Charles C. Stockley
45thGovernor of Delaware
In office January 16, 1883 – January 18, 1887
Preceded by	John W. Hall
Succeeded by	Benjamin T. Biggs
Member of theDelaware Senate
In office January 6, 1873 – January 6, 1877
Personal details
Born	(1819-11-06)November 6, 1819 Georgetown, Delaware, U.S.
Died	April 20, 1901(1901-04-20) (aged 81) Georgetown, Delaware, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ellen Anderson
Signature

Charles Clark Stockley (November 6, 1819 – April 20, 1901) was an American politician from Georgetown inSussex County, Delaware. He was a member of theDemocratic Party, who served in theDelaware General Assembly and asGovernor of Delaware.

Stockley was born nearGeorgetown, Delaware, son of Jehu and Hannah Rodney Kollock Stockley. Returning from school in Philadelphia in 1839, he taught school for seven years and then opened a general store inMillsboro, Delaware. His primary occupation was farming the extensive real estate he owned. Eventually he became one of the major peach growers in eastern Sussex County. Stockley married Ellen Anderson in 1859, and they had one child, Hannah. They lived on Cedar Lane (State Rd 318) southeast of Georgetown, near the present-day airport, and were members ofSt. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Stockley served as Sussex County Treasurer before becoming Sussex County Sheriff in 1856. He was elected to the state senate in 1873, where he served until 1876 sessions. During the latter session, he held the position of Speaker.

He returned home and served as president of theBreakwater and Frankford Railroad, director of theJunction and Breakwater Railroad and as president of the Farmer's Bank ofGeorgetown, Delaware.^[1]

Nearly eight years later the Democrats recruited him as their candidate for governor. He campaigned against tariffs, in favor of expanding the state legislature and for educating the black children in the state, but in separate schools. After defeating Albert Curry ofGreenwood, the Republican candidate, he served as governor from January 16, 1883 until January 18, 1887.

The majority Democratic Party still described itself as, “the White Man's Party”, and still promoted thinking that could criticize African American voting rights, as an “insane policy of investing an ignorant and inferior race with the sacred rights of the ballot.” Nevertheless, now twenty years after theCivil War, the first stirrings of tolerance were heard. Stockley, on his retirement, noted that “Our colored citizens are improving their advantages by laudable efforts to acquire homes for themselves and education for their children. The prejudice against their enfranchisement is fast disappearing, and I trust will soon pass away forever."

Stockley died at his home and is buried in the St. Paul's Episcopal Churchyard at Georgetown.

The Stockely Center, a facility of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, is named in his honor because of his early advocacy of services for the "feebly-minded."

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State senators have a four-year term. The governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four-year term.

• Conrad, Henry C. (1908).History of the State of Delaware. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company.
• Martin, Roger A. (1984).A History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
• Martin, Roger A. (1995).Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, Delaware: Roger A. Martin.
• Scharf, John Thomas (1888).History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols. Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co.ISBN 0-87413-493-5.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)

• Hall of Governors Portrait GalleryPortrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover.

• Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States
• Delaware's Governors
• Charles C. Stockley atFind a Grave
• The Political Graveyard

• Delaware Historical Society;website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655–7161
• University of Delaware;Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831–2965

• 1819 births
• 1901 deaths
• Methodists from Delaware
• People from Georgetown, Delaware
• Farmers from Delaware
• Democratic Party Delaware state senators
• Democratic Party governors of Delaware
• Burials in Sussex County, Delaware
• Delaware sheriffs
• 19th-century members of the Delaware General Assembly

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from January 2021
• CS1 errors: ISBN date