Daniel Oren Hastings (March 5, 1874 – May 9, 1966) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party who served two terms as a U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Daniel O. Hastings
United States Senator
from Delaware
In office
December 10, 1928 – January 3, 1937
Preceded byT. Coleman du Pont
Succeeded byJames H. Hughes
Delaware Secretary of State
In office
1909
GovernorSimeon S. Pennewill
Preceded byJoseph L. Cahall
Succeeded byWilliam T. Smithers
Personal details
Born(1874-03-05)March 5, 1874
Princess Anne, Maryland, U.S.
DiedMay 9, 1966(1966-05-09) (aged 92)
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Residence(s)Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Alma materColumbian University
Professionlawyer

Early life and family

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Hastings was born in Somerset County, Maryland, near Princess Anne, Maryland. He studied law at Columbian University, now George Washington University, and was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1902. He lived and practiced law in Wilmington, Delaware.

Political career

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Hastings served as Deputy Attorney General of Delaware from 1904 until 1909, Secretary of State of Delaware from January 1909 to June 1909. He resigned to accept an appointment as Associate Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, and served there until his resignation in January 1911. He was Special Counsel for the Delaware General Assembly in 1911, City Solicitor of Wilmington from 1911 until 1917, and Judge of the Municipal Court of Wilmington from 1920 until 1929.

Hastings was appointed to the U. S. Senate upon the resignation of U.S. Senator T. Coleman du Pont, December 10, 1928 and served the remainder of his term. During this term, he served with the Republican majority in the 70th and 71st Congress. He was elected in his own right to a full term as U. S. Senator, in 1930, defeating Democrat Thomas F. Bayard, Jr., a former U. S. Senator.

During this term, he served with the Republican majority in the 72nd Congress, but was in the minority during the 73rd and 74th Congress. Hastings lost his bid for a second full term in 1936 to Democrat James H. Hughes, a lawyer from Dover, Delaware. In all he served from December 10, 1928, to January 2, 1937, during the administrations of U.S. Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt. He then returned to the practice of law in Wilmington.

Death and legacy

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Hastings died at Wilmington and is buried in the Lower Brandywine Cemetery, near Centerville, Delaware.

Almanac

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Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. U.S. Senators are popularly elected and took office March 4 for a six-year term.

Public Offices
Office Type Location Began office Ended office notes
Secretary of State Executive Dover January 1909 June 1909 Delaware
U.S. Senator Legislature Washington December 10, 1928 March 3, 1931
U.S. Senator Legislature Washington March 4, 1931 January 3, 1937
United States Congressional service
Dates Congress Chamber Majority President Committees Class/District
1927–1929 70th U.S. Senate Republican Calvin Coolidge class 2
1929–1931 71st U.S. Senate Republican Herbert Hoover class 2
1931–1933 72nd U.S. Senate Republican Herbert Hoover class 2
1933–1935 73rd U.S. Senate Democratic Franklin D. Roosevelt class 2
1935–1937 74th U.S. Senate Democratic Franklin D. Roosevelt class 2
Election results
Year Office Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
1930 U.S. Senator Daniel O. Hastings Republican 47,909 54% Thomas F. Bayard, Jr. Democratic 39,881 45%
1936 U.S. Senator Daniel O. Hastings Republican 52,469 41% James H. Hughes Democratic 67,136 53%

References

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  • Carter, Richard B. (2001). Clearing New Ground, The Life of John G. Townsend, Jr. Wilmington, Delaware: The Delaware Heritage Press. ISBN 0-924117-20-6.
  • Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
  • Hoffecker, Carol E. (2000). Honest John Williams. Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware Press.

Images

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Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Delaware
(Class 2)

1930, 1936
Succeeded by
Political offices
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Delaware
1928-1937
Served alongside: Thomas F. Bayard Jr., John G. Townsend Jr.
Succeeded by