Arthur N. Pierson
Encyclopedia
Arthur Newton Pierson was an American
businessman and Republican Party politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
and President of the New Jersey Senate
.
, New Jersey
to James Topping and Catherine C. (Clark) Pierson. He was educated in Westfield public schools and attended the Pingry School
from 1882 to 1885. In 1895 he entered the building supply business in East Orange
and later was engaged in the wholesale business of clay products in New York City
. He married Sadie Fowler, daughter of Robert A. and Elizabeth Fowler, in New York City on March 14, 1899. They had four children.
In 1903, Pierson was elected to the Westfield Town Council. He was elected President of the Board of Trade of Westfield in 1912, serving until 1916. In 1914, he was elected from Union County
to the New Jersey General Assembly
as a Republican, and served from 1915 to 1919. He was selected majority leader in the Assembly in 1918. In 1919, when there were thirty Republicans and thirty Democrats in the Assembly, he was chosen as Speaker after his name was picked from a hat.
In 1919 he was named a member of the bi-state commission that created the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
. Pierson was elected to the New Jersey Senate
in 1923. He was Republican majority leader in 1929 and Senate President in 1930. He served as Acting Governor of New Jersey
for two weeks during the absence of Governor Morgan Foster Larson
. He served three terms in the Senate, until he was defeated for reelection in 1932.
Pierson served as Union County treasurer from 1934 until his retirement in 1955. In 1957 he died at Muhlenberg Hospital
in Plainfield
at the age of 89.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman and Republican Party politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
and President of the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
.
Biography
Pierson was born in WestfieldWestfield, New Jersey
Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 30,316. The old village area, now the downtown district, was settled in 1720 as part of the Elizabethtown Tract....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
to James Topping and Catherine C. (Clark) Pierson. He was educated in Westfield public schools and attended the Pingry School
Pingry School
The Pingry School is a coeducational, independent, college preparatory country day school in New Jersey, with a Lower School campus in the Short Hills neighborhood of Millburn, and a Middle and Upper School campus in Martinsville. The school was founded in 1861 by Dr. John F. Pingry.Pingry's...
from 1882 to 1885. In 1895 he entered the building supply business in East Orange
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
and later was engaged in the wholesale business of clay products in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He married Sadie Fowler, daughter of Robert A. and Elizabeth Fowler, in New York City on March 14, 1899. They had four children.
In 1903, Pierson was elected to the Westfield Town Council. He was elected President of the Board of Trade of Westfield in 1912, serving until 1916. In 1914, he was elected from Union County
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th in...
to the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
as a Republican, and served from 1915 to 1919. He was selected majority leader in the Assembly in 1918. In 1919, when there were thirty Republicans and thirty Democrats in the Assembly, he was chosen as Speaker after his name was picked from a hat.
In 1919 he was named a member of the bi-state commission that created the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
. Pierson was elected to the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
in 1923. He was Republican majority leader in 1929 and Senate President in 1930. He served as Acting Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
for two weeks during the absence of Governor Morgan Foster Larson
Morgan Foster Larson
Morgan Foster Larson was a Republican politician who served as the 40th governor of New Jersey.He was born on June 15, 1882, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Larson attended Cooper Union in New York City, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in 1907 and an Engineer's degree degree in 1910. He...
. He served three terms in the Senate, until he was defeated for reelection in 1932.
Pierson served as Union County treasurer from 1934 until his retirement in 1955. In 1957 he died at Muhlenberg Hospital
Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center
Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center was a community-based acute care hospital in Plainfield, New Jersey.-History:It was founded in 1877 by the residents of Plainfield, New Jersey after a railroad accident...
in Plainfield
Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
at the age of 89.
External links
- Arthur N. Pierson at The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...