Delcer Solomon Strickland (1888-1973)

From the Atlanta Constitution, March 12, 1933.

  For many years a leading citizen in Douglasville, Georgia, Delcer Solomon Strickland was a former city attorney and school board trustee who served two terms in the Georgia House of Representatives. Born in Draketown, Georgia on November 14, 1888, Delcer Solomon Strickland was the son of Solomon Wilson (1860-1939) and Mary Geneva (Patman) Strickland (1861-1940). A graduate of the Buchanan, Georgia high school in 1909, Strickland enrolled at the University of Georgia, where he earned his law degree in 1913. In the following February he established himself in practice in Douglasville, where he resided for the remainder of his life. 

  In December 1913 Delcer Strickland married Mary Kate Roberts (1890-1970) in Buchanan, Georgia. The couple's fifty-six-year marriage saw the births of five children, Jennie Lynn (1915-), Helen Dawn (1916-2015), Robert S. (1923-1997), Delcer Samuel (died in infancy in 1926), and Daniel Stephen (1931-1991). 

  Following his marriage, Strickland was elected as Douglasville city attorney, and beginning in 1925 sat as a member of the Douglasville high school board of trustees. In 1928 he was elected to the Fifth Congressional district's Democratic executive committee, and two years later announced his bid for a seat in the state legislature. He won the election in the fall of 1930, and during the 1931-33 session served on the committees on Education, General Judiciary No.2, the Georgia State Sanitarium, Insurance, and Uniform State Laws.

  

From the 1913 University of Georgia "Pandora" yearbook.

  Reelected in 1932, Strickland's second term saw him named to the several new committees, those being Amendments to the Constitution, No. 1; Education No. 2; Motor Vehicles; Public Highways No. 2; and Public Utilities. He would also chair the committee on General Judiciary, No. 2. In addition to those committees, Strickland also sat on the Sisk committee, a special body that "investigated alleged job selling in the department of agriculture." 

  One year after leaving the legislature Strickland announced his candidacy for the Georgia state senate. Hoping to represent the 29th district (comprising Douglas, Cherokee, and Cobb County), Strickland was opposed by another oddly named man, Alpha Alsbury Fowler. A former state representative himself, Fowler defeated Strickland that September, 1,110 votes to 828. Following his defeat Strickland resumed his law practice in Douglasville and was a leading club-man in Douglas County, being a Mason and a past potentate ambassador for the Yaarab Temple Shriners.

  Delcer Strickland returned to politics in the 1950s with his time as County Attorney for Douglas County. His full dates of service remain unknown, and in 1970 suffered the death of his wife of nearly sixty years, Mary. Following her death, he remarried to Alma Pritchard Cole (1904-1994), who survived him upon his death on April 7, 1973, at age 84. All three were interred at the Douglasville City Cemetery.

From the Atlanta Constitution, April 19, 1973.

Cortis Dow Stringer (1885-1973)

From the Albany Democrat-Herald, January 6, 1973.

  Another political figure that was without a face to place with his name for several years, the above portrait of Oregon state senator Cortis Dow Stringer was recently located via the archives of the Albany Democrat-Herald. A near lifelong Oregon resident, Stringer had previously been a candidate for Linn County Commissioner and in 1936 was an unsuccessful aspirant for Congress. Born in Lebanon, Oregon on March 20, 1885, Cortis Dow Stringer was the son of Ephraim and Lucinda (Beeler) Stringer.

   Little information exists on Stringer's formative years or early education. He and his family removed to Washington in 1902, and in the early 1900s, Stringer enrolled at the Oregon College of Education (now the Monmouth College). In 1905 he relocated back to Oregon and in 1915 graduated " the college preparatory course" from the Portland Y.M.C.A. Stringer married in Vancouver, Washington in 1915 to Zelda Titus (1893-1983), to who he was wed for nearly sixty years. The couple had two daughters, Mildred Eleanor (1920-1980) and Marjorie Elaine (1923-2010). 

  In the mid-1910s Stringer began reading law and in July 1917 was admitted to the Oregon bar. In 1919 he and his wife removed to the "Crowfoot district" near Lebanon, where he operated a farm. During his residency there he was active in the Crowfoot Grange (serving as its Master), the First United Presbyterian Church, the Eagles Lodge, and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.  

  In 1932 Cortis Stringer made his first move towards elective office, becoming a candidate for Linn County Commissioner. Running on the slogan of "Rigid Economy Will Lower Taxes and Leave More Money For Roads", Stringer won the Democratic primary in May but that November lost out at the polls. Not one to let a loss get the best of him, Stringer came out as a candidate for U.S. Postmaster at Lebanon in early 1933 but was ultimately passed over for that position. One year later Stringer announced his candidacy for the Oregon state senate, and in May won the Democratic primary, besting Samuel M. Garland. That November he opposed Republican incumbent C.E. Williamson, and on election day emerged the victor.

