BIOGRAPHIES
Iowa State Senators
Iowa Official Register 1927-1928
pg. 2
O.E. Gunderson
Senator from the forty-first district, composed of Mitchell, Winnebago and Worth
counties, was born in Worth county, Iowa, February 25, 1875. He was educated in
the rural schools, St. Ansgar Seminary and Institute, and the Northern Illinois
Normal School. For several years he was engaged in farming, merchandising and
teaching. In 1903 was elected county superintendent of Worth county and served
nine years. He moved to Forest City in 1913 and has been interested in farming
and banking, being now an active officer of the Forest City National bank. The
communities in which he has lived have called upon him to serve as town clerk,
councilman, member of the county fair board, of the city commercial club and as
president of the board of trustees of the city library. In 1897 he married
Gurine Finnesgard of Kenyon, Minnesota, and has two children, Esther and Harvey.
Another son, Maurice, accidentally drowned at Clear Lake, August 4, 1924.
Elected senator in 1924. A republican in politics.
George S. Hartman
Senator from the forthieth district, composed of Allamakee and Fayette counties,
was born November 13, 1871, in Sharon, Wis., and moved to Iowa in the fall of
1877, locating at Fayette. He received his education in the public schools of
Fayette. In 1892 he entered the mercantile business at Fayette with his father
and brother under the firm name of M.J. Hartman & Sons, which continued
until the death of his father in 1915. The sons still continue the business
under the firm name of Hartman Brothers. Senator Hartman has served on the city
council and as chairman of Fayette county republican central committee and is
director and vice president of the First National bank of Fayette. He was
married to Miss Gertrude Clothier, of Rockford, Ill., in July 1907, who died in
February, 1920. He has two sons. Is a member of the Modern Woodmen, Elks and
Yeomen. He was elected senator in 1920 and re-elected in 1924. A republican in
politics.
Willis G. Haskell
Senator from the twenty-ninth district, composed of Linn county, was born June
5, 1857, in Bradford, Chickasaw county, Iowa. Some three weeks before the
session of the forty-second general assembly closed he was taken ill of
influenza but continued his duties until about a week before the session closed,
when he became worse and was confined to his bed. He failed to rally and his
death took place April 17, 1927, at Des Moines. Senator Haskell's education was
secured in the grade schools of Cedar Falls, Charles City and Independence. As a
young man he was employed as telegrapher, station agent and traveling freight
and passenger agent. In 1893 he entered the wholesale and retail coal business
in which he was engaged at the time of his death. He was also interested in the
manufacturing business and real estate business. Was a director of the Merchants
national bank of Cedar Rapids for a number of years. Served as alderman of
Vinton and of Cedar Rapids. Was chairman of the park commission of Cedar Rapids,
member of the republican state central committee, president of the Cedar Rapids
Commercial club and postmaster there from 1909 to 1913. Was married June 15,
1881, to Mae E. Williams and had four children, two boys and two girls. Was a
member of the Masonic Knights of Pythias and B.P.O.E. lodges. Elected senator in
1916, 1920 and 1924.
Charles Frederic Johnston
Senator from the forty-third district, composed of Franklin, Cerro Gordo and
Hancock counties. Resides at Sheffield, Iowa. He was born January 17, 1866, on a
farm two miles east of Hampton. His father was Irish, coming from the County
Cavin, Ireland, and his mother a native of Ohio of Scotch parents. He is a
graduate of the Hampton high school. Following graduation he attended the law
school at the state university. Was admitted to the bar in 1891 and is at the
present time engaged in banking and the practice of law in Sheffield, Iowa,
being president of the Citizens bank of that place. He was married June 29,
1892, to Delle Haecker. They have two children, a son, C.F., Jr., now associated
with his father in the bank as vice president, and a daughter, Winifred. He was
a member of the house in the twenty-sixth, twenty-sixth extra and twenty-seventh
general assemblies and was the first native son to occupy the position and is
the first native son to occupy a similar position in the senate. Is a member of
the K.P. lodge and the Elks, also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. A
republican in politics.
Charles B. Kern
Senator from the eleventh district, which includes Clark and Warren counties,
was born at Norwalk in Warren county, February 1, 1867. His parents, John and
Miriam Black Kern, came from Ohio to Iowa in the year 1857 and settled in Linn
township, Warren county, on the farm now owned and occupied by Senator Kern and
family. He lived on the farm, spent his school days in the country district
school, Indianola public schools and Simpsom college. Married August 25, 1893,
to Mary Frances Spring. They have four children, all of whom are living. He is
actively engaged in farming and feeding. Represented his county in the thiry-seventh
and thirth-eighth general assemblies. Was elected to the state senate from the
Clark-Warren district in 1924. A republican in politics.
