, 1937. House. Memorial services held in the House of Representatives of the United States. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1938.

Congressional Biography

After 3 session(s) serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Benjamin K. Focht went on to serve in congress


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