Joseph A. Scranton
Encyclopedia
Joseph Augustine Scranton (July 26, 1838 – October 12, 1908) was a Republican
politician
who represented Pennsylvania
in the United States House of Representatives
from 1881 to 1883, 1885 to 1887, 1889 to 1891, and 1893 to 1897.
Scranton was born in Madison, Connecticut
, moving to Pennsylvania with his family a boy and settling in Lackawanna County
, where the Scranton
community was named for his family. He attended the prestigious Phillips Academy
in Andover, Massachusetts
, and then received his higher education
at Yale
from 1857 to 1861.
After completion of his studies at Yale, Scranton was given the political patronage position of "collector of internal revenue" in 1862, which he retained until 1866. In 1867 he founded the Scranton Daily Republican newspaper
. He served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention
in 1872. He was postmaster
of the Scranton post office
from March 19, 1874, to May 5, 1881.
In 1880 Scranton was elected to Congress for the first time, serving in the 47th Congress. However, he was defeated for a second term in 1882, but won in 1884, was defeated in re-election bid in 1886, and won a third term in 1888.
Scranton was again defeated for re-election in 1890 and resumed his newspaper career. However, he was subsequently elected to two consecutive terms for the only time in 1892 and 1894. In 1896 he chose not to run for a sixth term and re-entered the newspaper business, serving the Daily Republican as both editor
and publisher.
Scranton's final political office was that of treasurer of Lackawanna County from 1901 to 1903. He died in his beloved namesake city in 1908. He was second cousin to George W. Scranton
; his grandson, William Scranton
, served as Governor of Pennsylvania and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and his great-grandson, William Scranton, III
, served as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
who represented Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
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 1881 to 1883, 1885 to 1887, 1889 to 1891, and 1893 to 1897.
Scranton was born in Madison, Connecticut
Madison, Connecticut
Madison is a town in the southeastern corner of New Haven County, Connecticut, occupying a central location on Connecticut's Long Island Sound shoreline. The population was 18,812 at the 2000 census....
, moving to Pennsylvania with his family a boy and settling in Lackawanna County
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 213,295 people, 86,218 households, and 55,783 families residing in the county. The population density was 465 people per square mile . There were 95,362 housing units at an average density of 208 per square mile...
, where the Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
community was named for his family. He attended the prestigious Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
in Andover, Massachusetts
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
, and then received his higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
at Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
from 1857 to 1861.
After completion of his studies at Yale, Scranton was given the political patronage position of "collector of internal revenue" in 1862, which he retained until 1866. In 1867 he founded the Scranton Daily Republican newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. He served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
in 1872. He was postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of the Scranton post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
from March 19, 1874, to May 5, 1881.
In 1880 Scranton was elected to Congress for the first time, serving in the 47th Congress. However, he was defeated for a second term in 1882, but won in 1884, was defeated in re-election bid in 1886, and won a third term in 1888.
Scranton was again defeated for re-election in 1890 and resumed his newspaper career. However, he was subsequently elected to two consecutive terms for the only time in 1892 and 1894. In 1896 he chose not to run for a sixth term and re-entered the newspaper business, serving the Daily Republican as both editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
and publisher.
Scranton's final political office was that of treasurer of Lackawanna County from 1901 to 1903. He died in his beloved namesake city in 1908. He was second cousin to George W. Scranton
George W. Scranton
George Whitfield Scranton was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from March 4, 1859, until his death in 1861.-Early life:...
; his grandson, William Scranton
William Scranton
William Warren Scranton is a former U.S. Republican Party politician. Scranton served as the 38th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1963 to 1967. From 1976 to 1977, he served as United States Ambassador to the United Nations.-Early life:...
, served as Governor of Pennsylvania and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and his great-grandson, William Scranton, III
William Scranton, III
William Worthington Scranton, III served as the Republican lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987 in the administration of Governor Richard Thornburgh...
, served as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
.