Representative Arthur Ringwalt Rupley

Arthur Ringwalt Rupley (November 13, 1868 – October 23, 1920) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania who served one term in Congress from 1913 to 1915. He was born in West Fairview, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, where he spent his early years before pursuing formal education that would prepare him for a career in law and public service.

Rupley attended the Harrisburg Academy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and continued his studies at the Cumberland Valley State Normal School in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, an institution devoted to training teachers and professionals. He subsequently enrolled in the Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1890. The following year, in 1891, he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in Carlisle, establishing himself in the legal profession at a relatively young age.

Rupley’s early career was closely tied to Republican Party politics and local public office in Cumberland County. From 1895 to 1898 he served as chairman of the Republican Party’s county committee, playing a central role in organizing and directing party activities at the county level. Concurrently, he held the office of district attorney of Cumberland County from 1895 to 1899, prosecuting criminal cases and representing the county in legal matters. Building on this experience, he served as a county and city solicitor from 1900 to 1906, further deepening his involvement in public legal work and municipal affairs. His growing prominence within the party led to his selection as a delegate to the Republican State convention in 1910 and as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1912.

In 1912, Rupley was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-third Congress, representing Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives. His term extended from March 4, 1913, to March 3, 1915. Serving during a significant period in American history marked by the progressive reforms of the Woodrow Wilson administration, he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his Pennsylvania constituents in the national legislature. As a member of the House of Representatives, Arthur Ringwalt Rupley contributed to the democratic process and took part in deliberations on issues of national importance during his single term in office. After his service in Congress concluded, he was not returned for a subsequent term and left the House at the close of the Sixty-third Congress.

Following his departure from Congress, Rupley resumed the practice of law in Carlisle. Drawing on his long experience in public office and municipal legal work, he specialized in public-service work, continuing to engage with matters affecting local governance and public affairs. His post-congressional career reflected a consistent commitment to the legal profession and to the civic life of his community.

Arthur Ringwalt Rupley died in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from Bright’s disease on October 23, 1920. He was interred in Ashland Cemetery in Carlisle. His career encompassed local and county legal offices, party leadership roles, and service in the U.S. House of Representatives, marking him as a notable Republican figure in early twentieth-century Pennsylvania public life.