George Knox Shiel (c. 1825 – December 12, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as aDemocraticU.S. congressman fromOregon from 1861 to 1863.

Born on theisland of Ireland (the entirety of which was then part ofthe United Kingdom) in 1825, Shiel migrated to the United States and settled inNew Orleans. He moved toOhio where he was admitted to the bar and began a law practice. He moved toSalem, Oregon, in 1854 and continued his law practice. He was nominated for colonel ofMarion County at the 1856 Oregon Democratic Convention, and though it is unlikely he commanded any troops, he kept the title until his death.^[1]

In June 1860, Shiel was elected as aDemocraticUnited States Representative forOregon's at-large district. However, after the June election, theOregon House of Representatives passed a bill moving the date of U. S. Congress elections to November, effective immediately. TheOregon Senate passed a similar bill, but that bill did not apply to the current election. Though the bills were never reconciled or signed into law, another election was held nonetheless, and was won byAndrew J. Thayer. Thayer's election was certified and he took the seat in March 1861.^[2]

Shiel contested the election on the grounds that the Oregon constitution had set the election date and no law had been passed to change it. Thayer argued that the Oregon constitution referred only to Oregon's first congressional election in 1858, and that Shiel's election in June was invalid. Since Oregonians had a right to Congressional representation, and since the Oregon Legislature had the clear intent for a November election, Thayer argued his election was the only valid one.^[3][4]

On July 30, 1861, the House of Representatives'Committee on Elections, led byHenry L. Dawes ofMassachusetts, sided with Shiel, holding that the state constitution's June election date should be considered law, and that even if the Oregon Legislature had successfully changed it, it would have been unconstitutional.^[4]

An amendment byThaddeus Stevens ofPennsylvania to declare the seat vacant was defeated by a vote of 77–37. Stevens was concerned that the decision was in violation ofArticle I, Section 4 of the United States Constitution.^[5] The House stripped Thayer of his seat and Shiel was immediately sworn in.^[6]

Shiel's tenure in Congress was not particularly notable. Despite being considered a great orator,^[1] Oregon historian Ben Maxwell wrote that Shiel was "regarded as the most inconsequential congressman ever sent to Washington from Oregon."^[1] Shiel was known as a pro-slaverysecessionist, and was a bitter foe of PresidentAbraham Lincoln's.^[1]

After serving in Congress, Shiel returned to Oregon, where he had a checkered career. He was barred from practicing law for a time as he refused to take the required oath of allegiance.^[1] On the night of December 12, 1893, after socializing at the Willamette Hotel (later renamed the Marion Hotel) in Salem, he fell through a railing along the sidewalk into a 14-foot-deep (4.3 m) basement stairwell, breaking his neck and dying almost instantly. Reports vary as to whether Shiel, who had a reputation as a drinker, was drunk at the time.^[1]

Shiel is buried inSalem Pioneer Cemetery, though his name is misspelled as "Shields" on the tombstone.^[1]

• United States Congress."George K. Shiel (id: S000358)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• George K. Shiel atFind a Grave

• 1820s births
• 1893 deaths
• Accidental deaths in Oregon
• Accidental deaths from falls in the United States
• Irish emigrants to the United States
• Burials at Salem Pioneer Cemetery
• Politicians from Salem, Oregon
• Democratic Party United States representatives from Oregon
• 19th-century United States representatives

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from November 2020