Shiras, George, III (1859-1942)

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Member of (2)
Mentioned in (2)
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Republican Party

United States House of Representatives

Irving Fisher to Committee of One Hundred, May 8, 1907

Irving Fisher to American Association for the Advancement of Science, April 22, 1908

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Birth Date

1859-01-01

Death Date

1942-03-24

Birthplace

Allegheny, Pennsylvania

Biographical Text

George Shiras III attended Cornell University and studied law at Yale. In 1883 he was admitted to both the Pennsylvania and Connecticut bars, practicing law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From 1889 to 1890, Shiras served in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, and he was an independent Republican in the Fifty-eighth Congress. Shiras was interested in biological research and photography. In fact, some believe his time in Congress was only to promote wildlife legislation, such as what became the Migratory Bird Bill of 1913. Shiras was considered the "father of wildlife photography" by National Geographic, and the magazine published many of his award-winning photographs. In 1906 he was elected as an Associate Member of the conservationist organization, the Boone and Crockett Club. Shiras was also a member of the Public Lands Committee and helped establish the Olympic National Monument and Petrified Forest National Monument, as well as help, expand Yellowstone National Park. In 1911, Shiras became a member of National Geographic's Board of Managers.

Shiras married Frances White in 1885. They had two children together. Shiras died in 1942.