Representative Alvin Ray Bush

Alvin Ray Bush (June 4, 1893 – November 5, 1959) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania who served five consecutive terms in Congress from 1951 to 1961. He represented his constituents during a significant period in American history, contributing to the legislative process as a member of the House of Representatives and participating actively in the democratic governance of the nation.

Bush was born on a farm in Boggs Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. Raised in a rural environment, he became familiar early in life with the demands of agricultural and industrial work. At the age of thirteen he began working as a laborer in the Pennsylvania coal mines, an experience that exposed him to the conditions of industrial labor at the turn of the twentieth century. He later apprenticed in a machine shop, gaining technical and mechanical skills that would shape his early career and business ventures.

During World War I, Bush served overseas in the United States Army as a corporal with the 541st Motor Truck Company. His service in a motor transport unit reflected his mechanical background and placed him within the broader logistical operations that supported American forces during the conflict. After returning from military service, he drew on his mechanical expertise to establish an automobile repair business in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, entering the growing field of motor vehicle maintenance and transportation.

Bush expanded his involvement in transportation by purchasing a bus line that served Philipsburg and neighboring communities. His success in this enterprise led to a larger role in regional transportation, and he later became president and general manager of the Williamsport Transportation Company in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. In addition to his transportation interests, he operated a dairy farm in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, maintaining a connection to agriculture. He also served as a director of the Lowry Electric Company and of Muncy Valley Hospital, reflecting a broader engagement in local business and community institutions.

Alvin Ray Bush was elected as a Republican to the Eighty-second Congress and to the four succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1951, until his death in 1959. His tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives thus spanned the Eighty-second through the Eighty-sixth Congresses, a period marked by the early Cold War, the Korean War and its aftermath, and the beginnings of the modern civil rights movement. As a Representative from Pennsylvania, he participated in the legislative process, represented the interests of his constituents, and contributed to national policy debates. Notably, Bush voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, supporting landmark federal civil rights legislation during his time in office.

Bush’s congressional service ended with his death in office. He died in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on November 5, 1959, while still serving in the Eighty-sixth Congress. His career placed him among the members of the United States Congress who died in office between 1950 and 1999. In recognition of his public service and regional impact, the Alvin R. Bush Dam on Kettle Creek, north of Renovo, Pennsylvania, was named in his honor, commemorating his contributions to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to the United States.