Robert Thompson Secrest (January 22, 1904 – May 15, 1994)(18 May 1994)
Robert T. Secret Dies
''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' was an American Democratic representative to the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

from the state of

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. He served in Congress three separate times: 1933 to 1942, 1949 to 1954, and 1963 to 1966, resigning each time prior to the end of his term.

Biography

Robert Secrest was born at Senacaville,

Guernsey County, Ohio Guernsey County is a county located in the east-central portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,438. Its county seat and largest city is Cambridge. It is named from the Isle of Guernsey in the English ...

, the eldest son of a miner, Robert Waits Secrest (1880-1929), and his wife Amelia née Thompson. Robert attended the State public schools. He subsequently graduated from

Muskingum College Muskingum University is a private university in New Concord, Ohio, United States. Chartered in 1837 as Muskingum College, the institution is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). New Concord is located in far eastern Muskingum County ...

New Concord, Ohio New Concord () is a village in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,361 as of the 2020 census. It is part of the Zanesville micropolitan area. New Concord is the home of Muskingum University and is served by a branch of t ...

, 1926,

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College of Law, 1938, and

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

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, 1943. He graduated from British School of Civil Affairs,

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, 1943. Secrest was superintendent of the

Murray City, Ohio Murray City is a village in Hocking County, Ohio, United States. The population was 341 at the 2020 census. History Murray City was platted in 1873 and incorporated in 1891. It was named for John Murray Brown, the original owner of the town sit ...

, schools 1931–1932. He was a member of the

Ohio House of Representatives The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate. The House of Representatives first met in ...

1931–1932. He was elected as a

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to the rd to th United States Congresses, and served March 4, 1933, to August 3, 1942, when he resigned to join the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

. He was later promoted to Commander and served until February 28, 1946, in

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and the

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. Secrest ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1946, and acted as legal supervisor for the

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in 1946–1947. He was elected to the st through rd Congresses, and served January 3, 1949, to September 26, 1954, when he resigned to become a member 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 ...

. He served on that commission 1954–1961, and was Director of Commerce, State of Ohio in 1962. Secrest again was elected to the th and th Congresses, and served January 3, 1963, to December 30, 1966, when he again resigned after failing at re-election in 1966. He was a member of the

Ohio State Senate The Ohio Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly. The State Senate, which meets in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, first convened in 1803. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such t ...

, 1969–1973, and member of the National Council of the

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, 1978 to 1987. He died May 15, 1994, in

Cambridge, Ohio Cambridge ( ) is a city in Guernsey County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 10,089 at the 2020 census. It lies in the Appalachian Plateau of the Appalachian Mountains in southeastern Ohio. It is the principal city o ...

. At the time of his death, he was the earliest-serving former congressman as well as the last one to have served during the Herbert Hoover administration.

References

External links

* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Secrest, Robert Thompson People from Guernsey County, Ohio 1904 births 1994 deaths Democratic Party Ohio state senators Muskingum University alumni Columbia University alumni Federal Trade Commission personnel Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives United States Navy officers United States Navy personnel of World War II People from Noble County, Ohio Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 20th-century members of the Ohio General Assembly