Representative Calvin Willard Gilfillan

Calvin Willard Gilfillan (February 20, 1832 – December 2, 1901) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania who served one term in Congress from 1869 to 1871. He represented his Pennsylvania constituency during a significant period in American history, participating in the legislative process in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War and during Reconstruction.

Gilfillan was born near East Brook, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, on February 20, 1832. He was raised in western Pennsylvania and attended the common schools of the area. Pursuing higher education, he enrolled at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, from which he graduated. His early experiences in rural Pennsylvania and his formal education helped prepare him for a career in public service, particularly in the fields of education, law, and politics.

After completing his studies, Gilfillan first entered public life through educational administration. He served as superintendent of schools of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, for two terms, reflecting an early commitment to public education and local governance. He subsequently became involved in state government, serving as clerk of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1859. During this period, he studied law, and in 1859 he was admitted to the bar. He commenced the practice of law in Mercer, Pennsylvania, establishing himself professionally as an attorney.

Gilfillan’s legal career advanced rapidly in the early 1860s. In 1861 he was appointed prosecuting attorney for Venango County, Pennsylvania, and in 1862 he was elected to that office for a three-year term. His work as a prosecutor coincided with the Civil War era, a time of considerable political and social change in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation. Through these roles, he gained experience in public administration and legal affairs that would later inform his service in the national legislature.

In national politics, Gilfillan was elected as a Republican to the Forty-first Congress and served as a Representative from Pennsylvania in the United States Congress from March 4, 1869, to March 3, 1871. As a member of the House of Representatives, he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents during Reconstruction, contributing to the legislative work of that Congress. A member of the Republican Party, he served one term and was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1870, thus concluding his congressional service after a single term in office.

Following his departure from Congress, Gilfillan returned to private life and resumed the practice of law, which he continued until 1873. He then shifted his professional focus and became engaged in banking, reflecting a transition from legal and political work to business and finance. He remained active in Republican Party affairs and served as a delegate to the 1872 Republican National Convention, maintaining a role in shaping party policy and leadership at the national level even after leaving elective office.

Calvin Willard Gilfillan spent his later years in Franklin, Pennsylvania, where he continued his professional and civic activities. He died in Franklin on December 2, 1901. He was interred in Franklin Cemetery, closing a career that spanned education, law, state and national public service, and business in western Pennsylvania.