David W. Kimberly
Senator from Scott county, was born in Deadwood, S.D. August 6, 1878. When he
was six years old his parents moved to West Liberty, Muscatine county. He has
lived on the farm most of his life. He received his education at the West
Liberty, Springdale high school and Bryant-Strattons business college of
Chicago. He was married to Elsie King, of Chicago. He is a member of the Mystic
Shrine, Knights Templar, Scottish Rites, Mohassan Grotto, Eartern Star, Elks,
Owls, Odd Fellows and Turner society. Was elected representative in 1914 and
re-elected in 1916, and to the senate in 1918, 1922 and 1926. A republican in
politics.
William H. Klemme
Senator from the forty-second district, composed of Winneshiek and Howard
counties, was born in Franklin county, Ind., February 17, 1849. He came to Iowa
with his parents in the spring of 1862 and located on a farm of 200 acres, which
his father purchased from the government in 1857 for a dollar and a quarter per
acre. He remained there until he was twenty-one years old. He was married to
Mary Augusta Bolles in 1870. They have one daughter, Mrs. J.G. Parker, of
Fayette, Iowa. He was postmaster during McKinley's term of office, and justice
of peace in Lincoln township for thirty-two years. He was a member of the house
of representatives during the twenty-fifth, twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh
general assemblies and the extra session. Elected senator in 1926. Has been
engaged in the lumber and coal business since 1873. A republican in politics.
Otto F. Lange
Senator from the thirty-fifth district, composed of Dubuque county, was born
February 16, 1869, in Dubuque, Iowa and has always lived there. He is the son of
Robert W. and Ottilie Lange. Robert W. Lange, Senator Lange's father, settled in
Dubuque in 1854. Sentator Lange became a commercial traveler at the age of
eighteen and followed that occupation until 1907, when he became the general
agent of the Royal Union Life Insurance company of Des Moines at Dubuque, which
position he still holds. He was married to Lyde Brendel of Galena, Illinois,
August 29, 1892. Has three children, Harvey Malcolm, Philo Brendel and Neva Hope
Lange. His election as senator is his first venture in politics. He is a
republican.
John N. Langfitt
Senator from the sixteenth district, composed of Adair and Madison cuonties, was
born in Scott county, Iowa, May 9, 1866. On his father's side he is of
Scotch-Irish descent. His mother was of English descent. His early education was
received in the rural schools. He also attended Wilton academy and Davenport
business college. when twenty-one years of age he went to Adair county. Four
years later he married Clara A. Martin of Greenfield. Mrs. Langfitt died July
14, 1924. There ar efour surviving children, Harry M. of Chariton, Iowa; Bernice
Louise of Des Moines; Clara Milred and John N., Jr., students in college. He
lived for several years in western Washington but returned to Adair county in
1898, purchasing the family homestead on which he still resides. In religion, a
Presbyterian. He is a blue lodge and thirty-second degree Mason. He was
representative from Adair county in the thirty-seventh and thirty-eighth general
assemblies and was elected senator in 1924. In politics, a republican.
Arch W. McFarlane
Senator from Black Hawk-Grundy district, was born in Waterloo, Iowa, April 14,
1885, educated in the public schools and was graduated from high school in 1904.
Was married April 6, 1908, to Miss Elsie V. Hawkins. He is now engaged in the
wholesale fuel business, with headquarters at Waterloo. Is a member of the
Christ Episcopal church, being a vestryman of that church. Is a member of the
Knights of Phthias, B.P.O.E., El-Kahir Shrine, and a supreme officer of the
United Commercial Travelers. Elected a member of the Iowa house of
representatives in 1914, re-elected in 1916-1918 and 1920. Was speaker pro tem
of the thirty-eighth special and thirty-ninth general assemblies. In politics he
is a republican.
Wm. E. McLeland
Senator from the twenty-eighth district, was born in Van Buren county, Iowa,
April 16, 1867. In 1869 he moved with his parents to Marshall county, Iowa, and
has been a resident of that county ever since. He was educated in the public
schools and in the Marshalltown high school. He was elected and served as county
auditor from 1903 to 1907, and again in 1916 to 1919. Was married to Minnie M.
Robinson January 25, 1889. They have four children, two boys and two girls. He
is a farm owner and is engaged in general farming and breeding of registered
Shorthorn cattle. Elected to the state senate in 1924. A republican in politics.
J.G. Merritt
Senator from Sac, Greene and Carroll counties, was born at Findlay, Ohio,
September 29, 1870, moving with his parents to Glidden, Carroll county, March
17, 1880, and thence to a near-by farm where he made his home for forty years.
