Bill Harsha
Encyclopedia
William Howard "Bill" Harsha, Jr. (January 1, 1921 — October 11, 2010) was an American politician
who represented Ohio
as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives
from January 3, 1961 to January 3, 1981.
, he graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1939. He received his B.A.
from Kenyon College
in Gambier, Ohio
in 1943, where he was initiated into Sigma Pi
Fraternity, and his LL.B. from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio
in 1947. From 1942 to 1944, he was in the United States Marine Corps
.
After his admission to the bar on March 6, 1947, he was the city of Portsmouth's assistant solicitor until 1951, when he was elected Scioto County
Prosecuting Attorney. He served one four year term. In 1961, he was elected to Congress and served twenty years there. He was succeeded by Bob McEwen
, who had managed two of his re-election campaigns.
After his retirement from Congress, he was a consultant in Washington, D.C.
from 1981 to 1986, when he returned to Portsmouth and resumed his law practice.
in Clermont County
near Batavia
is named for him (see East Fork State Park
), as is the William H. Harsha Bridge
, which spans the Ohio River
between Ohio
and Kentucky
.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who represented Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from January 3, 1961 to January 3, 1981.
Biography
Born in Portsmouth, OhioPortsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
, he graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1939. He received his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Kenyon College
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...
in Gambier, Ohio
Gambier, Ohio
Gambier is a village in Knox County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,871 at the 2000 census.Gambier is the home of Kenyon College and was named after one of Kenyon College's early benefactors, Lord Gambier....
in 1943, where he was initiated into Sigma Pi
Sigma Pi
Sigma Pi is an international college secret and social fraternity founded in 1897 at Vincennes University. Sigma Pi International fraternity currently has 127 chapters and 4 colonies in the United States and Canada and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee...
Fraternity, and his LL.B. from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
in 1947. From 1942 to 1944, he was in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
.
After his admission to the bar on March 6, 1947, he was the city of Portsmouth's assistant solicitor until 1951, when he was elected Scioto County
Scioto County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,195 people, 30,871 households, and 21,362 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 34,054 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
Prosecuting Attorney. He served one four year term. In 1961, he was elected to Congress and served twenty years there. He was succeeded by Bob McEwen
Bob McEwen
Robert D. "Bob" McEwen is a lobbyist and American politician of the Republican Party, who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from southern Ohio's Sixth District, from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1993...
, who had managed two of his re-election campaigns.
After his retirement from Congress, he was a consultant in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 1981 to 1986, when he returned to Portsmouth and resumed his law practice.
Legacy
An artificial lake on the East Fork of the Little Miami RiverLittle Miami River
The Little Miami River is a Class I tributary of the Ohio River that flows through five counties in southwestern Ohio in the United States. The Little Miami joins the Ohio River east of Cincinnati. It forms parts of the borders between Hamilton and Clermont counties and between Hamilton and Warren...
in Clermont County
Clermont County, Ohio
Clermont County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States, just east of Cincinnati. As of 2010, the population was 197,363. Its county seat is Batavia...
near Batavia
Batavia, Ohio
Batavia is a village in and the county seat of Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,617 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Batavia is located at ....
is named for him (see East Fork State Park
East Fork State Park
East Fork State Park is a state park located in Clermont County, Ohio, United States, about 25 miles east of Cincinnati. It has camping, hiking, swimming and boating opportunities. The state park is home to many junior and collegiate rowing races, including the USRowing Youth National...
), as is the William H. Harsha Bridge
William H. Harsha Bridge
The William H. Harsha bridge is a cable-stayed bridge carrying U.S. Route 62 and U.S. Route 68 that connects Maysville, Kentucky and Aberdeen, Ohio over the Ohio River. It is named for William Harsha, who represented the area in the US House of Representatives. Construction on the bridge started in...
, which spans the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
between Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
Family
Harsha's son, William H. Harsha III, is a judge of the Ohio Court of Appeals for the Fourth Appellate District.See also
- Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 6th District
- List of United States Representatives from Ohio