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         HON. JAMES SIMPSON HURLEY, an honored pioneer of Louisa County, and a prominent member of the Iowa bar, was born in Champaign County, Ohio, on the 18th of May, 1829, and is a son of David and Elizabeth (Downs) Hurley. His father was a native of New Jersey, born about 1793, and the paternal grandfather of our subject was an earnest patriot of the American Revolution, bearing a conspicuous part in that great struggle which resulted in founding the grandest nation on the face of the earth. The noble principle of patriotism that animated the hero of 1876 has been transmitted to his posterity, and the Hurleys of the nineteenth century have never been found wanting in devotion to their country.

The mother of our subject was born in New Jersey, and was a woman of superior mental powers, liberal education, and possessed many excellencies of character that eminently fitted her for the care of her children in a country devoid of the advantages of education and society. It was to her unremitting care and instruction that J. S. Hurley is indebted for the material education of his youth, and the inculcation of the moral principles that formed his character, and which have governed his actions through a long life of activity and usefulness.

David Hurley, a sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this work, was a pioneer of Champaign County, Ohio, and a member of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, as commonly known. He emigrated to Louisa County, Iowa, in 1840, with his family, and settled on a farm near Wapello. James S., then a lad of eleven years, worked on his father’s farm, and four years later began attending the district schools, which had then become an established fact, and where he had the advantage of such instruction as the pioneer schoolmaster could impart. From the death of his father, in March, 1846, until 1852, he devoted himself to the care of the farm, and aided in maintaining the family. He then entered upon an academic course at Knox College, Galesburg, Ill., but six months later was obliged to return to the farm and assume its management. In the meantime he entered upon a course of reading for the legal profession, under the preceptorship of B. F. Wright, and during the winter of 1853-54 attended the law school at Dubuque. He was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1854, and at once entered upon the practice of his profession at Wapello. In 1855 Mr. Hurley was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Louisa County, which office also involved the duties of the County Judge during the absence of that official. His first election was to fill a vacancy, which was followed by an election for the full term of two years, and during a portion of such term of service he was required to perform the duties of those offices. At the close of his term he continued the practice of his profession at Wapello, and in the fall of 1861 was elected by the Republicans to represent the Fourteenth District in the State Senate for the term of four years, beginning in January in the year 1862. During the first session of that Legislature the most important committee on . . .

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. . . which he was called to serve was that of Schools and Universities, and among others that on New Counties and on Commerce. It was during that session that Mr. Hurley introduced and managed the bill for the settlement of claims for swamp lands, which were given the State by Act of Congress of 1850. By the provisions of that bill a vast amount of valuable land was reclaimed by the State. There were two regular and one special session during these four years. In the regular session of 1864 Mr. Hurley was on the Committee on Incorporation and on Banks, and was Chairman of the committee on the State Library. In the latter committee he had charge of the bill which finally became a law, placing this library upon a substantial basis, and it now stands the fourth best in the United States, the tabular statement of the State Libraries being: New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Iowa and California. For his earnest championship of this bill Mr. Hurley was bitterly assailed by the partisan press for the expense incurred, but the wisdom of the measure is now universally conceded, and the possession of the library is the pride of the State.

In 1866 Mr. Hurley was elected President of the Agricultural Society of Louisa County, which at that time did not possess a dollar’s worth of property. At the expiration of four years, when he retired, the association was the owner of property to the amount of $4,000. In 1868 he conceived the idea of building a railroad from Burlington to Cedar Rapids, to connect with the road then being built from the latter city northward. At a meeting called at Burlington for the purpose of organizing the company, Mr. Hurley presented articles of incorporation, which were adopted, and the company was formed. He was elected a director and a member of the Executive Committee, and served in both capacities until the completion of the road. In the fall of 1869 he was again elected to the State Senate for a term of four years, and during the first session was appointed on the Judiciary, Constitutional Amendments and Bank Committees, and was Chairman of the Committee on Public Lands. In the second session, commencing in January, 1872, he was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and member on Elections, Congressional Districts, and compensation of public officers. During that session he introduced the bill enlarging the powers of the Circuit Judges, reducing the number in each judicial district, and enlarging their salaries, which bill became a law; he also introduced a bill for the increase of the salaries of the Judges of the Supreme Court, which likewise became a law. This regular session adjourned for the consideration of the revision of the laws, which resulted in what is known as the code of 1873. In strict justice to Mr. Hurley it should be said that he was indefatigable in the discharge of his legislative duties, and was the author of important bills which have proved of great value to the common-wealth. During the term of eight years of service as a Legislator, he was ever true to the best interests of the people, always ready to promote wise and useful legislation, and on retiring left a record of which his constituents and friends are deservedly proud.

In the practice of his profession Mr. Hurley has won a foremost place among the many able lawyers of Iowa. In 1871 he formed a partnership with John Hale, under the firm name of Hurley & Hale, which connection has continued seventeen years, and the firm has a large practice which extends to all the State and Federal courts of Iowa. In early life Mr. Hurley affiliated with the Whig party, but on the disintegration of that organization he was among the first to join in the formation of the Republican party, of which he has since been an earnest and consistent member. In 1880 he had the honor of being chosen a district delegate to represent Iowa at the National Republican Convention, at Chicago, and participated in the nomination of James A. Garfield for President.

In May, 1857, at Garrettsville, Portage Co., Ohio, Mr. Hurley was united in marriage with Miss Martha N. Garrett, who was born in that city, which was named in honor of her paternal grandfather. She is a daughter of Elisha and Nancy (Eicher) Garrett. Nine children have been born to them, five sons and four daughters, of whom all the daughters and one son are yet living. Forty-eight years have passed since Mr. Hurley, a lad of eleven years of age, first set foot within the bounds of Louisa County, then a wilderness . . .

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. . . just opening to the influence of civilization. Here he grew to manhood, assuming the duties and responsibilities of a man, and here has passed the eventful portion of his life. His course has been such that it has received the cordial indorsement of his old neighbors and fellow-citizens, who, appreciating his ability, strict integrity and sterling worth, have frequently chosen him to public positions of honor and trust, and thus have testified to their esteem, respect and confidence.