J. Allen Frear, Jr.

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = J. Allen Frear,
honorific-suffix = Jr.


imagesize =
small

office = U. S. Senator from Delaware
term_start = January 3 1949
term_end = January 3 1961
predecessor = C. Douglass Buck
successor = J. Caleb Boggs
birth_date = birth date|1903|3|7|mf=y
birth_place = Kent County, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1993|1|15|1903|3|7
death_place = Dover, Delaware
spouse = Esther Schauer
party = Democratic
residence = Dover, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation = businessman
profession =
religion =

Joseph Allen Frear, Jr. (March 7 1903 – January 15 1993) was an American businessman and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a veteran of World War II, and a member of the Democratic Party, who served two terms as U. S. Senator from Delaware. He was known by his middle name.

Early life and family

Frear was born March 7 1903 near Rising Sun, in Kent County, Delaware, son of Joseph Allen, Sr. and Clara Lowber Frear. He married Esther Schauer and had two children. He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1924 and served as an officer in the United States Army during World War II.

Professional career

Frear was the owner of a dairy farm out side of Dover, Delaware, the owner and President of a retail business, as well as a banker in Dover. He was a Commissioner of the Delaware State College from 1936 until 1941, served on the Delaware Old Age Welfare Commission from 1938 until 1948, was a Director of the Federal Land Bank Board, in Baltimore, Maryland from 1938 until 1947, and President of Kent General Hospital in Dover from 1947 until 1951.

Political career

Frear was elected to the U. S. Senate in 1948, defeating incumbent Republican U. S. Senator C. Douglass Buck. During this term, he served in the Democratic majority in the 81st, 82nd, and 83rd Congress. He was again elected to the U.S. Senate in 1954, defeating Republican U.S. House of Representative Herbert B. Warburton. During this term, he again served with the Democratic majority in the 84th, 85th, and 86th Congress.

Frear lost his bid for a third term in 1960 to Republican Governor J. Caleb Boggs. In all, he served from January 3 1949 to January 3 1961. After leaving the U. S. Senate he was appointed to the Securities and Exchange Commission from 1961 until 1963 and resumed his former business and banking pursuits.

Death and legacy

Frear died January 15 1993 in Dover, Delaware and is buried at the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Camden. The J. Allen Frear Federal Building at 300 South New Street in Dover is named in his honor. There is also an Allen Frear Elementary School in Camden.

Public offices

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. U.S. Senators take office January 3rd, and have six year terms.