BIOGRAPHIES
Iowa State Representatives
Iowa Official Register 1927-1928

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J.M. Heald
Representative from Chickasaw county, was born at Bradford, Chickasaw county, Iowa, January 26, 1861. Educated at Bradford academy and State Teachers college. Taught in the public schools of Chickasaw county for several years. Married to Alice R. Green of Winchester, Illinois, in 1886. Has engaged in farming for a large part of his life. Has always been interested in and connected with public affairs. A republican in politics.

G.E. Held
Representative from Plymouth county. Native of Iowa and born in Hungerford township where he now resides. Received his education in the rural schools and completed a normal course in Le Mars normal school in 1897. Is now actively engaged in farming near Hinton. In 1922 married Agnes M. Eyres of Le Mars, Iowa. They have two children, Thomas E. and Kathrine Elizabeth. Was elected and served in the house of representatives during the thirty-ninth, forthieth, fortieth-extra, forty-first and forty-second general assemblies. A republican in politics.

J.G. Hempel
Representative from Clayton county, born at Giard, Clayton county, Iowa, December 9, 1860. Attended public schools and entered mercantile business in 1881. In 1887 was married to Emma J. Bickel, having three daughters, Mrs. Iowa H. Graf and Kathleen, M., living; Johneyette G., deceased when five years old. In 1892 opened general merchandise establishment at Giard, disposing of it at the end of three years. In April, 1895, opened up a clothing business at Elkader, which he has conducted successfully ever since. Served as secretary of school board, secretary of county fair, member of state board voting machine commissioners, member of state central committee, fourth district, member town council Elkader and served as county auditor eight years. Member Odd Fellows lodge, thirty-second degree Mason and shriner. Elected representative in 1922, 1924 and 1926. Has always been a republican in politics.

Lafe Hill
Representative from Floyd county, was born in Ringgold county, Iowa. At the age of fourteen years was thrown on his own resources. He worked on a farm, in a brick yard and on railroad construction, attending school at odd times until about the age of eighteen, when he had saved sufficient money to enable him to enter academic and college work. During that time he read law for two years with C.W. Mullen of Waterloo, afterwards state's attorney general. He then took up teaching at Troy Mills and Walker in Linn county, and was later superintendent of schools at Seymour and other places in southern Iowa. At the close of his school work he entered the newspaper business, and is now publisher of the Advertiser at Nora Springs. His father was a veteran of the Civil war. He was married to Florence A. Fay of Troy Mills. Their three children grew to manhood and womanhood, a daughter, Fausta, and sons, Brant and Lyle. Both sons served in the World War, and Brant gave his life for his country. Throughout his life he has been an active republican and has attended a large number of the state and district conventions or the past thirty years. He was elected a delegate from Iowa to the National Yeoman Conclave held at Colorado Springs in 1904. He was appointed by Governor Kendall a delegate from Iowa to the National Laymen's Educational convention called by the United States commissioner of education in Des Moines in 1922. He is a member of the Methodist church and of the Knights of Pythias lodge, having served as officer of the grand lodge. Elected representative in 1924 and reelected in 1926.

F.A. Hines
Representative from Taylor county, was born on a farm in Madison county, Iowa, December 5, 1880. He was married to Maude McCracken, August 28, 1901. He attended both the country and town schools. Has lived about equal portions of his life on the farm and in town. He graduated frmo the Kansas City Veterinary college in 1913. He started practice in Gravity, Iowa, where he still lives. He served on the twon council six years, was mayor two years. He is a member of the Methodist church, a past master of the Masonic lodge and a Modern Woodman. Republican in politics.

Frank Hollingsworth
Representative from Boone county, was born in Wisconsin. When two years old he moved with his parents to a farm in Dallas county, Iowa, which was his home until 1894. Entered the State University of Iowa in the fall of 1894, and graduated from the liberal arts and law school of the university in 1899. Began the practice of law at Boone, Iowa, in 1899. Married in 1901. He served as republican county chairman for many years. Was assistant county attorney of Boone county four years and elected county attorney in 1910 and 1912. city solicitor of Boone from 1917 to 1919. Served as county chairman for Boone county in liberty loan campaigns during 1918 and 1919. Aside from the law business, interested in farming and banking. A farm land owner and a director in the Boone State bank. A member of the various Masonic bodies, including the Shrine and the Consistory. Also a member of the Elks. Elected representative in 1926. A republican.

