John Richard Farr (July 18, 1857 – December 11, 1933) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

John R. Farr
National Photo Company Collection, Library of Congress
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 10th district
In office
February 25, 1921 – March 3, 1921
Preceded byPatrick McLane
Succeeded byCharles Robert Connell
In office
March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1919
Preceded byThomas David Nicholls
Succeeded byPatrick McLane
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In office
1891
1893
1895
1897
1899
Personal details
Born(1857-07-18)July 18, 1857
Scranton, Pennsylvania
DiedDecember 11, 1933(1933-12-11) (aged 76)
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Political partyRepublican
Alma materLafayette College
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Biography

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John R. Farr was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and attended Scranton's School of the Lackawanna and Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. He graduated from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. He worked as a newsboy, printer, and publisher. He was active in the real estate business.

He served four years on the Scranton School Board. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives in 1891, 1893, 1895, 1897, and 1899, serving as speaker of the 1899 session. As a state legislator he introduced bills to make public education compulsory, and to provide free textbooks to public schools; both measures passed.[1]

Farr was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1908, but was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-second and to the three succeeding Congresses. He successfully contested the election of Patrick McLane to the Sixty-sixth Congress, though his success came almost at the end of McLane's term.[1] He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1920, 1930, and 1932.

He resumed the real estate business in Scranton, where he died, aged 76, after suffering a heart attack.[1] Interred in Shady Lane Cemetery in Chinchilla, Pennsylvania.

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See also

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Sources

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  • United States Congress. "John R. Farr (id: F000029)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  • The Political Graveyard

Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c "John R. Farr dead; an ex-legislator". New York Times. December 12, 1933. p. 23.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district

1911–1919
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district

1921
Succeeded by