Harry G. Haskell Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harry G. Haskell Jr.
Mayor of Wilmington, Delaware
In office January 7, 1969 – January 9, 1973
Preceded by	John E. Babiarz Sr.
Succeeded by	Thomas C. Maloney
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware's At-large district
In office January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1959
Preceded by	Harris B. McDowell Jr.
Succeeded by	Harris B. McDowell Jr.
Personal details
Born	Harry Garner Haskell Jr. (1921-05-27)May 27, 1921 Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Died	January 16, 2020(2020-01-16) (aged 98) Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Mary "Mimi" Carey (née Foster) Haskell ​ ​ (m. 1947; her death 2008)​
Domestic partner	Ruth du Pont Lord (2009-2014; her death)
Residences	Wilmington, Delaware Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
Alma mater	Princeton University
Occupation	Businessman
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	United States Coast Guard
Years of service	1943 – 1946
Rank	Lieutenant
Battles/wars	World War II

Harry Garner Haskell Jr. (May 27, 1921 – January 16, 2020) was an American businessman and Republican politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He served as mayor of Wilmington from 1969 to 1973 and represented Delaware in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1957 to 1959.

Early life

Haskell was born in Wilmington, the son of Elizabeth (Denham) and Harry Garner Haskelll, a DuPont executive. He was educated at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, and St. Mark's School, Southborough, Massachusetts. He attended Princeton University from 1940 until 1942 when he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard Reserve. He was made an ensign in 1943 and was discharged as a lieutenant (junior grade) in 1946.

Career

Haskell was the personnel manager of Speakman Co. in 1947 and 1948, and president of Greenhill Dairies, Inc., from 1948 until 1953, and then owner and operator of Hill Girt Farm in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. He was secretary of the Departmental Council of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1953 and 1954, consultant to the special assistant to U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1955, and president of the University of Delaware Research Foundation.

Haskell was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions from 1952 until 1984 and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1956, defeating incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative Harris McDowell. Haskell voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. He served in the Republican minority in the 85th Congress but lost his bid for a second term in 1958 to McDowell. Haskell served from January 3, 1957, until January 3, 1959, during the administration of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was elected mayor of Wilmington, Delaware, in 1969, serving one term until 1973.

In 1970, he was appointed a member of the President's National Reading Council and was president of Abercrombie and Fitch. He also worked with Computer International, Computer Time Sharing, Inertial Motors Corps, and Interpoint Corp.

Advocacy

He was a founding member of the Brandywine River Museum and Conservancy in Chadds Ford and served on the board for over fifty years. He was also instrumental in creating two empowerment and mentor groups, in Worcester, Massachusetts and Wilmington Delaware; Dynamy and Delaware Futures, respectively.

Personal life

On January 16, 2020, Haskell died in his home in Chadds Ford. He was 98 years old. At the time of his death he had eight children, nineteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

Electoral history