George Washington Fithian (July 4, 1854 – January 21, 1921) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the 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 Article One of th ...

from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. Born near Willow Hill, Illinois to Glover Fithian (1818–1861) and Mary Ann Catt, Fithian attended the common schools. Learned the printer's trade in

Mount Carmel, Illinois Mount Carmel is a city in and the county seat of Wabash County, Illinois, United States. At the time of the 2020 census, the population was 7,015, and it is the largest city in the county. The next largest town in Wabash County is Allendale, ...

. He studied law. He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1875 and commenced practice in

Newton, Illinois Newton is a city in and the county seat of Jasper County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,777 at the 2020 census. Newton is home to a large coal-fired power plant operated by ''Illinois Power Generating Co'' and is close to Newto ...

. He served as prosecuting attorney of Jasper County 1876-1884. Fithian was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

to the Fifty-first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-third Congresses (March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1895). He served as chairman of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries (Fifty-third Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1894 to the Fifty-fourth Congress. Railroad and warehouse commissioner of Illinois 1895-1897. He resumed the practice of law and engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock raising in

. He was also the owner of an extensive cotton plantation near Falcon, Mississippi. He died in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

, January 21, 1921. He was interred in Riverside Cemetery,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fithian, George Washington 1854 births 1921 deaths Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois 19th-century American lawyers 20th-century American lawyers Illinois lawyers People from Jasper County, Illinois People from Newton, Illinois 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives