Earle Dukes Willey (July 21, 1889 – March 17, 1950) was an American lawyer and politician from

Dover Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...

, in

Kent County, Delaware Kent County is a County (United States), county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 181,851, making it the least populous county in Delaware. The county ...

. He was a member of the Republican Party, and served as U.S. Representative from Delaware.

Early life and family

Willey was born in

Greenwood, Delaware Greenwood is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 973 at the 2010 census, an increase of 16.2% over the previous decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The ...

. He attended the public schools and was graduated from

Dickinson College Dickinson College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1773 as Carlisle Grammar School, Dickinson was chartered on September 9, 1783, ...

Carlisle, Pennsylvania Carlisle is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2020 United States census ...

, in 1911. He also attended the

George Washington University Law School The George Washington University Law School (GW Law) is the law school of George Washington University, a Private university, private research university in Washington, D.C. Established in 1865, GW Law is the oldest law school in Washington, D. ...

in Washington, D.C., and was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1920.

Professional and political career

Beginning as the principal of Greenwood High School from 1911 until 1915; Willey became secretary to U.S. Representative Thomas W. Miller in Washington, D.C., from 1915 until 1917 and state librarian from 1917 until 1921. Having been admitted to the bar, he was appointed deputy attorney general and prosecuting attorney for Kent County from 1921 until 1931, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Kent County from 1931 until 1939, and Judge of the juvenile court of Kent and

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

counties from 1933 until 1939. Willey was Secretary of State from 1941 until 1943 and served as a trustee of the

University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially known as UD, UDel, or Delaware) is a Statutory college#Delaware, privately governed, state-assisted Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Newark, Delaware, United States. UD offers f ...

, of the Elizabeth W. Murphy School for Orphan Children, and of the State College for Colored Students. Willey was an unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Delaware in 1940, being defeated by Democrat Isaac J. MacCollum. Two years later, in 1942, Willey was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating incumbent Democratic Representative

Philip A. Traynor Philip Andrew Traynor (May 31, 1874 – December 5, 1962) was an American dentist and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party and served two terms as U.S. Representative from Delawa ...

. He served in the Republican minority in the 78th Congress, and lost his bid for a second term in 1944 to his predecessor, Philip A. Traynor. Willey served from January 3, 1943, until January 3, 1945, during the administration of U.S. President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

. Following his term, he resumed the practice of law in Dover.

Death and legacy

Willey died at

Dover, Delaware Dover ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and the List of municipalities in Delaware, second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, Delaware, Kent County and the princ ...

, and is buried in the St. Johnstown Cemetery, near

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. U.S. Representatives take office January 3 and have a two-year term.

References

External links

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
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Places with more information

Delaware Historical Society The Delaware Historical Society began in 1864 as an effort to preserve documents from the Civil War. Since then, it has expanded into a statewide historical institution with several buildings, including Old Town Hall and the Delaware History M ...

website
505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161. *

Library website
181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965.
Newark Free Library
750 Library Ave., Newark, Delaware (302) 731-7550. {{DEFAULTSORT:Willey, Earle D. 1889 births 1950 deaths George Washington University Law School alumni People from Dover, Delaware Dickinson College alumni Delaware lawyers Burials in Sussex County, Delaware Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware People from Greenwood, Delaware 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives