John V. Creely facts for kids

John Vauclain Creely (born November 14, 1839; disappeared August 1872) was an American lawyer and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Republican Party.

Creely was known for serving on the Philadelphia Common Council from 1867 to 1870. He also served in the United States House of Representatives from 1871 to 1873. John Creely disappeared in late 1872. People tried to find him, but they never could. In 1900, he was officially declared legally dead.

Early Life and Education

John Creely was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 14, 1839. His parents were John S. Creely and Elmida (Vauclain) Creely. He went to school in Philadelphia.

He graduated from Central High School in 1858. After high school, he studied law with attorney Charles E. Lex. He became a lawyer in 1862 and started his own practice in Philadelphia.

Military Service

In April 1861, Creely joined the Pennsylvania Militia. This was at the start of the American Civil War. He was part of the Keystone Battery, Pennsylvania Light Artillery Regiment.

He served throughout the war. He became a first sergeant and then a first lieutenant in 1862. Later, he was promoted to captain. He commanded the Keystone Battery. Creely stayed in the state militia until his commission ended in October 1872, after he disappeared.

Political Career

Creely was active in politics as a Republican. He was part of the Union Republican City Executive Committee. He also enjoyed boating and helped start the Grimes Yacht Club in Philadelphia in 1872. A schooner yacht was even named after him, the John V. Creely. This yacht carried goods and took part in races.

Philadelphia City Council

Creely was a member of the Philadelphia Common Council from 1867 to 1870. As a council member, he worked on important committees. These included committees for Law and Defense. He also helped oversee Girard College.

In 1869, Creely was the president of a Republican meeting. This meeting chose a candidate for recorder of deeds. He also helped investigate a robbery at the city's tax office.

Serving in Congress

In 1870, Creely was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He ran as an Independent Republican. He won because there was a disagreement between the current Republican Representative, Charles O'Neill, and Philadelphia's Republican leaders.

Creely served in the 42nd United States Congress from March 4, 1871, to March 3, 1873. However, he was often absent from his duties. He only appeared once in the Congressional Globe Index. This book recorded what happened in Congress.

In March 1871, he signed a letter to President Ulysses S. Grant. The letter suggested John Weiss Forney for a job at the Port of Philadelphia. Forney later got the job. Creely voted on some issues, like taxes on imported coal. He also voted on a measure about former Confederates.

During his time in the House, Creely was on the Committee on Indian Affairs. But he was not recorded as taking part in their meetings. His low attendance might have been due to a long illness. Newspapers reported in September 1871 that he had typhoid fever. He was very sick but started to get better in late 1871. Creely did not receive his pay, which was held by the House Sergeant at Arms.

In the summer of 1872, Creely planned to run for reelection. He wanted to run as a member of the Liberal Republican Party. This was because Charles O'Neill was planning to run again for the Republicans.

Disappearance

In July 1872, Creely left Philadelphia for Washington, D.C. He went there for legal work and to get ready for Congress to start again. Washington newspapers reported he was staying at the Ebbitt House Hotel. In August, he wrote to his sister and mother from Washington. He told them he was going to take a ship to New Orleans. After that, no one heard from him again. His family tried to find him, but they couldn't.

Later, it was found that Creely had serious money problems. He was accused of misusing a client's stock certificates. He was also accused of other financial wrongdoings. These problems might have been why he disappeared. After he disappeared, people he owed money to tried to get his Congressional pay. But the money was still held by the Sergeant at Arms.

Investigators found his suitcases and other things still in his hotel room. This made it seem unlikely he had sailed to New Orleans. Despite this, his mother and sister searched for him in New Orleans and other major U.S. cities. They even looked in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. But they never found any trace of him. News reports from 1872 said Creely owed more than $20,000.

Declared Legally Dead

Creely's mother passed away in 1897. After that, his sister, Adelaide Creely, told the courts that they had tried very hard to find him. She asked for him to be declared legally dead. On September 28, 1900, a court in Philadelphia made this declaration. Since he had no wife or children, his sister received his belongings. This mostly included the Congressional pay he had never claimed.

In 1927, a committee in Congress was updating a book about members of Congress. A clerk tried to find out more about what happened to Creely. The clerk wrote to people who served with him in the Civil War. One person replied, saying Creely was "a splendid soldier" and that he "disappeared utterly" after going to Washington.

See also

• List of people who disappeared