John V. Creely | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 2nd district | |
| In office March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 | |
| Preceded by | Charles O'Neill |
| Succeeded by | Charles O'Neill |
| Member of the Philadelphia Common Council from Ward 7 | |
| In office October 9, 1867 – October 12, 1870 Serving with John Bardsley | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Little |
| Succeeded by | William Grier, William Divine |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | John Vauclain Creely |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Born | November 14, 1839 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Disappeared | August 31, 1872 (aged 32) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Status | Declared dead in absentia on September 28, 1900 |
| Political party | Republican Independent Republican Liberal Republican |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States Pennsylvania |
| Service | Pennsylvania Militia |
| Years of service | 1861–1872 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Keystone Battery, Pennsylvania Light Artillery Regiment |
| Battles / wars | American Civil War |
John Vauclain Creely[a] (November 14, 1839 – disappeared August 1872, pronounced dead September 28, 1900) was an American attorney and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A Republican, he was most notable for his service as a member of the Philadelphia Common Council from 1867 to 1870 and a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1871 to 1873. Creely disappeared in late 1872; subsequent attempts to locate him failed, and in 1900 he was declared legally dead.
A native of Philadelphia, Creely graduated from Central High School in 1858, studied law, attained admission to the bar in 1862, and practiced in Philadelphia. A supporter of the Union, Creely joined the Pennsylvania Militia for the American Civil War and advanced through the ranks to command the Pennsylvania Light Artillery Regiment's Keystone Battery as a captain, a position he held until his disappearance in 1872.
Creely was active in politics as a Republican, and served on the Philadelphia Common Council from 1867 to 1870. In 1870, he took advantage of a split between incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Charles O'Neill and Philadelphia's Republican Party leaders to run as an Independent Republican; he defeated O'Neill and served one term, 1871 to 1873. During most of his Congressional term, Creely claimed an extended illness prevented him from consistently performing his duties. After O'Neill reconciled with the Republican leadership in Philadelphia and planned to run for Congress in 1872, Creely announced his intention to run for reelection as a Liberal Republican.
In August 1872, Creely disappeared from Washington, D.C. Subsequent investigation revealed him to be in serious debt, and he was accused of theft and fraud. Attempts to locate him throughout the 1870s and 1880s proved unsuccessful. After his mother's 1897 death, Creely's surviving sister petitioned to have him declared legally dead, which was done in 1900. He was not married and had no children, so his sister inherited his estate, which consisted mostly of congressional pay he had never claimed.
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