Counties Ashland, Huron, Knox, Lorain, Morrow and Richland.

WILLIAM WOODBURN SKILES, Congressman Fourteenth District, was born at Stoughtstown, Cumberland County, Pa., December 11, 1849. His parents came to Richland County, Ohio, in 1854, since which time he has resided in Shelby and vicinity.

His early education was obtained in the District Schools, and he afterwards took full college course. at Baldwin University, Berea, Ohio. He and his brother, George M. Skiles, were graduated from the above institution in 1876 and began the study of law with the firm of Matson, Dirlam & Lehman, of Mansfield. They were admitted to the bar July 24, 1878, and immediately opened office at Shelby, where they have practiced law under the firm name of Skiles & Skiles since that time.

Previous to his election to represent his district in Congress in 1900 Mr. Skiles had never held any political office other than being President of the Shelby School Board for the last eighteen years. He is prominently connected with financial and manufacturing institutions in Shelby, but has devoted his time entirely to his law practice. Though not holding any political office he has for years been active in state politics, at one time serving as a member of the Republican State Central Committee.

Mr. Skiles was married October 3, 1878, to Miss E. Dora Matson, of Shelby, and a son and daughter are the issue of this marriage.

FIFTEENTH DISTRICT.

Counties Guernsey, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble and Washington.

HENRY CLAY VAN VOORHIS, Republican, of Zanesville, was born in Licking Township, Muskingum County, Ohio, May 11, 1852; was educated in the Public Schools and at Dennison University; was admitted to the bar in 1874; was chairman of the Republican County Committee from 1879 to 1884; was a delegate to the Republican National Convention at Chicago in 1884; was elected to the Fifty-third, Fifty-fourth, Fifty-fifth, Fifty-sixth Congresses, and re-elected to the Fifty-seventh Congress.

Years. Congress.

SIXTEENTH DISTRICT.

Counties-Belmont, Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson and Monroe.

JOSEPH J. GILL,

STEUBENVILLE, OHIO.

JOSEPH J. GILL, Republican, of Steubenville, was born September 21, 1846, at Barnesville, Ohio; was the eldest child of Samuel and Deborah Gill; shortly afterward his parents returned to Mount Pleasant, in Jefferson County, Ohio, where his people were among the earliest of the pioneer Quaker settlers at that place from Virginia, and were engaged very extensively in milling, banking and mercantile pursuits.

Here he received an academic education; later studied law and graduated from the Law School of the University of Michigan, and was admitted to the Jefferson County bar in 1868; organized a private bank in Steubenville in 1873, later converting it into the National Exchange Bank and becoming its cashier; engaged in glass manufacturing in 1874, beginning the business of the present firm of Gill Brothers & Company, owners of the largest factory of the world, exclusively producing lamp chimneys; inventor of the Gill glass furnace; one of the proprietors of the Ohio Valley Clay Company at Steubenville, making clay pots and furnace blocks; in 1889 became managing director of a large mining corporation in Michigan, associated with and succeeding ex-Secretary of the Treasury William Windom, Senator Dorsey and others; is a strong Republican, having taken an active interest in party affairs since 1872; was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1896 which nominated William McKinley for President; after the death of Lorenzo Danford, in June, 1899. he was nominated for Congress to fill the unexpired term and was unanimously endorsed by all the labor organizations of his county; was elected to the Fifty-sixth Congress, receiving a plurality of 4,066 over his Democratic opponent, and was reelected to the Fifty-seventh Congress, receiving a majority of 4,912; is the owner of the Steubenville Herald, established in June, 1806, being the oldest newspaper in the state.