William Grady Stigler (July 7, 1891 – August 21, 1952) was an American lawyer, World War I veteran, and politician who served four terms as and a U.S. representative from Oklahoma from 1944 to 1952.
Biography
Stigler was a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and is listed as three-eights Choctaw on the Dawes Rolls He was born the son of Joseph S. and Mary Jane Folsom Stigler in Stigler, Haskell County, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). He attended the public schools, and graduated from Northeastern State College, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, in 1912. He also attended the law school of the University of Oklahoma at Norman.
Career
During World War I, he served as a Second Lieutenant in the 357th Infantry Regiment of the 90th Division in 1918 and 1919, with overseas service. He attended the University of Grenoble in France during 1919.
Admitted to the Oklahoma Bar Association in 1920, Stigler commenced practice in Stigler, Oklahoma. He was city attorney of Stigler from 1920 to 1924. He served in the Oklahoma State Senate 1924 to 1932, serving as president pro tempore in 1931. He also served as Lieutenant Colonel in the 45th Division of the Oklahoma National Guard 1925-1938.
Family
On June 7, 1925, he married Ona Beller. The couple had two daughters, Denyse and Elaine.
Congress
Stigler was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-eighth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Jack Nichols. He was reelected to the Seventy-ninth and to the three succeeding Congresses and served from March 28, 1944, until his death.
He was the only Choctaw elected to the U.S. Congress until the 2022 election of Republican Josh Brecheen.
Death
Stigler died in Stigler, Haskell County, Okla., August 21, 1952 (age 61 years, 45 days). He is interred at Stigler Cemetery, Stigler, Oklahoma.