  Stringer took his seat in January 1935, and during his four year term served on the committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Public Lands. Early in his term Stinger authored legislation that asked "congress to provide for old age pensions", which passed the state senate without any dissenting votes. Despite its passage, the bill failed to be signed into law. Additional legislation backed by Stringer included a bill to dissolve the office of state budget director (and have its duties transferred to the state board of control), and an amendment to the constitution that provided for the election of a Lieutenant Governor.

  Just months after taking office Stringer and other members of the legislature were greeted by the news that the Oregon state capital building burned to the ground on April 25, 1935. This occurrence necessitated a special session of the legislature, where Stringer participated in talks about the construction of a new capital building. In February 1936 he announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon's 1st district. Running in favor of the adoption of an old page pension, opposition to the sales tax, and on the successes of President Roosevelt, Stringer stumped throughout his district during the primary, and in May 1936 was profiled in the Greater Oregon newspaper, which detailed that:

"He believes the democratic platform will be a constructive one, and proposes to stand for election on it and his senate record. He is %100 American, %100 percent for the people and %100 percent for President Roosevelt. His slogan is: ''My Record Proves I Vote For the Peoples Interest. Always."'

From the Beaverton Review, May 12, 1936.

  On election day in May Stringer was defeated by E.W. Kirkpatrick, a fellow legislator from Clackamas County. After pledging support to Kirkpatrick, Stringer watched the Democratic hopeful be trounced in the general election, losing to incumbent Republican James Mott, 114,073 votes to 59,788. After his loss Stringer returned to his senatorial duties, and in 1937 authored a bill that provided for the "establishing of grades and standards for dried prunes" sold in the state.

  In 1938 Stringer won the Democratic primary for renomination but failed to win a second term that November, losing out to Republican Joel C. Booth. In 1944 Stinger removed to the city of Lebanon where he was a real estate broker, retiring in 1962. He was returned to public office in 1960 with his election as municipal judge for Lebanon, but served just two years before health concerns compelled his retirement.  Cortis Dow Stringer died at the Lebanon Community Hospital on January 5, 1973, aged 87. He was survived by his wife and children and was interred at the IOOF Cemetery in Lebanon. 

From the Salem Capital Journal, Jan. 5, 1973.

Garvious Oresal Biles (1907-1973)

   The last profile for October takes us to Arizona and one of that state's more interestingly named public officials, Garvious Oresal Biles of Greenlee County. Biles served nearly two decades in the Arizona State House of Representatives from 1955 until 1971, and was also active in that state's mining industry, serving as a mine foreman for a number of years.

  Garvious Oresal Biles was born in Nolanville, Texas on March 18, 1907, the son of John Henry Biles (1861-1965, lived to age 103) and his second wife Linia Elizabeth Bryant. Nicknamed "Sonny", little could be found on Garvious's early life or education. He went on to marry Ms. Lillian Pinckney (1908-1994), with whom he had two children, Donald Kenneth and Jean Evelyn. The Arizona Memory Project (which gives a substantial overview of most of Arizona's past legislators) notes that Biles moved from Texas to Rosedale, New Mexico before finally settling in the Morenci, Arizona area around 1936.

   After establishing his roots in the Greenlee County area, Biles became a mine foreman for the Phelps Dodge Mining Corporation, a mining company headquartered in Phoenix. This company was in existence for over 170 years before finally being bought out in 2007. Biles was employed as a foreman at this organization for eighteen years, this according to his obituary in the Scottsdale Daily Progress. 

   Biles was elected to the Arizona State House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1954, officially taking his seat at the beginning of the following year. His service in the house extended for nearly two decades, and during that time Biles earned a reputation as one of Arizona's "most powerful legislators." During his lengthy term of service, Biles held a seat on numerous legislative committees, including the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, chairman of the Fish and Game Committee, chairman of the Advisory Committee on Indian Affairs, and vice chairman of the Tourist and Industry Development committee. 

  In addition to serving as a chairman or vice-chairman, Biles was named to numerous other House committees, including those on Labor, Livestock and Public Lands, Public Health, Education, Judiciary, Rules, Municipalities, Transportation, Ways and Means, Highway Fact Finding, and lastly, Commerce and Industry. 

   

                      Another picture of Garvious O. Biles, taken early in his tenure in the legislature.

  Biles continued to serve in the legislature until 1971 and declined to run for reelection in 1972 because of health concerns. In that year the Scottsdale Daily Progress noted that he underwent surgery for lung cancer, but continued to be a familiar face in the legislature in the months before his death, "acting as a lobbyist for the mines."

  Garvious Oresal Biles died at age 66 on May 24, 1973, at the Scottsdale Memorial Hospital. Shortly after his death he was interred at the Green Acres Memorial Park in Scottsdale and was survived by both his children as well as his wife Lillian, who died in 1994 at age 86 and was also interred at the Green Acres Memorial Park. 

                                              From the May 25, 1973 edition of the Scottsdale Daily Progress.