Joseph Emile Harley (September 14, 1880 – February 27, 1942) was the 100th governor of South Carolina from 1941 to 1942 and a member of the "Barnwell Ring."

[1] Harley served as a colonel in the South Carolina National Guard and as sergeant of Company L, 1st SC Volunteers in the Spanish–American War.

He also worked as a lawyer, where he fought on behalf of three major railway companies including: the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, Southern Railway, as well as the Seaboard Airline Railroad.

[1] Harley also served as the mayor of Barnwell, South Carolina for ten years from 1912-1922.

[3] On February 27, 1942, Governor Harley died in office after having served only four months.