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Remley, Howard Marshall

REMLEY, ALDERSON, UNDERWOOD

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 7/28/2013 at 16:36:30

Howard Marshall Remley, to whom the consensus of public opinion accords leadership at the Jones county bar, is now practicing as the senior partner of the law firm of Remley & Remley. He has been a representative of the legal profession here for thirty-seven years, making steady progress in a calling where advancement depends entirely upon individual merit.

He was born January 17, 1843, at Lewisburg, Greenbriar county, Virginia, now West Virginia, his parents being the Rev. James and Jane C. (Alderson) Remley. In the paternal line the family is of German lineage and was founded in America by the great-grandfather of Howard M. Remley, who crossed the Atlantic during the period when this country was still numbered among the colonial possessions of. Great Britain. His son, Elias Remley, became a resident of Greenbrier county, West Virginia, in 1791, and there the birth of the Rev. James Remley occurred January 15, 1812. He was educated at William and Mary's College in Virginia and on the 11th of September, 1838, was united in marriage to Miss Jane C. Alderson, whose great-great-grandfather came from England in 1699. Her father was Colonel George Alderson, an officer of the war of 1812. His brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather were ministers of the gospel and were pioneers in the religious advancement of the state of Virginia. Her uncle, the Rev. Lewis Alderson, was the first pastor of the First Baptist church of Atchison, Kansas. The birth of Mrs. Remley occurred March 12, 1816, in Randolph county, West Virginia, and, as previously stated, she gave her hand in marriage to James Remley on the 11th of September, 1838. They came to Iowa in October, 1855, settling at Oxford, Johnson county. Lycurgus Remley, their first born, and George A., the second son, laid down their books to take up their muskets in defense of the country and gave their lives upon its altar. The surviving children of the family are: Ex-Attorney General Milton Remley, of Iowa City; Judge H. M. Remley, of Anamosa; Mrs. J. D. Glass, wife of Ex-Senator Glass, of Mason City, Iowa; and Miss Clara Remley, also of Mason City.

Howard Marshall Remley was twelve years of age when he came to Iowa, his youth and early manhood being spent on the farm in Johnson county to the age of twenty-four years except when he was pursuing his education in Iowa City. He afterward entered the Iowa state university and was graduated in 1869 with the degree of bachelor of arts. Making choice of the practice of law as a life work he then made preparation for this calling as a student in the law department of the state university, from which he was graduated with the LL.B. degree in 1872, while in 1874 his alma mater conferred upon him the master of arts degree.

Judge Remley located for practice in Anamosa in July, 1872, and has since remained an active and representative member of the bar in this city save for the period of seven years, when he was district judge of the eighteenth judicial district. For the past six years he has practiced in partnership with his son, James E. Remley, under the firm style of Remley & Remley. They occupy a foremost position at the bar of eastern Iowa. Devotedly attached to his profession, systematic and methodical in habit, sober and discreet in judgment, calm in temper, diligent in research, conscientious in the discharge of every duty, courteous and kind in demeanor and inflexibly just on all occasions, these qualities enable Judge Remley to take highest rank among those who have sat upon the bench of the state and made him the conservator of that justice wherein is the safeguard of individual liberty and happiness and the defense of our national institutions.

In 1873 Judge Remley was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Underwood, of Muscatine, Iowa, who was also a graduate of the state university. Four of their sons and two of their daughters are also graduates of these institutions, while another daughter is now a senior there and a fourth daughter is a member of the junior class. The families have a comfortable and attractive home in Anamosa, in which one of the chief features is an extensive library. The family numbers ten children, five sons and five daughters. Bertha, the eldest, has been a successful teacher in the Anamosa schools and Iowa Falls. James E. is a graduate of the law department of the state university and now as a member of the law firm of Remley & Remley practices his profession in Anamosa. Arthur is married and is conducting a successful grocery store in Anamosa. Alfred G. is one-third owner in the Anamosa Lumber Company. Robert G., who won an "I" in the athletic team in the state university of Iowa, is now in the grain business in Anamosa. Agnes is a teacher in the high school of Jefferson, Iowa. Elsie and Mary are attending the state university, and Clara and Howard M. are students in the graded schools of Anamosa.

Judge Remley has always been a republican in his political faith but while firm in his own views he is perfectly willing that others should differ from him, according to each the right of individual opinion. While he has never sought or desired office for himself, he takes an interest in local and state political and does what he can to further the growth and progress of his party. He holds membership in the Baptist church and is a teacher in its Sunday-school, having a class of fifteen or more members, four of whom are more than eighty years of age, while the average age is over sixty years. He has been teaching his class for more than thirty years and in his religious study manifests the same keen analytical spirit which has characterized his professional work so that he is able to present the lessons in a most clear, comprehensive and logical manner. He feels the deepest interest in the Sunday-school work and regards it as one of the most potent forces for good at the present day. He is now widely known throughout the state as one of its leading Sunday-school workers, having been president of the Iowa State Sunday-School Convention, while for three terms he was the president of the Iowa Baptist State Convention. He has also been honored with the presidency of the alumni association of the Iowa state university and is a trustee of Des Moines College. His wife is a leading member of one of the chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution and for years has been a trustee of the public library at Anamosa. She has received the degree of master of arts from the state university and holds one of the very few life state teachers' certificates which has been issued. It will thus be seen that the influence of the family is for the upbuilding and advancement of all those forces which are effective in the contacts of life for the uplifting of the individual and for the betterment of conditions of society in general. Few lawyers have made more lasting impression upon the bar of the state than has Judge Remley, both for legal ability of a high order and for the individuality of a personal character which impresses itself upon the community. He is a member of the state bar association and for ten years was a member of the committee on law reform. His large representative clientage is indicative of the regard entertained for him by the general public, while the profession manifests high consideration for the integrity, dignity, impartiality, love of justice and strong common sense which have ever marked his character as a judge, as an attorney and as a man.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 62.


 

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