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Iowa State Officers
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State Officers
1) Charles Webster,
Railroad Commissioner; 2) Dwight N. Lewis,
Commerce Council; 3) R. M. Richardson, Railroad
Commissioner; 4) Fred P. Woodruff, Railroad
Commissioner; 5) A. B. Funk, Industrial
Commissioner; 6) Burgess W. Garrett, Clerk of
Supreme Court; 7) Ray Yenter, Insurance
Commissioner; 8) U. G. Whitney, Code Editor and
Supreme Court Reporter; 9) W. C. Merckens;
Secretary Executive Council; 10) W. H.
Bailey, Adjutant General. |
WEBSTER, Charles --Railroad
Commissioner, was born on a farm in Waucoma, Iowa, and still
resides on the old homestead entered by his father from the
government in 1854. Married Dolly G. Potter of Lawler, Iowa.
Three children were born to this union, Joe C., Neil A., and
Bennet A. Webster. Was appointed first station agent and
telegraph operator at Waucoma, formed a partnership with is
brother Ace under the firm name of Webster Brothers who have
since been extensive raisers and shippers of live stock, grain
and produce, as well as dealers in lumber. President of
several retail lumber companies. Has been extensively
interested in the building of telephone lines and exchanges.
Has promoted and built gas and electric companies in Arizona.
Delegate to the national republican convention in 1908. Member
f the state council of defense during the war and federal fuel
administrator. Was appointed railroad commissioner by Governor
Harding November 5, 1917, and has been elected three full
terms since that date.
LEWIS, Dwight N. --Commerce Counsel, born in
Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he first attended school. Later removed
to Des Moines, where he continued his education, graduating
from Drake university (law) in 1893, when he was also admitted
to the bar. Secretary of railroad commission in 1899 to 1911.
Assistant commerce counsel, 1911 to 1917. Appointed to vacancy
on commission January 3, 1917; elected to full term 1918, and
re-elected 1922 and 1926. Made commerce counsel for term
starting July 1, 1927. President of National Association of
Railway and Utilities Commissioners 1922-1923. Republican.
RICHARDSON, B.M. --Railroad Commissioner, residence
Cedar Rapids. Born at Brighton, Iowa, February 19, 1896.
Attended Washington county schools and academy at Pleasant
Plain. Married September 22, 1917, to Indamae Sieg of Topeka,
Kansas. Has one son, Donald. Traffic and transportation
experience; has been general clerk, chief clerk, freight
inspector, transit auditor and special representative. Eight
years with Western Railway Inspection Bureau. Served in world
war. Is member of American Legion, Mason and Knight Templar.
Republican in politics. Elected for full term as member of
railroad commission, November 4, 1924.
FUNK, A.B. --Iowa Industrial Commissioner,
administering workmen's compensation service. Born in Adams
county, Ill., January 12, 1854. Came to Hamilton county in
1865. Identified with the 'Spirit Lake Beacon' for thirty-five
years. Established the 'Enterprise' at Flandreau, Dakota, in
1878. In 1879 elected first mayor of Flandreau, and, returning
to Spirit Lake, was in the same year chosen as its first
mayor. Postmaster at Spirit Lake, 1882-5. Delegate to
republican national convention in 1884. State senator
1888-1900. For three sessions president pro-tem and chairman
of ranking committee. President capitol improvement commission
by appointment of Governor Cummins. For six years vice
president of state board of education under two appointments
by Governor Carrol. Resigned to accept present position upon
resignation of Hon. Warren Garst January 1, 1916, by
appointment of Governor Clarke. Reappointed 1919 by Governor
Harding and in 1925 by Governor Hammill.
GARRETT, Burgess W. --Clerk of Supreme Court, was
born on a farm in Van Buren county, Iowa, February 24, 1872.
