Peter Hood Ballantine Frelinghuysen, Jr. [1916-2011]

Peter Frelinghuysen is the fifth member of the New Jersey Frelinghuysen political dynasty to represent the New Jersey Fifth District in the U. S. Congress. Whereas his four Frelinghuysen predecessors served in the U. S. Senate, Peter had to be satisfied to become a Congressman in the U. S. House of Representatives. Peter was a great-great-great grandson of Frederick Frelinghuysen [1753-1804], the first Frelinghuysen in the Frelinghuysen political dynasty to represent New Jersey in the U. S. Senate. Frederick Frelinghuysen was a grandson of Theodore Jacobus Frelinghuysen [1691-1747], a Dutch American theologian, who was born in the province of East Friesland, now Groningen, a province in The Netherlands. Peter was also a cousin, probably once removed, of Joseph Sherman Frelinghuysen [1869-1948], the fourth U. S. Senator in the Frelinghuysen political dynasty from New Jersey. And finally, Peter is the father of Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, currently serving as a U. S. Congressman from New Jersey.

Peter Frelinghuysen joined the Holland Society of New York in 1973. He claimed descent from Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen who arrived in America in 1720.

Peter Frelinghuysen was elected as a Republican Representative to the Eighty third U. S. Congress, and to the ten following U. S. Congresses. He served during the years 1953 to and including 1974. He was not a candidate for the Ninety fourth Congress, retired and lived in Harding Township, New Jersey.

Peter Frelinghuysen was born on January 17, 1916 in New York City. He attended Saint Mark’s School in Southborough, Massachusetts, was admitted to Princeton University and graduated with a B. A. Degree from Princeton in 1938. He then entered Yale University Law School and graduated with his LL. B. Degree in 1941. He passed the New York State Bar exam and began practicing law in New York City. Shortly thereafter, in 1942, he was called to serve in the military, following the start of World War II. He served in the Office of Naval Intelligence, from September 1942 to December 1945, and during his military service career rose to the rank of lieutenant. Following his time in the military, Peter entered Columbia University in 1946 to do graduate work in history, and he completed his studies in 1947. From May 1948 until October 1948 he served on the staff of the Foreign Affairs Task Force of the Hoover Commission. From the end of 1948 until 1952 he was engaged in the investment business in New York City, and became a director of the Howard Savings Bank in Livingston, New Jersey. During 1952 he was nominated by the Republican Party in New Jersey to run for a seat in the U. S. Congress in November of that year. He won the election and in January 1953 began his 22 year tenure in the U. S. House of Representatives.

Peter Hood Ballantine Frelinghuysen Jr. passed away on May 20, 2011, at the age of 95. He was the son of Peter H. B. Frelinghuysen and Adelina Havemeyer. He was marreid to Beatrice Sterling Procter in 1940. The couple had five children Peter, Beatrice S., Rodney P., Adeline H. and Frederick. His son Rodney P. continues his service in the U.S. House of Representatives.