Louis Arthur Watres
Louis A. Watres | |
---|---|
Pennsylvania Senate for the 20th district | |
In office 1883–1890 | |
Preceded by | George B. Seamons |
Succeeded by | Michael E. McDonald |
Personal details | |
Born | April 21, 1851 Laurence |
Signature | |
Louis Arthur Watres (April 21, 1851 – June 28, 1937) was an American politician from
Biography
Watres was born on April 21, 1851, in
In 1877, he joined the Pennsylvania National Guard as a private. He served as captain of Company A of the 13th Regiment, Colonel of the 11th Regiment, judge advocate of the Division Staff, general inspector of rifle practice on the staff of Governor James A. Beaver[2] and as commander of the 13th Regiment after the unit returned from duty in the Spanish-American War.[1] He became the first president of the Pennsylvania National Guard and served in that capacity for two years. He was a member of the Armory Board of Pennsylvania[2] and a key sponsor for the construction of the 109th Regiment Armory in Scranton, Pennsylvania.[3]
He studied law and was admitted to the
He was a successful businessman and worked as president of the Scranton Passenger Railway Company, the County Savings Bank, the Title Guarantee and Trust Company, the Economy Light, Heat and Power Company, the Pittston Slate Company and the Boulevard Company.[7] He was a partner in the development of the Springbrook Water Company. He was the owner of the Mansfield Water Company and promoted the construction of the Wilsonville Dam on Wallenpaupack Creek which created Lake Wallenpaupack.[3]
He purchased the Scranton Truth newspaper in 1908 and The Scranton-Tribune Republican in 1915. He merged the two newspapers and continued working as editor until 1934 when he sold it to Frank D. Schroth.[3]
In 1913, Watres purchased 15,000 acres along the Wallenpaupack Creek for $15,000.[8] The land purchase included Lacawac, the estate previously owned by Congressman William Connell,[9] which Watres used as a summer home.[3]
From 1916 through 1917, he served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania,
Legacy
In 1925, Lafayette College conferred the honorary degree of LL.D to Watres.[3]
He died on July 28, 1937.
The 109th Regiment Armory in Scranton, Pennsylvania, is known as the "Watres Armory".[3]
His second son,
References
- ^ a b American Biography: A New Cyclopedia. New York: The American Historical Society, Inc. 1922. p. 5. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ a b The State Capitol of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg: The Telegraph Printing Company. 1907. p. 134. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
louis arthur watres.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, William P. (April 1983). "The Life and Works of Col. L.A. Watres" (PDF). The Lackawanna Historical Society Bulletin. 16 (2). Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ "Pennsylvania State Senate - Louis Arthur Watres Biography". www.legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Williamson, Leland M. (1898). Prominent and Progressive Pennsylvanians of the Nineteenth Century. Philadelphia: The Record Publishing Company. p. 484. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
louis arthur watres.
- ^ Smull, J.A.; Smull, W.P.; Pennsylvania. General Assembly; Cochran, T.B.; Baker, W.H. (1893). Smull's Legislative Hand Book and Manual of the State of Pennsylvania. p. 854. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
- ^ Hayden, Horace Edwin (1906). Genealogical and Family History of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys. New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company. p. 61. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
louis arthur watres.
- ^ "History of Lacawac Sanctuary". www.lacawac.org. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ "Wayne County Historical Society". www.waynehistorypa.org. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- ^ "Louis Arthur Watres 1916-1917". pagrandlodge.org. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
- ^ "Past Executive Officers | Pennsylvania DeMolay". pademolay.org. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
- ^ "Col Louis Arthur Watres Memorial Editorial Times Tribune Jun 29 1937 pg 6". The Times-Tribune. 29 June 1937. p. 6. Retrieved 21 December 2019.