George K. Shiel

George Knox Shiel (* 1825 in Ireland; † December 12, 1893 in Salem, Oregon ) was an American politician. Between 1861 and 1863 he represented the state of Oregon in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Early years

After his immigration to the United States, George Shiel settled in New Orleans in the state of Louisiana. He later moved to Ohio, where he studied law and practiced even after his admission to the bar. In 1854 he moved to Salem, Oregon Territory. There he worked as a lawyer.

George Shiel was a member of the Democratic Party. In June 1860 he was elected a deputy in Oregon for the starting March 4, 1861 term of the U.S. House of Representatives. Later in the year, all election dates have been moved immediately to November in Oregon. It was not regulated by law, what should happen to the already held congressional elections in June. Anyway, found in November instead of re Congress elections that were won by Andrew J. Thayer. Now the state of Oregon had two elected members, but only one seat in the House of Representatives. Thayer took a seat on March 4, 1861, and Shiel appealed against this procedure. On July 30, 1861, the Election Committee of the Congress decided that George was the lawfully determined Shiel candidate from Oregon. This came from his position immediately and could not until March 3, 1863 exercise. In 1862 he declined to run again. He was regarded as a supporter of slavery and was a staunch opponent of President Abraham Lincoln.

Further CV

After his return to Oregon, he worked again as a lawyer. For some time his license was revoked, however, because he refused to take the oath to the United States. He died on December 12, 1893 due to an accident when he crashed through a railing of a sidewalk in a stairwell and thereby broke his neck.