House, Hon. Allen J.

HOUSE

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/18/2008 at 22:32:56

BENCH AND BAR OF IOWA.
American Biographical Publishing Co., 1901

HON. ALLEN J. HOUSE,
Maquoketa

Allen J. House, an able lawyer and jurist, is also one of Maquoketa’s most respected citizens. He is the son of an Ontario farmer, and was born near Brantford January 12, 1847. As his father’s family was large and the small Canadian farm could scarcely supply the needs of all, he determined to start out in life for himself. Accordingly, at the age of fourteen, with an empty pocket but with undaunted courage, he left the home to seek his fortune. He came to Maquoketa in 1863 and engaged himself to do farm work, attending the public school during the winter. Being naturally of a studious disposition, he spent every spare moment with his books, thus gaining much useful information, which served him in a good stead, when, in 1866, he lost his left arm in a mowing machine. He spent the school year of 1867 at the Iowa State University, and afterward taught school for four years. During this time he also studied law in the office of Mr. Charles M. Dunbar, of Maquoketa. In 1870 he was admitted to the bar. In 1871 Mr. House was elected county superintendent of schools for Jackson county for a term of two years, after which he served four years as county auditor. From 1878 to 1892 Mr. House was associated with Mr. Levi Keck in law practice and the abstract business, and also during that time, from 1879 to 1891, served as city attorney of Maquoketa. In May, 1892, Governor Boies appointed Mr. House district judge, an office to which he has since been three times elected on a non-partisan ticket, he being a Democrat in political faith.

Judge House is a man of the highest character, personally popular, and as a judge has the full confidence and highest respect of the bar and the community in general. He is one of the charter members of the local lodge of Knights of Pythias.

In 1872 Mr. House married Miss Emma Millard, daughter of one of Maquoketa’s old and most honored citizens, and a woman of fine mental attainments and rare womanly qualities. They have two daughters, both graduates of the Maquoketa high school – Anna, the wife of Mr. J. L. Bailey, a leading hardware merchant of Cedar Falls, and Carrie, who is also a graduate of Waterman Hall, Sycamore, Ill., and who is expecting soon to enter an eastern college.

Judge House’s father died in Ontario, aged eighty-three. His mother is still living there at the age of eighty-five years.

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