Clements, W. G.

CLEMENTS, RAMAGE, HALFERTY

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/12/2009 at 06:48:44

W. G. CLEMENTS, a well-known lawyer of Newton, and formerly Attorney of Jasper County, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, near the village of Flushing, January 2, 1847. His father, John R., also a native of the Buckeye State, was the son of James Clements, who was born in Pennsylvania about the year 1790 and settled in Ohio in 1798. The family is of Scotch-Irish descent, and was first represented in America by the great-grandfather of our subject, who became a well-to-do farmer in Pennsylvania. Grandfather Clements became one of the early settlers of Ohio, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits, and also owned and operated a mill, which was one of the first erected in the state and was located on the home farm.

The Mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Malinda Ramage, and traced her ancestry to the North of Ireland. Her father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and a brother of his was a prominent lawyer and politician, serving several terms in the Ohio Legislature. Aside from these facts, we have but little information relative to the Ramage and Clements families. W. G. was the eldest of a family of six children, five sons and one daughter. The latter died at the age of twenty years. The brothers are all living, and are sketched as follows: Judge James M. is a prominent attorney at Helena, Mont., where he was on the Bench for two years; L. R. is a successful merchant of Des Moines, Iowa; O. J. is engaged in farming near Pierre, S. Dak.; J. S. is a railroad agent at Rands, in Calhoun County, Iowa.

At the age of eight years, our subject accompanied his parents to Iowa and located on a farm near Newton, where his father died November 16, 1888. His mother is still living, and makes her home in Newton. His early life was spent on his father's farm, and his primary education was obtained in the common schools and in the select school at the College Farm, near Newton. At the age of eighteen he entered Iowa College, at Grinnell, where his literary education was completed. Subsequently he followed the profession of a teacher for a time, employing his leisure hours in the study of law. After two years of study he passed an examination and was admitted to the Bar.

In 1869 Mr. Clements went to Nebraska and spent one year in that state, returning to Iowa in 1870, and locating at Prairie City, Jasper County, in the fall of that year. While there he served as City Attorney and as Mayor, in which positions he was enabled to secure the advancement of various measures for the promotion of the interests of the people. He also occupied other local offices, and for seventeen years served as a member of the Board of Education. In 1876 he formed a partnership with Hon. B. C. Ward, which connection still continues, Mr. Ward having charge of the Prairie City office, while Mr. Clements manages the office at Newton. This office was established in 1887, since which time the practice of the firm II has materially increased.

Elected Attorney of Jasper County in 1889, Mr. Clements was re-elected two years later, filling the position for four years. His service in that capacity was characterized by marked ability, and he was a terror to lawbreakers. He was reared under the influence of an Abolitionist, his father having been one of the prominent men of that party. Therefore it is not strange that be has been a life-long Republican. In his religious belief he is identified with the Congregational Church. Socially he is a Mason, being a member of the Knights Templar order. By his unaided exertions he has worked his way upward and onward until he now stands at the head of the legal profession of Jasper County. His life furnishes another illustration of the self-made and self-educated man, and his example is well worthy the emulation of the young.

The marriage of Mr. Clements occurred February 6, 1871, at which time he was united with Miss Harriet I. Halferty, a native of Richland County, Ohio, and a daughter of James Halferty, who now resides in Washington County, Iowa. They are the parents of one child, a son, Frank H., who is now (1893) twenty-one years of age, and is a student in Iowa College at the present time. Portrait and Biographical Record, Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, IA Page 259.