Representative Peter Davis Oakey

Peter Davis Oakey (February 25, 1861 – November 18, 1920), usually called P. Davis Oakey, was a businessman, municipal official, and Republican politician from Connecticut who served one term as a United States Representative from 1915 to 1917. Over the course of his career he was active in local government, state military service, and national legislative affairs, representing the interests of his constituents during a significant period in American history immediately preceding the nation’s entry into World War I.

Oakey was born in East Millstone, Somerset County, New Jersey, on February 25, 1861, the son of Sareh E. (Wilson) Oakey and John L. Oakey. His father was a successful farmer and merchant who was prominent in local politics and government, including service as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly. Raised in this environment of commercial enterprise and public engagement, Oakey attended the public schools and high school of nearby Millstone, receiving the basic education that prepared him for both business and public service.

After completing his schooling, Oakey entered the milling business with his father, gaining early experience in commerce and management. He later operated a farm his father owned in Maryland, further broadening his familiarity with agricultural and business operations. In 1886 he moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where he embarked on a varied business career. In Hartford he managed the Mapes Fertilizer Company and subsequently the Hartford Lavine Company, a soap manufacturer, positions that placed him in the center of the city’s commercial life. From 1891 to 1895 he worked as a reporter for the Hartford Courant, one of Connecticut’s leading newspapers, an experience that acquainted him with public affairs, local issues, and the workings of government.

Oakey’s involvement in municipal government began in the early 1890s. He served as a member of the Hartford city council from 1891 to 1894, participating in the administration of city affairs during a period of urban growth and modernization. He then served as a city alderman and collector of city taxes in 1894 and 1895, responsibilities that gave him direct oversight of local fiscal matters. From 1900 to 1915 he held the post of city assessor, a long tenure that reflected the confidence placed in his judgment and integrity in managing property assessments and municipal revenues. In addition to his civil roles, Oakey was a member of the Connecticut National Guard from 1895 to 1901, contributing to state military readiness. He was also active in Hartford’s civic and fraternal life, holding memberships in organizations including the Freemasons, Knights Templar, Shriners, Knights of Pythias, and the Ancient Society of Foresters. In 1911 he married Ada H. Chapin, the widow of William Henry Garde, further cementing his ties to the Hartford community.

Building on his record in local government and Republican Party activity, Oakey was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-fourth Congress, serving as a United States Representative from Connecticut from March 4, 1915, to March 3, 1917. His single term in the House of Representatives coincided with a pivotal era in American history, as the nation debated issues of neutrality, preparedness, and domestic reform on the eve of World War I. As a member of the House, Peter Davis Oakey participated in the legislative process, contributed to national policymaking, and represented the interests of his Connecticut constituents in the federal government. A member of the Republican Party, he took part in the democratic process during this significant period and added his voice to the deliberations of the national legislature. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1916 to the Sixty-fifth Congress, concluding his congressional service after one term in office.

Following his departure from Congress in 1917, Oakey returned to private life in Connecticut. Although no longer serving in national office, he remained identified with the Republican Party and with the civic and business circles in which he had long been active. His career reflected a progression from local business and journalism to municipal administration and finally to national legislative service, illustrating the path of a turn-of-the-century public servant who rose from local to federal office.

Peter Davis Oakey died in New Haven, Connecticut, on November 18, 1920. He was interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut. His life and career, spanning business, local government, state military service, and a term in the United States House of Representatives, left a record of public engagement characteristic of New England Republican officeholders of his era.