William Scott VARE, Congress, PA (1867-1934)

VARE William Scott , a Representative and a Senator-elect from Pennsylvania; born in Philadelphia, Pa., December 24, 1867; attended the public schools; at the age of fifteen entered the mercantile business and became a general contractor in 1893; member of the select council of Philadelphia 1898-1901; recorder of deeds for Philadelphia 1902-1912; elected to the State senate in 1912, and at the same time was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-second Congress, on May 24, 1912, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Henry H. Bingham; reelected to the Sixty-third and to the four succeeding Congresses and served from May 24, 1912, until January 2, 1923, when he resigned; member, State senate 1923; elected to the Sixty-eighth and Sixty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1923-March 3, 1927); was not a candidate for reelection in 1926, having become a candidate for United States Senator; presented credentials as a Republican Senator-elect to the United States Senate for the term beginning March 4, 1927, but was not permitted to qualify, eventually being unseated on December 6, 1929, due to charges of corruption and fraud concerning his election; resumed his former business and political activities; died in Atlantic City, N.J., August 7, 1934; interment in West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pa.

Bibliography

Salter, John. The People's Choice: Philadelphia's William S. Vare. New York: Exposition Press, 1971; Vare, William. My Forty Years in Politics. Philadelphia: Roland Swain Co., 1933.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present