Laurence Hawley Watres

Laurence Hawley Watres served as a Representative from Pennsylvania in the United States Congress from 1923 to 1931. A member of the Republican Party, Laurence Hawley Watres contributed to the legislative process during 4 terms in office.

Laurence Hawley Watres’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. As a member of the House of Representatives, Laurence Hawley Watres participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents.

Laurence Hawley Watres (July 18, 1882 – February 6, 1964) was an attorney and politician from Scranton, Pennsylvania. A Republican, he was most notable for his service as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1923 to 1931. A native of Scranton, and the son of a prominent Pennsylvania political and business figure, Watres graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School before practicing law in Scranton. In addition, he was involved in several businesses, as well as charitable and civic endeavors. A longtime member of the National Guard, Watres was a veteran of the Pancho Villa Expedition and World War I, earning the Distinguished Service Cross for wartime heroism during combat in France. In 1922, Watres was elected to the U.S. House. He was reelected three times, and served from 1923 to 1931. During his Congressional service, Watres largely concentrated on veterans’ issues and the regulation of the growing air mail and commercial aviation fields. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1930, and resumed practicing law in Scranton. In addition, he became the publisher of the Scranton Republican newspaper. In 1951, Watres moved to East Orange, New Jersey, where he lived in retirement. He died on February 6, 1964, while on vacation in San Germán, Puerto Rico. He was buried at Glenwood Mausoleum in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.