Roy T. Strong
MSA SC 3520-13634
Biography:
Born c. 1881. Methodist. Married Mrs. Eaton. Buried at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Kent County, Maryland.
Roy T. Strong was elected to the House of Delegates (D), Rock Hall,
Kent County, in November 1934 and again in November 1938. He served
from 1935
to 1941. The Maryland Manual from 1940-41 lists him as "single"
and as a "farmer," aged 60. He served on the Fish and Game Committee,
the Chesapeake Bay and Tributaries Committee, and the Committee on Internal
Improvements. The Kent News described Strong as a "Rock Hall
citizen and watermen's friend." An issue of concern to the Kent watermen
in the election campaign of November 1934 was the repeal of the gasoline
tax on workboats, which they saw as unfair (Kent County Senator Arthur
H. Brice introduced a bill in the Senate in 1935 to repeal the tax.)
Along with delegate W.R. Hubbard (D) Chestertown, Strong was credited by
the Kent News for having secured an increase in the appropriation
for Washington College. Hubbard and Strong opposed a 1935 bill proposed
by the Baltimore delegation to establish a control board for dairy products
for Baltimore. The Kent News reported that the bill was shelved
"through Mr. Hubbard and his colleagues" and that compromise measure was
formulated to set up an Advisory Board of Arbitration instead. The
Kent County delegation also ensured that the Tolchester [ferry] Company
continued to receive appropriations in the state budget. The
Kent
News also reported that delegates Hubbard and Strong voted against
the two percent sales tax bill that passed in March 1935, writing that
"both members, knowing the attitude of Chestertown and Kent merchants in
regard to this measure, fought against its passage, but the necessary seventy-two
votes were marshalled and the bill went through." Hubbard accused
the Baltimore delegation of "kow-towing to the demands of the powerful
beer lobby" in Baltimore which he said had been "forcing the passage of
the general sales tax in order to divert legislation which might increase
licenses and taxes" on beer. In June, 2001, Robert Strong, Sr. of
Rock Hall, Maryland, described his late cousin, Delegate Roy T. Strong,
as "very nice, gracious, and well-liked."
Return to Roy T. Strong's Introductory Page
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