John M. Summerill Jr. (August 3, 1898 – August 24, 1969) was an American
Republican Party
Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party.
Republican Party may also refer to:
Africa
* Republican Party (Liberia)
*Republican Party ...
politician who served as President of the
New Jersey State Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...
and as Acting Governor of New Jersey.
Early life
Summerill was born August 3, 1898, in
Penns Grove, New Jersey
Penns Grove is a borough in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 5,147,Wenonah Academy and is a 1922 graduate of
Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
, where he was a four-letter man. He was an assistant coach of the Rutgers football team under coach George Sanford. He received his law degree from the New Jersey Law School (now Rutgers University Law School). He practiced law in Camden County before opening a law office in Salem County in 1935. He was elected Republican State Committeeman from Salem County in 1933 and held that post until 1943. During World War I, Summerill was a member of the Students Army Training Corps.
New Jersey State Assemblyman
He was elected to the
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
in 1928, at age 30, and was re-elected in 1929 and 1930.
New Jersey State Senator
Summerill was elected to the
New Jersey State Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...
in 1938. He was the Senate President in 1948, and during the extended illness of Governor
Alfred Driscoll
Alfred Eastlack Driscoll (October 25, 1902 – March 9, 1975) was an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey Senate (1939–1941) representing Camden County, who served as the 43rd governor of New Jersey, and as p ...
, he served as the Acting Governor. Summerill was defeated in his 1955 bid for re-election by Democrat John A. Waddington, an Assemblyman.