Chas. A. Hollis
Representative from Black Hawk county, born in Black Hawk county in 1867, oldest of a family of six boys and three girls. Father enlisted in the army from Troy, N.Y., and served three years. Was married in 1887 to Miss Carrie Buck of Black Hawk county and immediately went to farming for himself, at all times handling pure-bred and high-grade stock. Active in all organizations for the betterment of rural conditions. Moved to Cedar Falls in 1906 to educate his children, one boy and one girl. Traveled three years for the Independant Telephone association and promoted the first independent copper toll line between Burlington and Des Moines. Assisted in organizing and was president and manager of the Black Hawk Oil Company, Cedar Falls. At the present time is in partnership with his son in the business of raising pure-bred Holsteins. Member of the First Brethren church. Elected representative in 1922, reelected in 1924 and in 1926. Republican in politics.

George M. Hopkins
Representative from Guthrie county, Iowa, was born October 16, 1866, in the same county which he represents in the legislature. He attended district school during the summer and winter until he was eleven years of age, after which he attended rural school three months in the winter. At seventeen he attended one year at the Guthrie county high school. He taught three terms of rural school and attended business college at Shenandoah, Iowa. After teaching a short time he took a normal course at Valparaiso, Indiana. After finishing this course, he was elected principal of the village schools at Bassett, Nebraska, in which position he served for seven years. During this time he took a homestead near the town of Bassett. He was married in 1894 to Anna Laura Green of Kirkwood, Nebraska. They have two daughters and three sons. In 1899 he was elected county superintendent of Rock county, Nebraska, serving four terms. He has always taken an active part in politics and welfare work of his community. He was elected representative in 1926. A republican.

Wilber F. Hubbard
Representative from Pottawattamie county, was born on a farm near Neola, Iowa, March 24, 1885. Educated in the rural schools and the high school of Neola. Has followed the vocation of farming. Is president of the West Pottawattamie County Farm Bureau, and past master of the Masonic lodge. He was married to Vera Lynn Hamilton in 1909. They have four children, Joseph, Neal, Verna and Wilber Lynn. Was elected state representative in 1924, and reelected in 1926. A republican in politics.

Chas. W. Huff
Representative from Cass county, was born on a farm near Anita, Iowa, October 30, 1873. When ten years old he moved with his parents to a farm near Massena, in the same county, where he has since resided. He received his education in the common schools, also graduating from the Iowa business college of Des Moines in 1894. Was township clerk, serving two years and county recorder four years. Elected representative in 1920 and reelected in 1922, 1924, and 1926. He is a Mason and a Shriner. A republican in politics.

Ralph R. Hunt
Representative from Louisa county, was born in Marshall township, Louisa county, 1879. Educated in the public schools of Wapello, Iowa. Worked at printer's trade four years, taught school nine years and was elected county superintendent of schools, 1906, serving in that capacity six years. He superintended the schools at Oakville, Iowa, one year after returning to his farm, in 1912. there are two children, Reed L. and Helen D. by his first wife, Mary Pearl Parsons, who died in December, 1913. November 22, 1924, he was united in marriage to Sofie Kramer. The past fourteen years he has devoted his entire time to farming. A republican in politics.

F.D. Ickis
Representative from Union county, was born in Afton, Union county, December 12, 1872. He received his education in the country schools, the Creston and Afton high schools and the Afton business college. Has lived on the farm where he now resides for the past fifty-two years. Connected with the farm bureau since its organization. Director of the Farmers Cooperative company and a director of the First National bank of Creston. A republican in politics.

A.T. Istad
Representative from Winneshiek county, was born in Norway in 1862 and in 1869 came to the United States with his parents, who settled in Winneshiek county, where he has live for fifty-seven years. He attended the rural school and the normal school at Decorah, Iowa, for one winter. He owned and operated a farm for thirty-five years. In 1922 he rented his farm and moved to Decorah. Has held various offices in his township and county, acting as township clerk, assessor and county supervisor. He is married to Bertha Woldt and has two daughters. Member of the Lutheran church. Elected representative from the ninety-first district in 1926. A republican in politics.