When a child his parents moved to Davis county, and later, to
Decatur county. Mr. Garrett was educated in the public
schools, Simpson college and St. Joseph university, from which
institution he graduated. He educated himself, being dependent
upon his own resources from the time he was fourteen years of
age. He taught school for a number of years, being principal
of the Decatur high school. Has been chairman of the county
central committee; member of the senatorial and congressional
committees. He was pardon secretary to Governor Cummins.
Served in that capacity until July 1, 1907, when he became the
first secretary of the board of parole. He resigned to became
a candidate for the office he now holds. The office being made
appointive, he has three times been appointed by the court. In
November, 1926, the supreme court elected him to a fifth term.
He has been active in politics, church and benevolent
activities. Was president of the state missionary board of his
church for seven years. Was temporary chairman of the
republican state convention in 1916. A republican in politics.
YENTER, Ray --Commissioner of Insurance, was born on
a farm near Oxford in Johnson county, Iowa, August 17, 1887.
Is a lawyer by profession, having practiced at Iowa City,
Iowa. He was representative from Johnson county during the
thirty-ninth, fortieth, fortieth extra, and forty-first
general assemblies of the state of Iowa. He served as captain
of cavalry in the Iowa National Guard prior to and during the
Mexican border trouble in 1916 and 1917, and served during the
world war as captain field artillery in the United States
army. He assumed his duties as Commissioner of Insurance of
the state of Iowa, March 1, 1926.
WHITNEY, Ulysses Grant --Reporter of the Supreme
Court and code editor, was born July 10, 1864, on a farm near
Union, Iowa. Was admitted to the bar in June, 1890. Was county
attorney in Sioux City for ten years. Was a member of the
thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth general assemblies from
Woodbury county. Was appointed by the judges of the supreme
court to his present position in 1914, reappointed in 1918,
1923 and 1927. Was a member of the Iowa code commission in
1919.
MERCKENS, W.C. --Secretary of the State
Executive Council. Born at Lockridge, Jefferson county, Iowa,
October 18, 1882. Education -- high school and business
course. Enlisted in World War as private, December 2, 1917,
and discharged June 19, 1919, as lieutenant. Overseas 15
months. Married. Republican in politics.
BAILEY, W.H. -- Adjutant General*
LASHER, Louis G.
Adjutant General of Iowa, was born in Davenport, Iowa, March
17, 1873. His education was acquired in the grade and high
schools of Davenport, and the military school Kemper Hall, and
Griswold college. His business career began as a traveling
salesman in 1891, and in 1897 he accepted the position of
manager of the provision business of Swift & Co. at Alleghany
City, Pa., from which place he rejoined Company B, 50th Iowa
Volunteer infantry in May, 1898, for duty in the
Spanish-American war. He served from May 12 to November 30,
1898, in Des Moines, Iowa, and Jacksonville, Fla. On January
5, 1899, he enlisted in the 12th U.S. infantry for service in
the Philippines, and was discharged January 4, 1902. On his
return to the United States, he traveled until July, 1905,
when he helped organize the Lasher Manufacturing Co., of
Davenport, Iowa. September 1, 1906, he accepted the general
managership of the c.O.D. Cleaning & Dyeing Co., of Davenport,
Iowa, and in 1910 became the president and general manager of
that firm. On July 24, 1915, he was appointed by Governor
Clarke as a lieutenant colonel and A.D.C. and was reappointed
to the same position by Governor Harding on February 1, 1917.
On July 20, 1918, he was appointed colonel and assistant
adjutant general of Iowa, and on September 1, 1918, he was
promoted to be brigadier general, and adjutant general of
Iowa, to fill out the unexpired term of Adjutant General
Logan. A republican in politics.
*[transcriber note: there is no biography for
W.H. Bailey in the book, and nowhere else can find his name
mentioned. Louis G. Lasher is named as Adjutant General on
more than one page. Although I have no way of knowing, I
believe there is a good chance that the man identified as W.H.
Bailey in the photo above, is actually Louis G. Lasher --S.F.
April 2004]
continue to Iowa State
Officers pg 2
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