Richard Henry Whiteley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 2nd district
In office
December 22, 1870 – March 3, 1875
Preceded byNelson Tift
Succeeded byWilliam Ephraim Smith
Personal details
Born(1830-12-22)December 22, 1830
County Kildare, Ireland
DiedSeptember 26, 1890(1890-09-26) (aged 59)
Boulder, Colorado
Resting placeColumbia Cemetery,
Boulder, Colorado
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Margarette Devine
Mary Strickland
OccupationAttorney
Military service
Allegiance Confederate States
Branch/service Confederate States Army
Rank Major
Unit 5th Georgia Infantry, 2nd Georgia Sharpshooter Battalion
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Richard Henry Whiteley (December 22, 1830 – September 26, 1890) was a U.S. representative and U.S. senator-elect from Georgia.[1] He is the only Republican to ever hold the 2nd congressional district from Georgia.

Biography

Born in County Kildare, Ireland, Whiteley immigrated to the United States in 1836 with his parents, who settled in Georgia. He received private instruction in elementary education. He engaged in manufacturing. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1860, commencing practice in Bainbridge, Georgia.[1]

Whiteley opposed secession, but after the adoption of the ordinance entered the Confederate States Army and fought throughout the Civil War. He served in the 5th Georgia Infantry and 2nd Georgia Sharpshooter Battalion, attaining the rank of major.[2] He served as member of the State constitutional convention in 1867.[1]

He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1866 to the Fortieth Congress, then presented credentials as a senator-elect to the United States Senate on July 15, 1870, to fill the vacancy in the term beginning March 4, 1865, but as the election took place prior to the readmission of Georgia into the Union was not admitted to a seat.[1]

Whiteley was elected as a Republican to the Forty-first Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the House declaring Nelson Tift not entitled to the seat. He was reelected to the Forty-second and Forty-third Congresses and served from December 22, 1870, to March 3, 1875. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Forty-fourth Congress and for election to the Forty-fifth Congress.

Following his time in Congress, he moved to Boulder, Colorado, in 1877 and resumed the practice of his profession. He died in Boulder on September 26, 1890, and was interred in the Masonic Cemetery.[1]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Whiteley, Richard Henry". United States Congress. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  2. ↑ "Whiteley , Richard H". National Park Service. Retrieved 21 December 2017.

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

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