# Joseph D. Early

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American politician (1933–2012)

Joseph D. Early Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 3rd district In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1993 Preceded by Harold Donohue Succeeded by Peter I. Blute Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives In office 1963–1974 Personal details Born Joseph Daniel Early January 31, 1933 Worcester, Massachusetts Died November 9, 2012(2012-11-09) (aged 79) Worcester, Massachusetts Resting place Saint John's Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts Party Democratic Spouse Marilyn Powers Early Alma mater College of the Holy Cross (BS) Profession teacher Military service Allegiance United States of America Branch/service United States Navy Years of service 1955–1957

**Joseph Daniel Early** (January 31, 1933 – November 9, 2012) was an [American politician](/source/Politics_in_the_United_States). He represented the [third district of Massachusetts](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives%2C_Massachusetts_District_3) in the [U.S. House of Representatives](/source/U.S._House_of_Representatives) from 1975 to 1993.

## Early life

Early was born in [Worcester, Massachusetts](/source/Worcester%2C_Massachusetts), on January 31, 1933. He attended [Saint John's High School](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saint_John%27s_High_School_(Shrewsbury)&action=edit&redlink=1), and received a B.S. degree from [College of the Holy Cross](/source/College_of_the_Holy_Cross), graduating in 1955. He served in [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy), 1955–1957. Following his time in the Navy he was employed as a high school teacher and [basketball](/source/Basketball) coach in [Shrewsbury](/source/Shrewsbury%2C_Massachusetts) and [Spencer](/source/Spencer%2C_Massachusetts).

## Political career

Early served six terms in the [Massachusetts House of Representatives](/source/Massachusetts_House_of_Representatives) from 1963 to 1974. He was a delegate to [Massachusetts State Democratic conventions](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Massachusetts_State_Democratic_convention&action=edit&redlink=1) from 1964 to 1970, and was elected as a [Democrat](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) to the [94th](/source/94th_United_States_Congress) and to the eight succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1993). He lost re-election in [1992](/source/U.S._House_election%2C_1992) to [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) [Peter I. Blute](/source/Peter_I._Blute), in the aftermath of his implication in the [House banking scandal](/source/House_banking_scandal) and a nepotism scandal involving his brother George's employment in the Congressional Folding Room.[1]

After his involvement in the House banking scandal came to light, Early gave a fiery speech to an empty House chamber where loudly said of his critics, "They ran like rats!!!", leading to widespread ridicule.[2][3]

During his time in congress Early was regarded as one of the most "obscure" house representatives, neglecting to hold a press conference until 1990 and never hiring a press secretary.[4] He died on November 9, 2012.[5] His son, Joseph Early, Jr., today serves as the Worcester County District Attorney.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["WHEN MEMBERS HAVE KIN ON THE HOUSE PAYROLL"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1992/04/09/when-members-have-kin-on-the-house-payroll/6a145076-ddd2-4eff-b095-dab4c19bd70e/). *Washington Post*. January 3, 2024. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0190-8286](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0190-8286). Retrieved February 9, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Early "They ran like rats!""](http://web.archive.org/web/20250810010215/https://www.c-span.org/clip/call-in/early-they-ran-like-rats/4985457). *C-SPAN.org*. Archived from [the original](https://www.c-span.org/clip/call-in/early-they-ran-like-rats/4985457) on August 10, 2025. Retrieved February 7, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Howie Carr: There's always a Massachusetts connection — the Steele dossier edition"](https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/11/06/howie-carr-theres-always-a-massachusetts-connection-the-steele-dossier-edition/). *Boston Herald*. November 6, 2021. Retrieved February 7, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Schudel, Matt (May 19, 2023). ["Joseph D. Early, nine-term Mass. congressman, dies at 79"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/joseph-d-early-nine-term-mass-congressman-dies-at-79/2012/11/09/b553f6a0-2aa1-11e2-b4e0-346287b7e56c_story.html). *Washington Post*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0190-8286](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0190-8286). Retrieved February 9, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Former Congressman Joseph Early Dies](http://www.telegram.com/article/20121109/NEWS/121109417/1116)

## External links

- [Biography](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=E000013) at the *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*

- [Appearances](https://www.c-span.org/person/?8709) on [C-SPAN](/source/C-SPAN)

U.S. House of Representatives Preceded by Harold Donohue Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1993 Succeeded by Peter I. Blute

