Walter E. Foran
Encyclopedia
Walter Edge "Moose" Foran (May 14, 1919 – December 8, 1986) was an American
Republican Party
politician
from New Jersey
, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature
. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Arthur F. Foran
, who served in the New Jersey Senate
.
, the fourth of five sons to Elizabeth and Arthur F. Foran
. His eldest sibling, Dick Foran
, would go on to be a B-movie
actor. Walter Edge Foran was named in honor of Walter Evans Edge
, his father's political mentor. Arthur F. Foran
had already served as Mayor of Flemington before working as an aide to Edge, then Governor of New Jersey
, in 1917. By the time of Walter Foran's birth in May 1919, Edge had been elected to the United States Senate
.
After graduating from Staunton Military Academy
in Virginia, Foran attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
. He served in the Army field artillery in World War II
.
Foran served as the Hunterdon County
Republican Chairman from 1961 to 1970. He was elected to the New Jersey State Assembly in 1969 and served as a member of the Joint Appropriations Committee, eventually becoming Minority Leader
. He was elected to the New Jersey Senate
in 1977, taking the seat of Anne Clark Martindell
, a Democrat who resigned to serve in a series of positions in the Carter
administration including United States Ambassador to New Zealand
. In the Senate Foran was the ranking Republican on the Revenue, Finance and Appropriations Committee.
Foran was considered an "old school statesman" and "an imposing figure" (hence the nickname "Moose"), who had "a congenial and persuasive manner and a quick mind." After his death, a special election to fill his seat was won by Dick Zimmer
, then serving in the Assembly.
On the Cook College campus of Rutgers University
, Walter E. Foran Hall was dedicated on October 30, 1995. It is a 154000 square feet (14,307.1 m²) complex housing the Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment, the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, and the Chang Science Library. Foran was an early champion of agricultural biotechnology and was instrumental in the founding of the center.
A resident of Flemington, Foran died of lung cancer
at Hunterdon Medical Center
at the age of 67 on December 8, 1986.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Arthur F. Foran
Arthur F. Foran
Arthur Francis Foran was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey. He served in the New Jersey Senate where he was Senate President.-Biography:...
, who served in the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey 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. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
.
Biography
Foran was born in Flemington, New JerseyFlemington, New Jersey
Flemington is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 4,581. It is the county seat of Hunterdon County....
, the fourth of five sons to Elizabeth and Arthur F. Foran
Arthur F. Foran
Arthur Francis Foran was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey. He served in the New Jersey Senate where he was Senate President.-Biography:...
. His eldest sibling, Dick Foran
Dick Foran
John Nicholas 'Dick' Foran was an American actor, known for his performances in western musicals and for playing supporting roles in dramatic pictures.-Life and career:...
, would go on to be a B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
actor. Walter Edge Foran was named in honor of Walter Evans Edge
Walter Evans Edge
Walter Evans Edge was an American politician. A Republican, he was twice the Governor of New Jersey, from 1917 to 1919 and again from 1944 to 1947, serving as governor during both World War I and World War II...
, his father's political mentor. Arthur F. Foran
Arthur F. Foran
Arthur Francis Foran was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey. He served in the New Jersey Senate where he was Senate President.-Biography:...
had already served as Mayor of Flemington before working as an aide to Edge, then Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
, in 1917. By the time of Walter Foran's birth in May 1919, Edge had been elected to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
.
After graduating from Staunton Military Academy
Staunton Military Academy
Staunton Military Academy was an all-male military academy located in Staunton, Virginia for much of its 116-year history. The school closed in 1976. Many notable American political and military leaders are graduates...
in Virginia, Foran attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. He served in the Army field artillery in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Foran served as the Hunterdon County
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 128,349. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Flemington....
Republican Chairman from 1961 to 1970. He was elected to the New Jersey State Assembly in 1969 and served as a member of the Joint Appropriations Committee, eventually becoming Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
. He was elected to the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey 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. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
in 1977, taking the seat of Anne Clark Martindell
Anne Clark Martindell
Anne Clark Martindell was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, as well as a diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to New Zealand from 1979 to 1981.-Early life and family:...
, a Democrat who resigned to serve in a series of positions in the Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
administration including United States Ambassador to New Zealand
United States Ambassador to New Zealand
The United States has maintained a consular presence in New Zealand since 1838. The first consul was James Reddy Clendon. Born in England, Clendon was a ship owner and merchant who bought land and settled in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. In 1838 he was appointed by the federal government of the...
. In the Senate Foran was the ranking Republican on the Revenue, Finance and Appropriations Committee.
Foran was considered an "old school statesman" and "an imposing figure" (hence the nickname "Moose"), who had "a congenial and persuasive manner and a quick mind." After his death, a special election to fill his seat was won by Dick Zimmer
Dick Zimmer (New Jersey politician)
Richard Alan "Dick" Zimmer is an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature and in the United States House of Representatives. He was the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate from New Jersey in 1996 and 2008...
, then serving in the Assembly.
On the Cook College campus of Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, Walter E. Foran Hall was dedicated on October 30, 1995. It is a 154000 square feet (14,307.1 m²) complex housing the Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment, the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, and the Chang Science Library. Foran was an early champion of agricultural biotechnology and was instrumental in the founding of the center.
A resident of Flemington, Foran died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
at Hunterdon Medical Center
Hunterdon Medical Center
Hunterdon Medical Center is a 176-bed non-profit community hospital located in Raritan Township, New Jersey near Flemington.Hunterdon Medical Center was founded in 1946 and opened in 1953, a culmination of efforts by the Hunterdon County Board of Agriculture to provide rural medical care to the...
at the age of 67 on December 8, 1986.
External links
- Biographical information for Walter E. Foran from The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...
- Collection Guides: Senator Walter Edge Foran (1919-1986), New Jersey Division of Archives & Records Management