Chester L. Schmitt (May 8, 1912 – February 20, 1993) of New Kensington, Pennsylvania served in the

Pennsylvania State Legislature The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania ...

for sixteen years, serving the 54th District. He is noted for working to establish the Pennsylvania Consumer Credit Act, which served as the model for the Federal Truth In Lending Law. Schmitt was known to his constituents as "Mr. Consumer." A bridge built in 1927 to connect New Kensington to East Deer Township across the

Allegheny River The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into ...

, was named in his honor in 1989.

Formative years and family

Schmitt was married to Sally Lou Schmitt, a licensed insurance and real estate sales agent who was the co-manager of their business. They had four children and eight grandchildren.

Career

Before and after his time in office, Schmitt owned a successful insurance and real estate company in New Kensington, which he opened in 1945. He was president of the International Brotherhood of Magicians during the 1961-1962 membership year. Per that organization's house organ, ''The Linking Ring'' (Vol. 41, No. 5), his jobs previous to his time in office (and his later business interests) included being a newsboy, bowling alley pin-boy (and later, the alley's manager), movie projectionist and grocery chain store manager.

Death

Schmitt died in 1993 from complications related to Parkinson's disease.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmitt, C. L. Democratic Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives 1912 births 1993 deaths Neurological disease deaths in Pennsylvania Deaths from Parkinson's disease in the United States 20th-century American legislators 20th-century Pennsylvania politicians