Biography

12/16/1856 - 11/08/1908

Harry Gibson Stiles (D16) Lehigh County 1895-1902

Early Life:

Harry Gibson Stiles, born December 16, 1856, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania; son of John Dodson and Mary Amanda Gibons Stiles; 1826–1880 common school education; Allentown High School, 1874; attended Muhlenberg College, 1875-1876; Harvard Law School, 1877-1878; attorney; admitted, Lehigh County bar, 1879; now engaged practice law; nominated, presidential elector, 1884; district attorney, Lehigh County, 1890-1893; elected Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1895-1902; mayor, Allentown 1908; married, Annie Elizabeth Yheulon Stiles; died, November 8, 1908 (aged 51), apoplexy, in office, after 10 months as mayor, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania; interment, Fairview Cemetery, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Nominated, presidential elector, the youngest man at the time to be appointed to that position, 1884.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 16th district, Lehigh County; elected, majority of 367, being the only successful Democratic candidate on the entire county ticket, re-elected in 1898 by a majority of 1,658; 1895-1902; committee assignments, Appropriations, Congressional Apportionment, Corporations, Elections, Finance, Judiciary General, Law and Order, Mines and Mining, Public Supply of Light, Heat and Water, Railroads and Street Passenger Railways.

Elected, Democrat, 19th Mayor of Allentown, 1908.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members S". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1901). Cochran, T.B., (Editor) Miller, H.P. (Assistant Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 1181, 1187-1190, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 1158.

The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania) • November 9, 1908 • Page 5.

Harry Gibons Stiles (1856-1908) - Find a Grave Memorial