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HON. RALPH POWERS, judge of the Municipal Court of Des
Moines, has the distinction of being the youngest man to sit in this
court, and as its judge he is proving his ability and his knowledge of
the law, and at the same time administrating justice impartially to all
classes. He was born at Chariton, Iowa, March 20, 1894, a son of Fred
and Zora (Holmes) Powers, both of whom were born at Chariton. They are
now residents of Des Moines, and highly regarded by
their fellow citizens.
For many years the father worked as an iron smelter. He and his wife had
eight children born to them, of whom Judge Powers is the eldest. The
parents are active members of the Church of Christ, and he is an honored
brother in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. As a Republican he is a
well known figure in politics. The Powers family is a pioneer one in
Iowa, in which state the grandparents, W. C. and Emily (Blair) Powers,
came before it was admitted to the Union, from Ohio where both had been
born. They had a strange experience on their trip to their new home.
While crossing the Mississippi River on a ferry boat the wagon fell off
the ferry, but the horses swam to shore, dragging the wagon behind them,
so that the loss was small one.
It is a difficult matter for the present generation to understand the
dangers and hardships of the pioneer period, because all of those
conditions have passed with the progress along all lines and the
settlement of the country. Where once there were but a few huts, today
are either large commercial communities or well cultivated farms, and in
view of this extraordinary progress one cannot but admire the
intelligence, zeal and perseverance of the ones who
blazed the way for succeeding generations. Existence on what was the
frontier when the grandparents of Judge Powers came to Iowa was full of
the tragedy of Indian warfare, but this has been softened by peace and
religion. In that struggle of the pioneers, when man pitted himself
against primeval forest and aboriginal inhabitant, the strongest types
of manhood and womanhood were evolved. W. C. Powers and his wife settled
at Eddyville, Iowa, and there for a
number of years he managed a lumber company, and in spite of his hard
work and tireless energy, lived to be eighty-four years of age, and the
grandmother lived to reach the same venerable age. The maternal
grandparents of Judge Powers, W. S. and Eliza (Shutt) Holmes, natives of
Southern Ohio, moved to Iowa at a very early day and settled at
Chariton, where he engaged in farming. His death occurred from cancer
when he was seventy-seven years old. Of the twelve children born to him
and his wife eleven are living.
Judge Powers attended the public schools of Ottumwa, Iowa, and was
graduated from Drake University in 1917, with the degree of Bachelor of
Laws, and immediately thereafter entered upon the practice of his
profession at Des Moines, and his success is all the more remarkable
from the fact that he has made his own way in life, having worked his
way through both high school and the university.
On August 27, 1917, Judge Powers enlisted for service in the World war,
and went to the Officers Training Camp at Fort Snelling, where he
remained for ninety days, after which he was assigned to the Fortieth
Infantry at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, where he continued until in
February, 1918, at which time he was transferred to the Camp Stanley,
Texas. In August of that same year he was sent to Camp Perry, Ohio,
where he remained for thirty days, after which he was transferred to
Camp Travis, Texas, and placed in the Fifty-third Field Artillery and
kept at that point until early in November, when he entered the School
of Fire, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he remained for ninety days, after
which he was sent back to Camp Travis. Through all of these changes he
held the rank of a second lieutenant. In February, 1919, he was
honorably discharged, and returned to his law practice at Des Moines in
April, 1920. From 1923 to 1925 he was captain of the local company of
the Iowa National Guard, and he has taken an active part in the American
Legion. Under Vernon R. Seeberger he served as assistant state's
attorney for four years, and then, March 26, 1928, he was elected judge
of the Municipal Court of Des Moines, which office he is still holding.
On January 18, 1924, Judge Powers married Miss Helen Sheely, who was
born at Des Moines and educated in its high school. She is a daughter of
Jesse and Josephine E. (Wheeler) Sheely, members of pioneer families of
Iowa. Mr. Sheely served as a soldier in the Civil war, and by occupation
was a bridge builder, having constructed some of the first bridges in
Iowa and Nebraska. Judge and Mrs. Powers are both active members of the
Christian Church. He is a
Scottish-Rite Mason in fraternal connections, and a Republican
politically. His associates recognize the fact that Judge Powers
possesses a brilliant intellectuality, is clear and cool in judgment,
and has a fine discriminating ability, which admirable qualities result
in giving to his official life a direction that is wise and beneficial
along many lines of usefulness. |
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~ source: A Narrative History of The People
of Iowa, Edgar Rubey
Harlan, LL. B., A. M.,
Chicago and New York, 1931
~ transcribed and contributed by: Debbie Clough
Gerischer, Iowa History Project
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