John H. Stelle
| John Henry Stelle | |
|---|---|
| National Commander of The American Legion |
|
|
In office 1945 – 1946 |
|
| Preceded by | Edward N. Scheiberling |
| Succeeded by | Paul H. Griffith |
| 29th Governor of Illinois | |
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In office October 6, 1940 – January 13, 1941 |
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| Preceded by | Henry Horner |
| Succeeded by | Dwight H. Green |
| 34th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois | |
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In office January 4, 1937 – October 6, 1940 |
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| Governor | Henry Horner |
| Preceded by | Thomas Donovan |
| Succeeded by | Hugh W. Cross |
| Treasurer of Illinois | |
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In office 1935 – 1937 |
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| Preceded by | John C. Martin |
| Succeeded by | John C. Martin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 10, 1891 McLeansboro, Illinois |
| Died | July 5, 1962 (aged 70) Springfield, Illinois |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater |
Western Military Academy Washington University in St. Louis |
| Profession | Politician, lawyer |
John Henry Stelle (August 10, 1891 – July 5, 1962) was an American politician who served as the National Commander of The American Legion from 1945 to 1946. He previously served as the 29th Governor of Illinois (1940-41), the 34th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois (1937-40), and the Treasurer of Illinois (1935-37).
Born in McLeansboro, Illinois, Stelle attended Western Military Academy, and he earned a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1916. Stelle was a lifelong Democrat who served in World War I in the U.S. Army. He was a delegate to most of the Democratic National Conventions from 1928 to 1960. Stelle's first statewide office was as Treasurer, from 1935–1937. From there, he moved into the spot of lieutenant governor in 1937, keeping that job until Horner's death almost four years later. As Horner's three-month successor, Stelle served the second-shortest period in office in Illinois gubernatorial history.
The new governor, upon moving his family into the governor's mansion, placed an order for thirty-five cases of beer, then directed the rooms housing the Lincoln library, be redecorated. Many nights during Stelle's ninety-nine-day tenure, the mansion was "lit up like a Christmas tree", as thirty to forty guests were often entertained at one time, a number of them friends from Southern Illinois and Springfield. It will be noted, this specific extravagance, involved no overspending, as the entertainment budget had scarcely been touched during Horner's long illness. As well, Stelle was up early every morning as habit, choosing to partake of breakfast in the company of the servants.
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