He moved into Glidden six years ago, but continues to operate the home farm
known as Maplehurst Farm. Was married January 19, 1898, to Laura B. Elwood,
daughter of Dr. Thomas Elwood, first resident physician of Carroll county. He
has been active in business affairs, particularly insurance, as well as farming.
Was elected state secretary of the Farmers Cooperative Elevator Mutual Insurance
association and is now serving his seventeenth year as secretary of the Farmers
Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance association of Carroll county. Has been on
the board of the Glidden Farmers Elevator company since its organization in
1905, and for fifteen years its president. Is now president of the Farmers Grain
Dealers association of Iowa, vice president of the Farmers National Grain
Dealers association and president of the North Glidden electric line. Has served
his local school district both as director and treasurer, was city councilman
and since 1919 has been a member of the Carroll county board of education. Was
vice president of the county farm bureau, director of the Red Cross and for six
years republican county chairman. Elected state representative in 1924 and state
senator in 1926.
Redfield C. Mills
Senator from the seventeenth district, composed of Dallas, Guthrie and Audubon
counties, was born January 22, 1891, in Redfield, Iowa. Married Ella Frances
Shaw in Fedfield, December 30, 1920. Has two sons, Clipper Eugene, born March
26, 1923, and Milton Loche, born July 30, 1925. Attended both the country and
town schools. Has lived about equal portions of his life on farm and in town. He
farmed three years in North Dakota. Graduated from the Kansas City Veterinary
college in 1915. He started practice in Redfield, Iowa. On July 24, 1917, he
entered the United States army as veterinarian and first lieutenant, serving in
the army twenty-two and one-half months. following dischrge from service
re-entered the practice in Redfield, Iowa, in which place he is still
practicing. Has never before held a public office. He is a member of the Knights
of Pythias, Sons of Veterans and American Legion. Has always attended the
Methodist church. Elected state senator November, 1924. A republican.
John M. Ramsey
Senator from the thirty-ninth district, composed of the counties of Butler and
Bremer, was born at Clarksville, Iowa, his present home. He is a republican in
politics. He was educated in the public schools, high school and private
college. Early in life he learned the printer's trade and for thirty-five years,
almost continuously, he has been connected with the Clarksville Star, of which
he is at present, editor and publisher. He was clerk for several years of his
home town, assessor for ten years, and deputy county treasurer for one term. He
was reared in the Presbyterian faith, and is of Scotch-Irish descent. He is a
canton Odd Fellow, thirty-two years has been a Knight of Pythias. He married
Della shafer, and they have two daughters, Georgia Edna, now Mrs. Gay Jackson,
and Alice Lavon. Was elected state representative in 1920 and reelected in 1922.
Elected senator in 1924.
C.L. Rigby
Senator from the twenty-fourth district, composed of Cedar and Jones counties.
Was born in Stanwood, Iowa, February 20, 1874. Received his early education in
the Stanwood public schools. Attended Cornell college, from which he graduated
in 1894. Member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. Immediately after graduation started
farming and is still engaged in that occupation. Married Jennie Davis Billings,
to which union was born two children, Edward and Isabel. Has been actively
engaged in banking for about twenty-five years, and has been president of the
Union Trust and Savings bank at Stanwood for the past eighteen years. Is a
trustee of Cornell college, and a member of the Masonic and Kinights of Pythias
lodges. Elected senator in 1924. Republican in politics.
H. Guy Roberts
Senator from Ringold county, was born of American parents in Liberty township,
Ringgold county, April 13, 1878. He attended the public schools until he was
twelve years old; he attended Humeston Normal college for two months when he was
called home by the death of his mother. Later he attended Highland Park Normal
College at Des Moines for six weeks, but returned home on account of sickness.
He was married September 18, 1902, at Grand Island, Nebraska, to Minnie E.
McDonald. He held various township offices before his election to the
thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh general assemblies as a representative from
Ringgold county. He is a member of the Methodist church and a republican in
politics. He is a farmer by occupation. He was elected to the senate in 1924
from the fith senatorial district, composed of Decatur, Ringgold and Union
counties.
J.O. Shaff
Senator from the twenty-second district, Clinton county. Born January 6, 1885,
at Shaffton, Iowa; graduate of Iowa State college and University of Wisconsin;
married Gladys Melick, 1908, since deceased; married Evelyn Lillie Purcell July,
1921; member of the house in thirty-seventh general assembly; member of the
senate in fortieth, forthieth extra and forty-first sessions. Is engaged in
farming and the dairy business, specializing in Holstein cattle; operates grain
elevators at Shaffton, Princeton and McCausland. President Citizens Saving bank,
Low Moor, Iowa, and director City National Bank, Clinton, Iowa. Actively
interested in republican politics for the past twelve years.