Francis Johnson
Representative from Dickinson county, was born in Butler county, Iowa, August 6, 1890. His parents are F.H. and Anna Johnson of Terril, Iowa. Has lived at Terril since ten years of age. He was graduated from the Terril and Spirit Lake high schools and the college of law of Iowa State University. Was admitted to the bar in 1912. Married to Sara E. Thompson in 1914. In his home county he has served as president of the farm bureau, township clerk, member of the forthieth, fortieth extra, and forty-first general assemblies. Elected to the legislature in 1922, 1924 and 1926. He is actively engaged in farming and the breeding of Poland China hogs. Is a member of the Terril Methodist Episcopal church and the Richloyd lodge of A.F. and A.M. Republican in politics.

Joseph H. Johnson
Representative from Marion county, was born on a farm in that county July 26, 1878. Attended the district school, graduated from Central college at Pella, Iowa, in 1902, and from the law department of the University of Chicago in 1905. Engaged in the general practice of law at Knoxville. He is president of the board of education of the independent school district of Knoxville, and a member of the Masonic lodge. Married Pearl Eastburn July 31, 1907, and has four children. Republican in politics. Elected to the general assembly in 1924 and reelected in 1926.

Raymond Johnson
Representative from Keokuk county, was born in Richland, Keokuk county, Iowa, May 20, 1875. Attended school in Richland, graduated from the Richland high school and entered Cornell college in 1892, studying civil engineering. He then went to Iowa State College at Ames, where he graduated in the veterinary department in 1895. Married Kathryn M. Conner of Savannah, Mo., March 25, 1901. They have two children, Marie C. and Raymond O. He practiced the veterinary profession until Aug. 1, 1899, when he was appointed veterinary inspector for the bureau of animal industry, U.S. department of agriculture. In December, 1912, he gave this up and returned to the practice of veterinary medicine, also entering the farming and live stock business at Richland. Has been active in political matters, is a member of farm organizations, the Methodist church, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and Royal Arch and Scottish Rite Masonry. A republican in politics.

J.P. Kennedy
Representative from Lee county, was born in Keokuk, Iowa and came with his parents to Montrose, Iowa, when six weeks of age, and has resided there ever since. Never held any political office except president of the board of education. His father came from County Mayo, Ireland, and his mother the city of Dublin. Educated in the Montrose high school, and the law department of the State University at Iowa City. Is married and has three daughters. Member of Masonic, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Woodman fraternities. Republican in politics.

Wm. S. Kennedy
Representative from Lee county, was born on a farm in that county May 16, 1879. Educated in the rural schools. Served in the Spanish-American war with the Fourteenth U.S. Infantry, being among the first troops sent to the Phillippines. Took part in numerous battles and skirmishes, being wounded in a battle near Malate February 5, 1899. After being discharged worked in the mines through the western states until 1908, returning to Iowa at that time and engaging in farming in Lee county. Married Julia T. Sullivan at Butte, Montana, February 28, 1905, who died on October 19, 1915. Married October 3, 1917, at Altoona, Iowa, to Emily Kennedy. Has four children, two boys and two girls. A member of the Belmont lodge, No. 541, A.F.&A.M. of Hillsboro, Iowa. Elected to the house of representatives in 1924. Reelected in 1926. Republican in politics.

John W. Kent
Representative from Lucas county. Born in Cook county, Illinois, March 9, 1867. Moved to Lucas county, Iowa, with his parents in 1869, where he has since resided. Educated in the public schools. A farmer, stock raiser and pure bred Hereford breeder. Owns three hundred and seventy acres of land. Republican in politics. Member of the Masonic fraternity; has been trustee of Jackson township and school treasurer for a number of years; was member of board of supervisors six years. Elected representative in 1924, and reelected in 1926.

J.A. King
Representative from Clay county, was born in Clay county, Iowa, April 13, 1876. Moved with his parents to the farm on which he now lives, when about three years old. Received his early education in the common schools and afterward attended Nora Springs seminary where he graduated in 1898. Taught in the country schools of Clay county three years. Was married to Effie A. Anderson, August 28, 1902. Has two children, James Russel, born August 23, 1903, and Julia Leone, born October 21, 1909. Has been actively engaged in farming since 1901 and was president of the Clay county farm bureau three years. Member of the Odd Fellows and Masonic lodges. Elected to the legislature in November, 1922, reelected in 1924 and 1926. A republican in politics.

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