Joseph Allen Frear Jr. (March 7, 1903 – January 15, 1993) was an American businessman and politician. A Democrat, he served as a

United States Senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...

from

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...

from 1949 to 1961. He was defeated for a third term by Republican J. Caleb Boggs in 1960.

Early life

J. Allen Frear was born on a farm near Rising Sun, in

Kent County, Delaware Kent County is a County (United States), county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 181,851, making it the least populous county in Delaware. The county ...

, to Joseph Allen and Clara (née Lowber) Frear. His mother died in 1922, and his father subsequently married her brother's daughter. Frear was a distant relative of Robert E. Freer, who served as chairman of the

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) United States antitrust law, antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. It ...

. One of three children, he received his early education at local public schools, and graduated from

Caesar Rodney High School Caesar Rodney High School is a public high school located in Camden, Delaware, just south of Dover. The school is in Caesar Rodney School District. Its enrollment is over 2,000. During 1983 to 1984, Caesar Rodney was recognized as a Blue Ribb ...

in 1920. Frear studied at the

University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially known as UD, UDel, or Delaware) is a Statutory college#Delaware, privately governed, state-assisted Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Newark, Delaware, United States. UD offers f ...

in Newark, where he received a bachelor of science degree in agriculture in 1924. Following his graduation, he became operator of three farms and president of a retail business that distributed milk, fuel, farm machinery, and fertilizer. He served as commissioner of Delaware State College in

Dover Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...

(1936–1941) and of the Delaware Old Age Welfare Commission (1938–1948). Also interested in banking, he was director (1938–1946) and chairman of the board (1946–1948) of the Federal Land Bank in

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

, Maryland. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he served as a

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1946. From 1947 to 1951, he was president of Kent General Hospital in Dover.

Political career

Frear was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1948, defeating incumbent Republican Senator C. Douglass Buck in a close race. During this term, he served in the Democratic majority in the 81st and 82nd Congresses, and the Democratic minority in the 83rd Congress. He was again elected to the U.S. Senate in 1954, defeating Republican Representative Herbert B. Warburton by a wider than expected margin. During this term, he again served with the Democratic majority in the 84th, 85th, and 86th congresses. Frear did not sign the 1956

Southern Manifesto The Declaration of Constitutional Principles (known informally as the Southern Manifesto) was a document written in February and March 1956, during the 84th United States Congress, in opposition to racial integration of public places. The manife ...

and voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1960, while not voting on the

Civil Rights Act of 1957 The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was the first federal civil rights law passed by the United States Congress since the Civil Rights Act of 1875. The bill was passed by the 85th United States Congress and signed into law by President Dwight D. E ...

. Frear narrowly lost his bid for a third term in 1960 to Republican Governor J. Caleb Boggs. In all, he served in the Senate from January 3, 1949, to January 3, 1961. After he left the Senate, President John F. Kennedy appointed him to the

Securities and Exchange Commission The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street crash of 1929. Its primary purpose is to enforce laws against market m ...

, where he served from 1961 until 1963. Later he resumed his career in business and banking.

Death and legacy

Frear died at Dover and is buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery at Camden, Delaware. 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.

References

Images

Political and Historical Figures Portrait Gallery
''Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover.''

External links

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
*
Senator J. Allen Frear, Jr., papers
fro
Special Collections, University of Delaware Libraries, Museums and PressAudio, 1953-1959 - This Week in Congress
(Sen. Frear's weekly radio address) fro
University of Delaware Institutional Repository
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frear, J. Allen Jr. 1903 births 1993 deaths People from Dover, Delaware United States Army personnel of World War II University of Delaware alumni Delaware State University people Delaware Democrats Democratic Party United States senators from Delaware Members of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Burials in Kent County, Delaware Kennedy administration personnel United States Army officers Military personnel from Delaware 20th-century United States senators