Jonathan S. Willis

Jonathan S. Willis

Jonathan Spencer Willis (born April 5, 1830 in Oxford , Talbot County , Maryland , †  November 24, 1903 in Milford , Delaware ) was an American politician . Between 1895 and 1897 he represented the state of Delaware in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Jonathan Willis attended public schools in his home district and at times also enjoyed private education. After finishing school, he worked as a teacher for seven years before becoming a clergyman with the Methodist Episcopal Church . In this capacity he worked in the states of Maryland and Delaware until 1884, but also in Philadelphia , New York City and Stamford ( Connecticut ).

After giving up the ministry in 1884, Willis ran a farm near Milford, where he also grew fruit. Politically, he was a member of the Republican Party . In the congressional elections of 1892 he was defeated by the Democrat John W. Causey with 49% to 51% of the vote . Two years later, he won against Samuel Bancroft with 51% of the vote. So he was able to move into the US Congress on March 4, 1895 . Since Willis was clearly defeated by the Democrat L. Irving Handy with 32% against 44% of the vote in the next elections , he completed only one legislative period in Congress until March 3, 1897.

After his time in the House of Representatives ended, Jonathan Willis withdrew from politics. He returned to his agricultural activities and died in Milford in November 1903. He was married to Edith Willis (1855-1914).

Web links

• Jonathan S. Willis in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Jonathan S. Willis in the database of Find a Grave (English)