Prescott Bush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Prescott Bush
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Bush, c. 1950s
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| United States Senator from Connecticut |
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| In office November 4, 1952 – January 3, 1963 |
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| Preceded by | William A. Purtell |
| Succeeded by | Abraham Ribicoff |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Prescott Sheldon Bush
May 15, 1895 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | October 8, 1972 (aged 77) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Dorothy Walker
(m. 1921) |
| Children | |
| Parents | Samuel P. Bush Flora Sheldon |
| Relatives | Bush family |
| Education | Yale University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1917–1919 |
| Rank |  Captain |
| Unit | 158th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
Prescott Sheldon Bush (born May 15, 1895 – died October 8, 1972) was an American banker and politician. He worked as an investment banker on Wall Street. Later, he represented the state of Connecticut in the United States Senate from 1952 to 1963.
Prescott Bush was a member of the famous Bush family. He was the father of George H. W. Bush, who became a Vice President and President of the United States. He was also the grandfather of George W. Bush, a former Texas Governor and President, and Jeb Bush, a former Florida Governor.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Bush studied at Yale College. He served as an artillery officer during World War I. After the war, he worked for several companies. In 1931, he became a partner at the A. Harriman & Co. investment bank. He also held important roles in the United States Golf Association, even serving as its president. Bush moved to Connecticut in 1925.
In 1952, Bush won a special election to the Senate. He supported President Dwight D. Eisenhower strongly. He helped create laws for the Interstate Highway System. Bush was re-elected in 1956. He chose not to run again in 1962 and retired from the Senate the next year.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Prescott Bush was born in Columbus, Ohio. His parents were Samuel P. Bush and Flora Sheldon Bush. His father, Samuel Bush, managed railroads and later became a steel company president. During World War I, he also helped coordinate weapons contractors for the government.
Prescott went to St. George's School (Rhode Island) in Middletown, Rhode Island, from 1908 to 1913. In 1913, he started at Yale College. His grandfather and uncle had also gone to Yale. Three more generations of the Bush family would later attend Yale.
At Yale, Prescott Bush joined the Zeta Psi fraternity and the Skull and Bones secret society. His son, George H. W. Bush, and grandson, George W. Bush, also joined Skull and Bones. Prescott Bush was a cheerleader, played golf and baseball, and led the Yale Glee Club.
Military Service in World War I
After graduating from college, Bush joined the military. He served as a field artillery captain with the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. This was from 1917 to 1919.
He received special intelligence training in Verdun, France. He worked with French officers for a short time. He switched between intelligence and artillery duties. He faced enemy fire during the Meuse-Argonne offensive.
Business Career and Leadership
After leaving the military in 1919, Prescott Bush started working. His first job was with the Simmons Hardware Company in St. Louis, Missouri.
In 1923, the Bush family moved to Columbus, Ohio. Prescott worked briefly for the Hupp Products Company. In November 1923, he became the president of sales for Stedman Products in South Braintree, Massachusetts. During this time, his son, George H. W. Bush, was born in their home in Milton, Massachusetts.
In 1924, Bush became a vice-president at the investment bank A. Harriman & Co. His father-in-law, George Herbert Walker, was the president there. Some of Bush's Yale classmates also worked at the company.
In 1925, he joined the United States Rubber Company in New York City. He became the manager of their foreign division. He then moved to Greenwich, Connecticut.
In 1931, he became a partner at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.. This company was formed by combining A. Harriman & Co. with other banks.
Prescott Bush loved golf. In 1935, he was chosen to lead the United States Golf Association (USGA).
From 1944 to 1956, he was a member of the Yale Corporation. This group is the main governing body of Yale University. He also served on the board of directors for CBS, a major television network.
Political Life and Public Service
Prescott Bush was very active in politics and social causes. He was an early supporter of the United Negro College Fund. In 1951, he was the chairman of its Connecticut branch.
From 1947 to 1950, he led the Republican Party's finance efforts in Connecticut. In 1950, he ran for the United States Senate. He did not win that election.
In 1952, a Senate seat became open when Senator Brien McMahon passed away. The Republicans nominated Bush for this special election. He won against Abraham Ribicoff and became a U.S. Senator.
As a Senator, he strongly supported President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He helped pass laws to create the Interstate Highway System. This system built many highways across the country.
Bush was re-elected in 1956. He decided not to run for another term in 1962. He left the Senate in January 1963. During his time in the Senate, he supported the Polaris submarine project. He also helped establish the Peace Corps. This program sends American volunteers to help people in other countries. He voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and Civil Rights Act of 1960. These laws aimed to protect the rights of all citizens. He also supported the Twenty-fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This amendment banned poll taxes, which had prevented some people from voting.
In 1954, Senator Bush voted to criticize Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy. McCarthy had made strong accusations against the U.S. Army and the Eisenhower administration. Bush said that McCarthy caused "dangerous divisions among the American people." He believed McCarthy's attitude made people think they had to agree with him completely.
Bush often agreed with New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller on political issues. They were friends for a long time. Bush wanted a Nixon-Rockefeller ticket for the 1960 presidential election.
Another important interest for Senator Bush was protecting against floods and hurricanes. He wrote the Bush Hurricane Survey Act. This law helped U.S. Army engineers create new ways to protect communities from tidal flooding. He also worked with Representative John W. McCormack on the Bush-McCormack Act. This law sped up the building of local flood protection projects.
Family and Later Life
Prescott Bush married Dorothy Wear Walker on August 6, 1921. They were married in Kennebunkport, Maine. They had five children: Prescott Jr., George, Nancy, Jonathan, and William.
In 1937, Bush started the Yale Glee Club Associates. This was a group for alumni of the Yale Glee Club. Like his father-in-law, he was a member of the United States Golf Association. He served as its secretary, vice-president, and president from 1928 to 1935. He was also a golf club champion many times at the Round Hill Club in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was part of a committee that helped create the New York Mets baseball team.
He was a member of the American Legion and the 40 & 8 Society. These are organizations for military veterans.
Bush had homes in New York City, Long Island, Greenwich, and Fishers Island.
Prescott Bush passed away from cancer in 1972 at the age of 77. He died at Memorial Hospital in New York City. He was buried at Putnam Cemetery in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Writings
Prescott Bush wrote several articles, including:
- "Timely Monetary Policy," published in Banking magazine in June and July 1955.
- "To Preserve Peace Let's Show the Russians How Strong We Are!" published in Reader's Digest in July 1959.
- "Politics Is Your Business," published by the Chamber of Commerce, State of New York, in their Bulletin in May 1960.
See also
In Spanish: Prescott Bush para niños
- List of members of the American Legion
