George M. Leader
| George M. Leader | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 36th Governor of Pennsylvania | |
|
In office January 18, 1955 – January 20, 1959 |
|
| Lieutenant | Roy Furman |
| Preceded by | John Fine |
| Succeeded by | David Lawrence |
| Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 28th district |
|
|
In office January 2, 1951 – November 30, 1954 |
|
| Preceded by | Guy Leader |
| Succeeded by | Harry E. Seyler |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
George Michael Leader January 17, 1918 York, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | May 9, 2013 (aged 95) Hershey, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Jane Strickler |
| Alma mater |
Gettysburg College University of Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | Chicken hatchery operator |
| Profession | Politician |
George Michael Leader (January 17, 1918 – May 9, 2013) was a Pennsylvania politician. He served as the 36th Governor of Pennsylvania from January 18, 1955 until January 20, 1959. He was a member of the Democratic Party, and a native of York County, Pennsylvania. He was the only person from that county ever to be elected governor of the state until the election of Tom Wolf in 2014.
George Leader was the third child of Guy and Beulah Leader. He grew up on their York County poultry farm, and was educated in a one-room schoolhouse. He later graduated from York High School, then attended Gettysburg College, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania from which he received an undergraduate degree. He did graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania, with a focus on philosophy, politics, and economics. Leader received an MGA from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1939, he married Mary Jane Strickler, and, during World War II, he served on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific Theater.
Following the war, Leader began a family-operated chicken hatchery, and served in leadership positions in the York County Democratic Party. He successfully ran for Pennsylvania State Senate in 1950, winning the 28th district seat previously held by his father, Guy. In 1952, he ran for State Treasurer of Pennsylvania. Despite narrowly losing that race, he built name recognition for himself that would be useful for any future run for statewide office.
...
Wikipedia