John Hamlin Folger (December 18, 1880 – July 19, 1963) was a Democratic U.S. Congressman from

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

between 1941 and 1949. Born in Rockford, North Carolina, Folger attended public schools in Surry County. He graduated from

Guilford College Guilford College is a private liberal arts college in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was founded in 1837 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Guilford has both traditional students and students who attend its Center for ...

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the List of municipalitie ...

and studied law at the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...

. Admitted to the bar in 1901, Folger opened a law practice in Dobson, North Carolina. He was elected mayor of the town of

Mount Airy, North Carolina Mount Airy is a city in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 10,676. As of 2020, the city is the most populous municipality in Surry County. Mount Airy is located within t ...

from 1909, serving until 1911. He was sent to the

North Carolina House of Representatives The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Speaker of the House, who holds powers si ...

from 1927 to 1928 and to the

North Carolina State Senate The North Carolina Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The Senate ...

from 1931 to 1932. Active in the

North Carolina Democratic Party The North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP) is the North Carolina affiliate of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. It is headquartered in the historic Goodwin House, located in Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh. The party contr ...

, Folger was a delegate to state Democratic conventions between 1924 and 1940 and to the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 18 ...

s in 1932 and 1944. After the death of his brother, Rep. Alonzo D. Folger, John Folger was sent to Congress in a special election called to fill the vacancy. He was re-elected three more times, serving in the 77th, 78th, 79th, and 80th United States Congresses. Folger did not stand for reelection in 1948 and returned to his law practice in Mount Airy, North Carolina, from which he retired in 1959. He died in

Clemmons, North Carolina Clemmons is a village in Forsyth County, North Carolina, Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States and a suburb of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem. The population was 21,177 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, with an ...

in 1963 and is buried in Mount Airy's Oakdale Cemetery.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Folger, John Hamlin 1880 births 1963 deaths Guilford College alumni People from Surry County, North Carolina University of North Carolina School of Law alumni Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives Democratic Party North Carolina state senators North Carolina lawyers Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina 20th-century American lawyers Mayors of places in North Carolina 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 20th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly