HARVEY, Judge John W.

HARVEY, YOUNG, EATON, PHIBER

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/18/2014 at 00:35:29

Biography ~ John W. Harvey

"Biographical and Historical Record of

Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa"

(Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), pp. 473-74:

Photograph courtesy of Decatur County Historical Museum

JOHN W. HARVEY, of Leon, is Judge of the Third Judicial District of Iowa, having been elected to that position in the fall of 1882. He has been a resident of Leon since June, 1868, at which time he formed a partnership with Major John L. Young in the practice of law. This partnership continued about eighteen months when Major Young withdrew from the firm for the purpose of engaging in another enterprise. Judge Harvey remained along for some time, and then the partnership was again established. This time it continued until he was elected judge.

He was born in Wells County, Indiana, in 1840. When he was five years old his father died, leaving the mother with six children. In 1846 she removed with her family to Jasper County, Iowa, where our subject grew to manhood. His father's circumstances being limited he was early thrown upon his own resources. He learned those habits of industry and self-reliance which have contributed in an eminent degree to the success to which he has attained. He early resolved to get an education, and by his own unaided efforts was enabled to enter the Iowa Central University [present-day Central College at Pella, Iowa], having previously taken a preparatory course at Indianola. But the war of the Rebellion came on, and yielding to the general impulse that pervaded the hearts of the loyal people of the country to crush out the Rebellion which threatened the destruction of the Government, he resolved to enter the army. Accordingly, in June, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, Eighteenth Iowa Infantry, and served in the ranks as a common soldier or non-commissioned officer, for about eighteen months, when he was made First Lieutenant of his company. In the fall of 1865 he received a Captain's commission. He commanded his company the greater part of the time after he was made Lieutenant, and had participated in many of the important events of the war. At the close of hostilities and the return of peace, he was assigned to the Quartermaster's department and was mustered out of service in April, 1866. He made an honorable record as a soldier, manifesting that characteristic zeal and earnestness of purpose for whic he has been noted.

On returning from the army he again became a student at the Central University, and a year later entered the law department of the State University, graduating in June, 1868. Judge Harvey was united in marriage with Miss Emma Eaton, a daughter of F. X. Eaton, and they have two sons - Charles C. and Jamie.

Politically Judge Harvey is a Republican, and a forcible exponent of the principles of his party. He cast his first vote in the field (as Iowa soldiers were permitted to do so) in 1864 for Abraham Lincoln.

Whatever success and eminence Judge Harvey has attained, has been due to his own efforts. Beginning life a poor boy, supporting and educating himself by the labor of his hands, he has reached honorable distinction in official life, while he possesses the esteem of his fellow citizens. There were six children in his father's family, five sons and one daughter, of whom the Judge was the fourth child. McConnell, the eldest son, went South before the war. During the Rebellion he joined the Southern army. James H., a gallant Union soldier, was killed at the battle of Guntown, Mississippi. William was a member of the Twenty-third Iowa Infantry, and was promoted to First Lieutenant in Major North's Pawnee scouts. He is now in Colorado. Jerome, the youngest child, was too young for a soldier. He resides in Leon. He lost an arm by an accident some years ago. Clara, the third in age, is now the wife of William Phiber.

On the 2nd of November, 1886, Judge Harvey was re-elected judge of the Third Judicial District of Iowa for the term of four years from the 1st day of January, 1887.

Judge John W. Harvey

"History of Decatur County, Iowa And Its People."

Prof. J.W. Howell & Heman C. Smith. Vol. II. S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Chicago. 1915

Judge John W. Harvey was not only a recognized leader of the bar of Decatur county but for eight years served as judge of the third judicial district, proving able and impartial in the administration of justice. He was also an important factor in the development of banking in his county and his life was one of great usefulness to his community. His birth occurred in Wells county, Indiana, on the 16th of September, 1840, and his parents were John and Annie ( Guthrie ) Harvey. The father died when our subject was but five years of age and the following year the mother and her six children removed to Jasper county, Iowa, where John W. Harvey grew to manhood.

In his youth he recognized the advantages of a good education and through his own efforts was able to attend Iowa Central University at Pella. He had previously taken a preparatory course at Indianola and was willing to make any sacrifice in order to achieve his purpose, that of securing a college education. While still a student at the university he enlisted as a private in Company G, Eighteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, joining the army on the 7th of July, 1862. After serving as a private and as a noncommissioned officer he was made first lieutenant of the Eleventh United States Infantry and in the fall of 1865 he received a captain's commission. For some time after the close of the war he served in the commissary department of the army but in 1866 was discharged from the service. He led his company in many important battles and his record as a soldier was a most commendable one. Upon his return from the army he continned his interrupted education at Iowa Central University and after a year of further study was graduated from that institution. He then matriculated in the law department of the State University of Iowa and in June, 1868, received his professional degree.

