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John Q. Tilson

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John Q. Tilson
House Majority Leader
In office
March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1931
Preceded byNicholas Longworth
Succeeded byHenry Thomas Rainey
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Connecticut's 3rd district
In office
March 4, 1915 – December 3, 1932
Preceded byThomas L. Reilly
Succeeded byFrancis T. Maloney
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Connecticut's at-large district
In office
March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1913
Preceded byGeorge L. Lilley
Succeeded bydistrict eliminated
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
In office
1904-1908
Personal details
Born
John Quillin Tilson

(1866-04-05)April 5, 1866
Clearbranch, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedAugust 14, 1958(1958-08-14) (aged 92)
New London, New Hampshire, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
RelativesWhitney Tilson (great-grandson)

John Quillin Tilson (April 5, 1866 – August 14, 1958) was an American politician. In 1898, he served as a major in the United States Volunteer Infantry in the Spanish–American War. A Republican, he represented Connecticut in the United States House of Representatives for almost 22 years, and was House Majority leader for 6 years.

Early life

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Tilson was born in Clearbranch, Unicoi County, Tennessee, on April 5, 1866, to William and Katherine (Sams) Tilson. His father had obtained a grant of 900 acres in the Clearbranch community.[1] He spent his early life on the family farm.[2]

He attended both public and private schools in nearby Flag Pond, and later at Mars Hill, North Carolina.[3] He went to college at Carson–Newman College, in Jefferson City, Tennessee, where he graduated in 1891. Later he enrolled at Yale Law School, where he graduated in 1893.[4] He was admitted to the bar in 1897, and started to practice law in New Haven, Connecticut.[3]

In 1898, when the Spanish–American War broke out, he enlisted and served as a major in the Sixth Regiment, United States Volunteer Infantry.[5][6]

Career

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In 1904, Tilson was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives, where he served until 1908, the last two years as speaker.[7]

He was later elected to United States House of Representatives, serving from 1909 to 1913; he ran unsuccessfully for reelection in 1912. Tilson ran for election again and was again reelected to the House of Representatives. He served from March 4, 1915, until his resignation on December 3, 1932.[3] He was the Majority Leader for the 69th Congress, 70th Congress, and the 71st Congress. He became a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1932.[3]

Speaking of the 1917 Balfour Declaration, he said: "I am in thorough accord with the official accord of Secretary Balfour, as endorsed by the countries of France and Italy, on the subject of the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and I shall gladly support a movement in that direction.... To whose care should it be more appropriately entrusted than the descendants of those who made such wonderful history there? Jewish history subsequent to the dispersion from Palestine makes it all the more certain that if restored to those who made its forebears earlier history glorious, it will be faithfully kept and sacredly guarded for the benefit of all mankind."[8]

Later life

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After his retirement from public life, Tilson returned to the practice of law in Washington D.C., and then in New Haven, Connecticut. He also served as a special lecturer at Yale University on parliamentary law and procedure, and wrote Tilson's Manual.[9]

American hedge fund manager and philanthropist Whitney Tilson is his great-grandson.[10]

Death

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Tilson died in New London, New Hampshire, on August 14, 1958. He is interred at the private burial grounds on the family farm in Clearbranch, Tennessee.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Greasy Cove in Unicoi County; Authentic Folklore, 1975.
  2. ^ The Conservative Advocate; A Book of Biographies of Connecticut's Successful Men, with Essays on Conservatism by Well Known Writers, 1909.
  3. ^ a b c d e "TILSON, John Quillin, 1866 – 1958, " bioguide.
  4. ^ Obituary Record of Graduates of Yale University... 1917.
  5. ^ "TILSON, John Quillin, (1866 - 1958)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  6. ^ History of the Ninth Regiment, Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, "The Irish Regiment," in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-65; The Record of a Gallant Command on the March, in Battle and in Bivouac, 1903.
  7. ^ "John Q. Tilson". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  8. ^ The American War Congress and Zionism; Statements by Members of the American War Congress on the Jewish National Movement, 1919.
  9. ^ "TILSON, John Quillin, (1866 - 1958): Guide to Research Collections". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  10. ^ "ENGAGEMENTS; Susan D. Blackman, Whitney R. Tilson," The New York Times, August 22, 1993.
[edit]
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Connecticut's at-large congressional district
March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1913 		Succeeded by
None, At-large seat eliminated
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Connecticut's 3rd congressional district
March 4, 1915 – December 3, 1932 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives
1925–1931 		Succeeded by
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