Frank Shane
Senator from the thirteenth district; born May 16, 1875, in Mahaska county,
Iowa. Graduated from the Letts high school in 1892, attended Iowa Wesleyan
college, Mt. Pleasant, and College of Physicians and Surgeons, Keokuk; taught
school in Appanoose, Van buren and Lee counties. Started in the retail drug
business at Stockport in 1900; moved to Eldon in 1902, where he owned and
operated a drug store until 1912. During his residence in Eldon he served as a
member of the school board, as justice of the peace and as mayor, and was
elected representative from Wapello county in the thirty-fourth general
assembly. He also served as president of the Iowa Pharmaceutical association.
Moved to Ottumwa in 1913 and engaged in the insurance business. Is vice
president of the Royal Union Life Insurance company of Des Moines, Iowa. Served
as county chairman of the Wapello county republican central committee two terms.
Elected state senator in 1922 and re-elected in 1926. Is a member of the Masonic
and Knights of Pythias fraternities. Also a member of the Rotary club and
Wapello club. Married to Gail Walker of Chariton, Iowa, in 1899. Two children,
George W. and Elise. A republican in politics.
A.J. Shinn
Senator from the thirty-fourth district, composed of Harrison, Crawford and
Monona counties; was born in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, November 7, 1866. In
February, 1880, he moved with his parents to a farm in Harrison county, in which
county he has since resided. In 1889 he married Margaret Whiteside and to them
were born two daughters, Ada and Edith. He received his education in the rural
schools. Has been engaged in farming for many years. In 1901 he was elected
sheriff of Harrison county, serving two terms. Also served as trustee a number
of terms. Elected to the senate in 1922. He is a Mason. A republican in
politics.
Lars Johan Skromme
Senator from the thirty-first district which includes Boone and Story counties.
Residence Roland. He was born in Norway in 1879. He immigrated to the United
States in 1885 with his parents, settling on a farm near Roland, Story county,
Iowa. He received his early education in a one room country school, attending
school about three months during the winter and working on the farm the balance
of the year. He studied at Highland Park college, now Des Moines University, Des
Moines, Iowa; Red Wing Seminary, Red Wing, Minnesota, and Northwestern
university, Evanston, Illinois. He has served as pastor of the Lutheran church
at Eagle Grove, Iowa, and Pontiac, Illinois. He has been at different times
engaged in the real estate business at Clarion, Iowa, and Thief River Falls,
Minnesota. Immediately following the entry of the United States into the World
War he enlisted as a private in the Iowa National Guard and and was later
mustered into federal service. After the armistice he received honorable
discharge, having attained the rank of first lieutenant of the infantry. Since
the war he has been engaged in farm operations and in the seed business at
Roland, where he organized the Skromme Seed Company of which he is now
president. Elected to the senate in 1924. Republican.
George F. Slemmons
Senator from the thirty-third district, including Buchanan and Delaware
counties. He was born on a farm in that county on August 17, 1875. Received his
education in the rural and graded schools of the county, and at Lenox college,
Hopkinton, Iowa. He has spent his entire life on a farm. Was married on June 1,
1904, to Miss Mabel L. Thompson of Buchanan county. To them were born two
children, John W. and Ruth Gertrude. Has held office of township trustee,
assessor, bank director and numberous other offices. Served on local school
board twenty-five years. Member of Odd Fellows, Masonic and M.W.A. lodges.
Presbyterian in religion. Republican in politics. Elected representative in
1920. Re-elected in 1922. Elected senator in 1924.
F.C. Stanley
Senator from the fourteenth district, consisting of Mahaska county, was born
November 26, 1881, on a small farm near Ackworth, Warren county, Iowa. Moved to
Indianola in 1890. Attended the district school. Graduated from Indianola high
school in 1899. Interested in general stock farming three or four years.
Graduated from Simpson college in 1907 with a degree of B.S. A partner in the
Indianola Herald. Read law at odd times with O.C. Brown of Indianola. Attended
the University of Wisconsin, 1909-1910. head of the department of chemistry,
Penn college, from 1910 until the present time. During the year 1916-1917, was
engaged in the financial interest of the college. Spent the year 1913-1914 in
Europe on leave of absence, specializing in chemistry at the University of
Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Traveled extensively through Eurpe, Egypt, Palestine
and Turkey. Was married July 27, 1915, to Ada C. Whitney and has four daughters,
Isabel, Kathryn, Margaret and Barbara. Was elected senator in 1924. Republican
in politics.
|
