Charles Hall Dillon (December 18, 1853 – September 15, 1929) was a member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from South Dakota (1913–19). He later served on the

South Dakota Supreme Court The South Dakota Supreme Court is the highest court in the state of South Dakota. It is composed of a chief justice and four associate justices appointed by the governor. One justice is selected from each of five geographic appointment districts ...

. He was born near

Jasper, Indiana Jasper is a city in and the county seat of Dubois County, Indiana, United States, located along the Patoka River. The population was 16,703 at the 2020 census making it the 48th largest city in Indiana. On November 4, 2007, Dubois County returned ...

in 1853.

Early life and education

He attended the public schools, and received his undergraduate degree from

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, IUB, or Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana Univer ...

in 1854, with a graduate law degree two years later from

Indiana University Maurer School of Law The Indiana University Maurer School of Law is the law school of Indiana University Bloomington, a public research university in Bloomington, Indiana. Established in 1842, the school is named after alumnus Michael S. "Mickey" Maurer, an Indianapo ...

. He started his career as an attorney in Jasper, later moving to

Marion, Iowa Marion is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26,294 at the 2000 census and was 41,535 in 2020, an increase of 58%. The city is located next to Cedar Rapids and part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area ...

in 1881, to Mitchell,

Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of ...

, in 1882, and to

Yankton, South Dakota Yankton is a city in and the county seat of Yankton County, South Dakota, United States. It became a city in 1889. The population was 15,411 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in South Dakota, 7th most po ...

in 1884.

Political career

He was first elected to the

South Dakota Senate The South Dakota Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 35 members, one representing each legislative district. It meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. Composition :''99th Legislature (2025)' ...

in 1903, serving through 1911. He was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1900 and 1908. In 1913, he won election to the

, remaining in that capacity through 1918, when he lost the Republican primary for renomination to a fourth term. On April 5, 1917, he was one of 50 representatives who voted against declaring war on Germany. He returned to Yankton, moving in 1922 to

Vermillion, South Dakota Vermillion (; "The Place Where Vermilion is Obtained") is a city and the county seat of Clay County. It is in the southeastern corner of South Dakota, United States, and is the state's 12th-most populous city. According to the 2020 census, the ...

, after being made an associate justice of the

, where he remained until 1926.

Later career and death

He went on to seek election to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

, and retired from active political life in 1926.

Death and burial

He died in Vermillion, South Dakota in 1929, aged 75. He is buried in the Yankton Cemetery.

Personal life

He married the daughter of

Bartlett Tripp Bartlett Tripp (July 15, 1839 – December 8, 1911) was a diplomat, Chief Justice of the Dakota Territory Supreme Court, first professor of the University of South Dakota College of Law and first President of the South Dakota Bar Association. H ...

References

1853 births 1929 deaths 19th-century American lawyers People from Dubois County, Indiana Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from South Dakota Republican Party South Dakota state senators Justices of the South Dakota Supreme Court Dillon, Charles H. People from Vermillion, South Dakota South Dakota Republicans Indiana University Bloomington alumni Indiana University Maurer School of Law alumni 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 20th-century members of the South Dakota Legislature {{SouthDakota-state-judge-stub