Pierce H. Deamer Jr.

Pierce H. Deamer Jr. (April 24, 1907 – June 12, 1986) was an American Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature, serving in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1952 to 1962 and then in the New Jersey Senate until 1966.

Pierce H. Deamer Jr.
New Jersey State Senator
In office
1962–1966
Preceded byWalter H. Jones
Succeeded byMatthew Feldman
New Jersey General Assembly
In office
1952–1962
Personal details
Born
Pierce H. Deamer, Jr.

April 24, 1907
New York City
DiedJune 12, 1986(1986-06-12) (aged 79)
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Agnes M. Churchill
Alma materNew Jersey Law School

Early life

Deamer was born on April 24, 1907 in New York City, the son of Pierce H. Deamer and Adelaide Bernhardt Deamer. His father was a national labor organizer and served as Vice President of the Upholsterers International Union.[1] He moved to Bergenfield, New Jersey in his youth and graduated from Tenafly High School and the New Jersey Law School (now Rutgers School of Law–Newark).[2][3] He maintained law offices in Bergenfield, where he served as the Bergenfield Municipal Judge and as Chairman of the Bergenfield Civil Defense. He was Municipal Attorney for Bergenfield and New Milford. He was counsel to the Bergen County Sheriff from 1948-51.[4]

New Jersey General Assembly

He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1951, and was re-elected in 1953, 1955, 1957 and 1959.[4]

New Jersey State Senate

He was elected to the New Jersey Senate in 1961, defeating Paramus Mayor Fred C. Galda 160,125 (55.8%) to 124,492 (43.4%).[5]

The U.S. Supreme Court, in Reynolds v. Sims (more commonly known as One Man, One Vote), required redistricting by state legislatures for congressional districts to keep represented populations equal, as well as requiring both houses of state legislatures to have districts drawn that contained roughly equal populations, and to perform redistricting when needed.[6] Because of its population, Bergen County gained three Senate seats.

A deep split among Bergen County Republicans intensified in 1963 when Deamer and former State Senator Walter H. Jones faced off in an election for Bergen County Republican Chairman. Jones won,[7] and by 1965, Deamer found himself dumped from the Bergen County Republican Organization line. Jones backed Assembly Speaker Marion West Higgins, Assemblyman Peter Moraites, and former Assemblymen Nelson G. Gross and Arthur Vervaet. Deamer ran on an insurgent ticket with Assemblymen Richard Vander Plaat and Harry Randall, Jr., and former Assemblyman Carmine Savino.[8] Jones' slate won decisively.[9]

1965 Republican primary for State Senator - Bergen County
CandidateOfficeVotes
Marion West HigginsIncumbent Assembly Speaker33,769
Peter MoraitesIncumbent Assemblyman32,214
Nelson G. GrossFormer Assemblyman31,220
Arthur VervaetFormer Assemblyman30,759
Pierce H. Deamer Jr.Incumbent State Senator20,240
Richard Vander PlaatIncumbent Assemblyman20,211
Harry Randall Jr.Incumbent Assemblyman17,971
John J. BreenAttorney3,195

[10]

Family and death

He married Agnes M. Churchill of Teaneck on January 4, 1939 and had four children. Deamer died on June 12, 1986, in Bergenfield.

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References
  1. "PIERCE H. DEAMER". The New York Times. November 17, 1942.
  2. Silver, Marc L. ; and Melkonian, Martin. Contested Terrain: Power, Politics, and Participation in Suburbia, p. 97. Greenwood Publishing Group, 1995. ISBN 9780313296000. Accessed June 15, 2015. "The son of a New York lawyer, Deamer had moved to Bergenfield with his family at age eleven, attended public schools in Bergenfield and Tenafly and graduated from the New Jersey School of Law in Newark."
  3. Turpanjian, M. Martin. "State Senate Candidate Sees Big GOP Victory; Eminent Bergenfield Solon Is Widely Known For Experience As Authority On State, National And International Laws", Jersey Parade, September 29, 1961. Accessed October 9, 2018. "Mr. Deamer was born in New York City, April 24, 1907. He was graduated from Tenafly high school and New Jersey Law School."
  4. Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual of New Jersey. Joseph J. Gribbons. 1959. p. 372.
  5. "Our Campaigns". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  6. "JERSEY ORDERED TO REAPPORTION; Judge Finds Congressional Districts Unconstitutional". The New York Times. May 21, 1965.
  7. Wright, George Cable (April 14, 1963). "Jersey to Choose Candidates For Legislative Seats Tuesday; State Senate Assembly". The New York Times.
  8. Waggoner, Walter H. (May 30, 1965). "G.O.P. FIGHTS PACE JERSEY PRIMARIES; 3,146,000 Are Eligible to Vote on Tuesday". New York Times.
  9. "Our Campaigns". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  10. "Our Campaigns". Retrieved 3 December 2014.
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