Boies Penrose (1860-1921) was a conservative U.S. senator and also led the Republican state political machine in Pennsylvania.

Boies Penrose was born in Philadelphia on Nov. 1, 1860, of a distinguished family with a tradition of public service. Consistent with his family's social position, he attended Harvard, graduating second in the class of 1881. His commencement oration, on Martin Van Buren as a political leader, foreshadowed his career choice. Although he returned to Philadelphia after graduation and entered law practice, his life interest was politics and government rather than the legal profession. Even as a practicing lawyer, he collaborated on a scholarly study, The City Government of Philadelphia (1887).

During the 1880s Penrose showed some affinity for an independent, reform approach to politics, but he soon decided that his ambition for political office would be advanced more readily through the Republican state organization. He became the protégé and...