George L. Tews
Encyclopedia
George L. Tews was a machinist
, businessman and real estate broker
from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
who served three non-continuous terms (1915–1916; 1927–1928; and 1931–32) as a Socialist
member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
.
and at a business institute
. He served as a member of the Milwaukee crew of the United States Life-Saving Service (predecessor to the United States Coast Guard
), and later apprenticed as a machinist. He worked as a clerk in several large machine shops in Milwaukee until 1911, when he was appointed storekeeper
by the new Socialist administration of the City of Milwaukee, and installed a storekeeping system for the city. (He had been an active Socialist "all his life.") He later went into a wholesale and retail seafood
business vith his brother William.
for district school No. 16 (for the Town
s of Greenfield
and Wauwatosa
). He was first elected to the Assembly in 1914 for the 14th Milwaukee County district (14th and 24th Wards
of the City of Milwaukee) to succeed fellow Socialist Martin Gorecki
, who was not running for re-election. Tews received 1,254 votes to 1,022 votes for Democrat
John A. Kroszewski, and 501 for Republican
Fred J. Thorson. He was assigned to the standing committee
on transportation.
Tews did not run for re-election in 1916, and was succeeded by Democrat Thomas Szewczykowski.
In 1926, Tews (who was still in the wholesale seafood business and was also working as an insurance broker) was elected for the Fifth Milwaukee County district (5th and 12th Wards) to succeed Republican Julius Jensen (who was not running for re-election). Tews won 1,602 to 1547 for Democrat Lewis E. Battger. He was assigned to the committee on commerce
and manufactures
. In 1928 he did not run for election, and was succeeded by Republican Joseph Przybylski.
In 1930, now working simply as a real estate broker, he was elected from the 11th Milwaukee County district (11th and 24th Wards) to succeed Republican Alex J. Chmurski, who had lost the Republican nomination to John C. Bauer. Tews won 3016 votes to 2228 for Bauer, 723 for Democrat George H. Buer, and 694 for Joseph Chonowski (who had also been a candidate in the Republican primary
); and was assigned to the committees on transportation and on statutory revision. In 1932 Tews lost his bid for re-election to Democrat Martin Franzkowiak, who polled 6941 votes to Tews' 3442, 2091 for Republican Harry E. Shelminiak, and 58 for Independent Albert Krawczyk.
Machinist
A machinist is a person who uses machine tools to make or modify parts, primarily metal parts, a process known as machining. This is accomplished by using machine tools to cut away excess material much as a woodcarver cuts away excess wood to produce his work. In addition to metal, the parts may...
, businessman and real estate broker
Real estate broker
A real estate broker, real estate agent or realtor is a party who acts as an intermediary between sellers and buyers of real estate/real property and attempts to find sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy...
from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
who served three non-continuous terms (1915–1916; 1927–1928; and 1931–32) as a Socialist
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
.
Background
Tews was born September 25, 1883, on Jones Island, Milwaukee. He was educated in the Milwaukee Public SchoolsMilwaukee Public Schools
Milwaukee Public Schools is the largest school district in Wisconsin. As of 2007, it had an enrollment of 87,360 students, and as of 2006 employed 6,100 full-time and substitute teachers in 223 schools. The Milwaukee Public Schools system is the 33rd largest in the United States by enrollment...
and at a business institute
Business college
A business college is a school that provides education above the high school level but could not be compared to that of a regular University or College...
. He served as a member of the Milwaukee crew of the United States Life-Saving Service (predecessor to the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
), and later apprenticed as a machinist. He worked as a clerk in several large machine shops in Milwaukee until 1911, when he was appointed storekeeper
Storekeeper
Storekeeper is an enlisted rating in the United States Coast Guard; until 2009 it was also a United States Navy rating, the most common supply rate in US Navy vs. CS and SH and very much equivalent to the MOS 92 of the US Army...
by the new Socialist administration of the City of Milwaukee, and installed a storekeeping system for the city. (He had been an active Socialist "all his life.") He later went into a wholesale and retail seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
business vith his brother William.
Public service
He served one term as treasurerTreasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
for district school No. 16 (for the Town
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
s of Greenfield
Greenfield, Wisconsin
Greenfield is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 35,476 at the 2000 census.-History:Greenfield was originally created as the Town of Kinnickinnic around 1839. On Feb. 19, 1841, the name of the town was changed to Greenfield, taking its name from the name of the...
and Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Wauwatosa is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States, and was incorporated on May 27, 1897. As of the 2006 census estimate, the city's population was 44,798. Wauwatosa is located immediately west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is a part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area...
). He was first elected to the Assembly in 1914 for the 14th Milwaukee County district (14th and 24th Wards
Wards of the United States
In the United States, a ward is an optional division of a city or town, especially an electoral district, for administrative and representative purposes...
of the City of Milwaukee) to succeed fellow Socialist Martin Gorecki
Martin Gorecki
Martin Gorecki was a brewery worker from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.- Background :...
, who was not running for re-election. Tews received 1,254 votes to 1,022 votes for Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
John A. Kroszewski, and 501 for Republican
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...
Fred J. Thorson. He was assigned to the standing committee
Standing Committee
In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
on transportation.
Tews did not run for re-election in 1916, and was succeeded by Democrat Thomas Szewczykowski.
In 1926, Tews (who was still in the wholesale seafood business and was also working as an insurance broker) was elected for the Fifth Milwaukee County district (5th and 12th Wards) to succeed Republican Julius Jensen (who was not running for re-election). Tews won 1,602 to 1547 for Democrat Lewis E. Battger. He was assigned to the committee on commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
and manufactures
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
. In 1928 he did not run for election, and was succeeded by Republican Joseph Przybylski.
In 1930, now working simply as a real estate broker, he was elected from the 11th Milwaukee County district (11th and 24th Wards) to succeed Republican Alex J. Chmurski, who had lost the Republican nomination to John C. Bauer. Tews won 3016 votes to 2228 for Bauer, 723 for Democrat George H. Buer, and 694 for Joseph Chonowski (who had also been a candidate in the Republican primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
); and was assigned to the committees on transportation and on statutory revision. In 1932 Tews lost his bid for re-election to Democrat Martin Franzkowiak, who polled 6941 votes to Tews' 3442, 2091 for Republican Harry E. Shelminiak, and 58 for Independent Albert Krawczyk.