v t e United States representatives from Massachusetts 1st district F. Ames Dexter Goodhue Holten Sedgwick Skinner Sedgwick J. Bacon Eustis Quincy Ward Jr. Mason Gorham Webster Gorham N. Appleton Gorham A. Lawrence Fletcher A. Lawrence Winthrop N. Appleton Winthrop S. Eliot W. Appleton Scudder T. D. Eliot Hall T. D. Eliot Buffington Crapo R. Davis Randall Wright G. Lawrence Treadway Heselton Conte Olver Neal 2nd district Goodhue Foster W. Lyman Sedgwick Ward Sr. W. Lyman Shepard J. Crowninshield Story Pickman W. Reed Pickering Silsbee Barstow B. Crowninshield Choate Phillips Saltonstall D. King Rantoul Fay Crocker Buffington O. Ames Harris Long E. Morse Gillett Churchill Bowles Kaynor Granfield Clason Furcolo Boland Neal McGovern 3rd district Gerry Bourne Coffin S. Lyman Mattoon Cutler Nelson Livermore White Pickering Nelson Varnum Nelson Osgood Cushing A. Abbott Duncan Edmands Damrell C. Adams Thomas A. Rice Twichell Whiting I Pierce Field B. Dean Field Ranney L. Morse J. Andrew Walker J. R. Thayer R. Hoar C. Washburn J. A. Thayer Wilder Paige F. Foss Casey Philbin Drinan Donohue Early Blute McGovern N. Tsongas Trahan 4th district Sedgwick Dearborn G. Thatcher Wadsworth Foster L. Lincoln Sr. Hastings Varnum W. Richardson Dana Stearns Fuller E. Everett Sa. Hoar Parmenter Thompson Palfrey Thompson Sabine Walley Comins A. Rice Hooper Frost J. Abbott L. Morse Collins O'Neil Apsley Weymouth Tirrell Mitchell Wilder Winslow Stobbs P. Holmes Donohue Drinan Frank Kennedy III Auchincloss 5th district Partridge Bourne Freeman L. Williams T. Dwight Ely Mills Lathrop Sibley J. Davis L. Lincoln Jr. Hudson C. Allen W. Appleton Burlingame W. Appleton Hooper Alley Butler Gooch Banks Bowman L. Morse Hayden Banks Sh. Hoar Stevens Knox B. Ames J. Rogers E. Rogers B. Morse Cronin P. Tsongas Shannon Atkins Meehan N. Tsongas Markey Clark 6th district G. Thatcher Leonard J. Reed Sr. J. Smith Taggart S. Allen Locke Kendall Grennell Alvord Baker Ashmun G. Davis Upham T. Davis Alley Gooch Banks Butler Thompson Loring Stone Lovering Lodge Cogswell Moody Gardner Lufkin A.P. Andrew G. Bates W. Bates Harrington Mavroules Torkildsen Tierney Moulton 7th district Leonard Ward Sr. Leonard Bullock Bishop Mitchell Barker Baylies Turner Baylies Hulbert Shaw H. Dwight S. Allen Grennell Briggs J. Rockwell Goodrich Banks Gooch Boutwell Brooks Esty E. Hoar Tarbox Butler W. Russell Stone Cogswell W. Everett Barrett Roberts Phelan Maloney W. Connery L. Connery Lane Macdonald Markey Capuano Pressley 8th district Grout G. Thatcher F. Ames Otis Eustis L. Williams Green Gardner Green J. Reed Jr. Baylies Sampson Hobart Lathrop Bates Calhoun J. Adams Mann Wentworth Knapp Train Baldwin G. Hoar J. M. S. Williams Warren Claflin Candler W Russell C. H. Allen Greenhalge Stevens McCall Deitrick Dallinger H. Thayer Dallinger Healey Goodwin Macdonald O'Neill Kennedy II Capuano Lynch 9th district Varnum Bishop J. Dean Wheaton J. Reed Jr. Folger J. Reed Jr. H. Dwight Briggs Jackson Hastings H. Williams Hale Fowler Little De Witt E. Thayer Bailey A. Walker W. Washburn Crocker G. Hoar W. Rice T. Lyman Ely Burnett Candler G. Williams O'Neil Fitzgerald Conry Keliher Murray Roberts Fuller Underhill Luce R. Russell Luce T. H. Eliot Gifford Nicholson Keith McCormack Hicks Moakley Lynch Keating 10th district Goodhue Sewall Read Hastings Upham J. Allen Brigham Wheaton Morton F Baylies Bailey H. A. S. Dearborn W. Baylies Borden H. Williams Borden Burnell Grinnell Scudder Dickinson Chaffee Delano Dawes Crocker Stevens Seelye Norcross W. Rice J. E. Russell J. Walker McEttrick Atwood Barrows Naphen McNary O'Connell Curley Murray Tague Fitzgerald Tague Douglass Tinkham Herter Curtis Martin Heckler Studds Delahunt Keating 11th district Bradbury Bartlett Cutler Stedman A. Bigelow Brigham B. Adams J. Russell Hobart J. Richardson J. Adams J. Reed Jr. Burnell Goodrich Trafton Dawes Chapin Robinson Whiting II Wallace Coolidge Draper Sprague Powers Sullivan Peters Tinkham Douglass Higgins Flaherty Curley Kennedy O'Neill Burke Donnelly 12th district H. Dearborn I. Parker Lee S. Thatcher Skinner Larned Bidwell Bacon Dewey Hulbert Strong Kendall L. Bigelow Baylies Hodges J. Adams Robinson F. Rockwell Crosby E. Morse Lovering Powers Weeks Curley Gallivan McCormack Keith Studds 13th district Wadsworth Seaver Ruggles Dowse Eustis J. Reed Jr. Randall Simpkins Greene Weeks Mitchell Carter Luce Wigglesworth Burke 14th district G. Thatcher Cutts C. King J. Holmes Lovering E. Foss Harris Gilmore Olney Frothingham Wigglesworth Martin 15th district Wadsworth Ilsley Whitman Widgery Bradbury Whitman Greene Leach Martin Gifford 16th district S. Thatcher Cook Tallman S. Davis Brown Orr Hill Thacher Walsh Gifford 17th district Bruce Chandler Gannett F. Carr Wood J. Carr Wilson Kinsley 18th district Wilson T. Rice J. Parker 19th district J. Parker Conner Gage Cushman 20th district Hubbard Parris E. Lincoln At-large Cobb

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