Wayne Dumont, Jr., was born in Paterson on June 25, 1914 and graduated from Montclair Academy, Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He played minor league baseball for the former St. Louis
Browns and later moved to Phillipsburg in 1940 where he began practicing law. He served for six years as commandant of the New Jersey Military Academy at Sea Girt after having volunteered in World War II and enlisted and was later commissioned in the infantry and after 31 years of service he retired from the Army National Guard as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1974.

He first graced our State capitol in 1951 after being elected to represent Warren County as a State Senator and he was re-elected to the Senate for three successive terms in 1955, 1959 and 1963, during which time he served as Senate Majority Leader, Senate President and Acting Governor. After a two-year absence following an unsuccessful
gubernatorial bid he returned to the Senate in 1967 where he remained until his retirement in July 1990. He was responsible for sponsoring well over 500 bills during his legislative career including the State's first school aid bill and farmland preservation law.  He was respected and widely admired and well known for his independent thinking and courageous stands on issues is considered to be our State's first "full-time legislator," working tirelessly for the people of New Jersey on issues ranging from the Environment to Education.

On March, 19, 1992 by executive order, the Governor of New Jersey, Jim Florio ordered that "the flag of the United States of America and the flag of the State of New Jersey shall be flown at half mast at all State departments, offices, agencies and instrumentalities during appropriate hours beginning on Friday, March 20, 1992, through and including Sunday, March 22, 1992 in recognition and mourning of the passing of a distinguished legislator and leader, Wayne Dumont, Jr."
New Jersey Senator 1952-66 & 1968- , President 1956

Lodge: Delaware 52, Now Phillipsburg #52
Residence: Phillipsburg