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Hal Haskell | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Haskell in 1957 | |
| 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 theU.S. House of Representatives fromDelaware'sat-large district | |
| In office January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1959 | |
| Preceded by | Harris McDowell |
| Succeeded by | Harris McDowell |
| 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) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Domestic partner | Ruth du Pont Lord (2009–2014; her death) |
| Residence(s) | Wilmington, Delaware Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania |
| Alma mater | Princeton University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Coast Guard |
| Years of service | 1943–1946 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Harry Garner "Hal" Haskell Jr. (May 27, 1921 – January 16, 2020) was an American businessman and Republican politician fromDelaware who served as a member of theUnited States House of Representatives from 1957 to 1959 and asmayor of Wilmington, Delaware from 1969 to 1973. He was a member of theRepublican Party.
Haskell was born inWilmington, Delaware, the son of Elizabeth (Denham) and Harry Garner Haskell, aDuPont executive.[1] He was educated atTower Hill School in Wilmington, andSt. Mark's School inSouthborough, Massachusetts. He attendedPrinceton University from 1940 until 1942 when he enlisted in theUnited States Coast Guard Reserve.[2] He was made an ensign in 1943 and was discharged as alieutenant (junior grade) in 1946.
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 inChadds Ford, Pennsylvania. He was secretary of the Departmental Council of theUnited States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1953 and 1954, consultant to the special assistant to U.S. PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower in 1955,[2] 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. RepresentativeHarris McDowell. Haskell voted in favor of theCivil Rights Act of 1957.[3] 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, the most recent Republican to serve as mayor of Wilmington.
In 1970, he was appointed a member of the President's National Reading Council and was president ofAbercrombie and Fitch. He also worked with Computer International, Computer Time Sharing, Inertial Motors Corps, and Interpoint Corp.[4]
He was a founding member of theBrandywine River Museum and Conservancy inChadds 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.[2]
On January 16, 2020, Haskell died in his home in Chadds Ford, age 98.[5] At the time of his death he had eight children, nineteen grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.[2]
| Election results | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Subject | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | ||
| 1956 | U.S. Representative | Hal Haskell | Republican | 91,538 | 52% | Harris McDowell | Democratic | 84,644 | 48% | ||
| 1958 | U.S. Representative | Hal Haskell | Republican | 76,099 | 50% | Harris McDowell | Democratic | 76,797 | 50% | ||
| 1968 | Mayor of Wilmington | Hal Haskell | Republican | John E. Babiarz | Democratic | ||||||
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromDelaware's at-large congressional district January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1959 | Succeeded by |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by | Most Senior Living U.S. Representative Sitting or Former 2019–2020 Served alongside:William Broomfield (2019),Merwin Coad | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
