John H. Stelle (1891-1962), Democratic Governor of Illinois (1940-1941), was born on Aug. 10, 1891 at McLeansboro, Ill. After attending high school and Western Military Academy, Stelle played minor league baseball, married Wilma Wiesehardt (1913) and was admitted to the bar (1916). During WWI, Stelle attended the first officers training school at Ft. Sheridan and was the captain of a machine gun company in France. After the war, he attended the American Legion's organizing conference. He had a variety of business interests including owning a farm, a creamery, a coal company, brick and tile plants as well as dealing in oil and racing horses. Stelle helped organize and was President of the Cahokia Downs race track. Stelle, who was elected State Treasurer (1934-1936), was chosen as Henry Horner's Lt. Governor (1936). Despite Horner's lengthy illness, he refused to resign the Governship. Horner died in Oct. 1940 and Stelle served the remaining 99 days of Horner's term. Leaving elective office, Stelle remained active with the American Legion, including serving as National Commander (1946), and helping frame the G.I. Bill of Rights. This veteran group involvement led Stelle to cross party lines to support and campaign for Dwight Eisenhower throughout Illinois and Indiana. Stelle died of acute leukemia on July 7, 1962 at Barnes Hospital, St. Louis.
From the description of John Henry Stelle correspondence, 1940-1941. (Illinois State Archive). WorldCat record id: 35779322
