George A. Castor

George Albert Castor (August 6, 1855 – February 19, 1906) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania.

George Albert Castor
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 3rd district
In office February 16, 1904 – February 19, 1906
Preceded by	Henry Burk
Succeeded by	J. Hampton Moore
Personal details
Born	(1855-08-06)August 6, 1855 Holmesburg, Pennsylvania
Died	February 19, 1906(1906-02-19) (aged 50)
Political party	Republican

George A. Castor was born in the Holmesburg section of the city of Philadelphia. He entered a cloth house early in life and subsequently became a merchant tailor with large establishments in New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia. He retired from active business pursuits in 1875.

Castor built an eighteen bedroom mansion, "Stoneyhurst", on Solly Avenue overlooking the Pennypack Creek in Holmesburg. As of 2018, the site was occupied by the motherhouse of the sisters of the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity, a Roman Catholic women's congregation, that relocated there in 1931.[1]

He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination of Congressman at Large in 1892. He was a member of the Republican city committee for fifteen years.

He graduated from Yale University in 1876.

He was married Elizabeth Paul Pitcairn (1852-1900) from 1876 to 1900. He had 3 Children:

Norman Castor, Diplomat and Lawyer, Yale Class of 1898 (Oct. 19, 1876 in Rockland, Delaware - Aug. 30, 1964 in Miami Beach, Florida) Married to Jeanette Fraser Muhlenberg (Feb. 7, 1882 in Reading, Pennsylvania - Mar. 15, 1945 in Miami, Florida)

William Castor, President of American Coffee, Yale Class of 1899 (Feb. 25, 1878 in Rockland, Delaware - Feb. 28, 1938 in Washington, D.C.) Married to Elizabeth Buckley Broadbent (Jun. 18, 1881 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Dec. 28, 1957 in Palm Beach, Florida)

George Castor II, Lawyer, Yale Class of 1908 (Nov. 7, 1887 in Radnor, Pennsylvania - Aug. 14, 1979 in Palm Beach, Florida) Married to Clara Wharton Lippincott (Jan. 5, 1887 in Riverside, New Jersey - Apr. 11, 1971 in Lyme, Connecticut)

Castor’s son William (1878-1938) was the President of American Coffee, the largest coffee trading firm in North America. His son William Stanley Castor (Mar. 14, 1901 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Jun. 24, 1971 in Palm Beach, Florida) succeeded him as President of American Coffee. His other son, Paul Martin Castor (Jan. 9, 1914 in Washington, D.C. - Dec. 24, 1969 in La Jolla, California) was the Chief of Staff for Senator Robert A. Taft, Strom Thurmond, and Hiram Bingham III. He ran for the House of Representatives for California's 52nd congressional district as a Republican, but died before the election took place.

Through his son William, Castor is the great-grandfather of both Pennsylvania Attorney General Bruce Castor and US Representative Kathy Castor.

Castor was elected as a Republican to the 58th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Henry Burk. He was reelected to the 59th Congress and served from February 16, 1904, until his death in Philadelphia.