Born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1808, Stiles attended high school at the Hopkins School in New Haven, Connecticut. After graduating from Hopkins, Stiles studied law at Yale College, gained admittance to the state bar in 1831 and practiced law in Savannah. He served as the solicitor general for Georgia's eastern district from 1833 to 1836. In 1842, Stiles was elected as a Democratic Representative from Georgia to the 28th United States Congress and served one term from March 4, 1843, until March 3, 1845.