Not long afterward, at the request of the late Major J. L. Young, Mr. Harvey located in Leon and formed a partnership with Major Young, which was continued for two years, at the end of which time the major withdrew from the firm to enter another line of business. For some time Mr. Harvey continued alone in the practice of law but later was again associated with Major Young, the partnership being maintained until Mr. Harvey was chosen judge of the third judicial district. He served upon the bench for two terms, or eight years, and gained an enviable reputation for fairness and integrity. He not only possessed a detailed and exact knowledge of law but also had that attitude of mind that enabled him to consider only the merits of a case and to rise above all prejudices and predilections. He insisted on the members of the bar respecting the dignity of the court but in his rulings was invariably fair and he held in full measure the respect of the attorneys who practiced in the third judicial district. Following the expiration of his second term as judge he formed a law partnership with R. L. Parrish and for eleven years the firm of Harvey & Parrish continued in existence. They represented many important interests and the court records show that they won a large percentage of their cases. When Mr. Parrish was elevated to the district bench Judge Harvey continued alone in practice until he admitted his son, James F. Harvey, to a partnership. The firm of John W. Harvey & Son was formed in 1901 and it continued until the demise of the father in 1913. For fifty years Judge Harvey was a resident of Leon and in that time was connected as counsel or as judge with most of the important cases tried in the local courts. He won a wide reputation for his success in the settling of estates, as he was generally able to adjust matters between the heirs and avoid taking the disputes into court. For many years he was prominently connected with the banking interests of his county and from 1894 until his demise was president of the Farmers & Traders State Bank of Leon. He was also for a number of years interested in banks at Lamoni and Mount Ayr.

In 1868 occurred the marriage of Judge Harvey and Miss Emma Eaton and to them three children were born: Charles, who passed away in 1892, when nineteen years of age; James, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this, work; and Raymond, who died in 1891 when an infant. Mrs. Haney is still living and is highly esteemed by all who know her. In 1914 she presented to the city a tract of land on South Main street consisting of three full blocks, to be used as a park. This has been named Harvey Park and a landscape gardener is now at work transforming it into a beautiful spot. The city has been liberal in its appropriations to make the park come up to the anticipations of the generous donor. A brother of Judge Harvey, Jerome L. Harvey, of Leon, a sister, Mrs. Clara Phifer, of Manitou, Colorado, a half brother, Taylor Fry, of Montana, and a half sister, Mrs. Mary Coldren, of Oberlin, Kansas, also survive him.

Judge Harvey gave his political allegiance to the republican party but always placed the public good above partisanship. He was always ready to do all within his power to promote the advancement of the community along material, moral or civic lines, giving generously both of his time and money. His kindness and the attractiveness of his personality bound many to him by strong ties of affection and he ever considered friendship inviolable. A lover of good literature, he found much enjoyment in the fine library which he owned and his happiest hours were those spent at home with his family. He was a loyal member of the Grand Army of the Republic and took much interest in everything relating to the order and to the veterans of the Civil war. At the time of his death the Decatur County Bar passed resolutions, in which, among other things, it was said: "By his removal the state has lost a learned jurist; the county in which he lived an honorable and noble citizen; the bar (of which he was the senior member) a courteous and obliging brother and his family a loving, faithful and devoted husband and father.

Judge John W. Harvey

"John W. Harvey." Editorial Department. The Annals of Iowa #12 (1920), 397-397.

University of Iowa. Iowa City IA

JOHN W. HARVEY was born in Wells County, Indiana, September 16, 1840, and died at Leon, Iowa, February 28, 1913. His father died in 1845 and the next year the mother and family came to Jasper County, Iowa. He took some preparatory school work at Indianola and then attended Iowa Central University at Pella. He enlisted in Company G, Eighteenth Iowa Infantry, as a private and came out a captain in 1866. He again entered college at Pella and graduated in 1867. He graduated from the Iowa College of Law at Des Moines in 1868. He removed to Leon soon thereafter and formed a law partnership with Major J. L. Young. He was elected judge of the district court, serving from 1883 to 1890. He then formed a partnership with R. L. Parrish, which continued eleven years, or until Mr. Parrish was elected to the district bench. He then formed a partnership with his son, James F. Harvey. His practice was extensive and his reputation as a lawyer and a citizen of the best. He was president of the Farmers and Traders State Bank of Leon from 1894 until his death.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014; updated December of 2016

Judge John W. Harvey obituary

Dedication of Harvey Park, September 9, 1915

Decatur Biographies maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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