Iowa History

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Iowa Official Registers

1927 -1928

BIOGRAPHIES
Iowa Supreme Court Justices

EVANS, William D. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born in Marquette county, Wis. 1852. In 1858 he came with his parents to Williamsburg, Iowa. Here he attended the public schools. In 1873 he entered the state university. While a student at the university he taught school and was an instructor in a number of teachers' institutes during vacation. He graduated from the liberal arts course of the university in 1878 and the following year took the law course from which he graduated in 1879. Following his admittance to the bar in 1879, he located at Hampton. In 1902 he was elected judge of the district court for the eleventh judicial district. During the year 1907-8 he was law lecturer at the state university. In September, 1908, he was nominated for judge of the supreme curt by the republican state convention to fill a vacancy occasioned by the death of Charles A. Bishop. He was elected at the general election and by reason of statute served as chief justice of the supreme court in 1909, 1916, 1921, 1922 and 1927. Was re-elected in 1910, again in 1916. He is a republican in politics.

MORLING, Edgar A. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born at Boonville, New York, April 21, 1864. Graduated Albany Law school and admitted to the bar at Albany, New York, 1886. Practiced one year in New York state. From 1887 to 1889, engaged in legal editorial work at St. Paul, Minnesota. Came to Emmetsburg, Iowa, in 1889, and has ever since resided there, engaged in the practice of law until appointed to office of justice supreme curt October 1, 1925 by Governor Hammill. Elected 1926 to fill balance of term of the late Justice Arthur. Married 1888 to Flora B. Tripp, who died October 6, 1920. Four children, William E. Morling (died October 29, 1926), Mrs. Ruth M. Shover, Max M. and Maynard A. Morling.

FAVILLE, Frederick F. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born on a farm in Mitchell county, Iowa. He attended the public schools at Mitchell, Iowa, and later the Cedar Valley seminary at Osage, Iowa. He attended Iowa state college at Ames, from which he graduated with the degree of bachelor of science. He attended the law department of the university of Maryland at Baltimore and completed his course in law at the state university of Iowa in 1891. After being admitted to the bar, he began the practice of law at Sioux Rapids, Iowa, and moved from there to Storm Lake in 1895. He served two terms as county attorney of Buena Vista county. He was presidential elector from the eleventh congressional district in 1904. In 1907 he was appointed by President Roosevelt as United States attorney for the northern district of Iowa, and served in that office over six years. In 1918 he moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa, and continued the practice of law. In 1920 he was elected to the supreme bench, and re-elected in 1926. By reason of statute chief justice in 1925. Republican in politics.
 

VERMILION, Charles W. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born at Centerville, Iowa, November 6, 1866, son of the late W.F. Vermilion and Mary A.C. (Kemper) Vermilion. Married Clara Eloise Biddle June 2, 1897. Attended De Paul university, and graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan in 1889. Upon graduation, entered the practice at Centerville, with his father. Elected county attorney of Appanoose county in 1892, re-elected in 1894. Appointed to the district bench of the second judicial district by Governor Leslie M. Shaw January 1, 1902, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Hon. T.M. Fee. Remained in that position until appointed by Governor Nathan E. Kendall, November 15, 1923, to fill the vacancy on the supreme curt caused by the death of Hon. Silas M. Weaver. Elected to fill the unexpired portion of that term in 1924. Re-elected for full term in 1926.

ALBERT, Elma G. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born June 5, 1866, near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; came to Iowa in 1870. Graduated from the law department of Drake University in June, 1891, and entered upon the practice of law. County attorney of Greene county, Iowa, for six years commencing January 1, 1900. District judge of the 16 judicial district from January 1, 1915, until elected to supreme bench in November, 1924.

DE GRAFF, Lawrence --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born at Apple River, Illinois, June , 1871. Educated at Morgan Park academy, Dixon College (A.B.) University of Chicago (Ph.D.), Northern Illinois college of law (LL.M.). Began the practice of law in Chicago, and removed to Des Moines in 1898 as secretary and instructor in the Highland Park college of law, and entered upon the practice in Des Moines with the firm of Miller, Wallingofrd and De Graff. First assistant attorney general of Iowa under Hon. Chas. W. Mullan, 1904-1907. County attorney, Polk county, Iowa, 1907-1910. District judge, ninth judicial district, 1910-1921. elected justice of the supreme court 1920; re-elected second term 1926. Married Grace L. Clark August 4, 1901; two children, Lawrence Jr., age 17, and Barbara, age 11. Author of several legal textbooks, Republican in Politics. Resides at 4920 Country Club boulevard, Des Moines, Iowa.
 

KINDIG, James W. --Judge of Supreme Court. Born at Welton, Clinton county, Iowa, December 3, 1879. Moved to Woodbury county with his parents in March, 1887, and attended the public schools. Graduated from Morningside Academy in 1902, and received the degree of A.B. from Morningside college in 1906, and the degree of LL.B. from the University of Washington in 1907. Entered the practice of law at Sioux City in June, 1907. Was assistant county attorney of Woodbury county and advisor of the board of supervisors from January 1, 1915, until August 1, 1917. Was assistant attorney general of Iowa under Hon. H.M. Havner in 1917 and 1918, and then again entered the general practice of law in Sioux City. Was appointed justice of the supreme court April 19, 1927. Married Gertrude Crossan September 3, 1908. Has two children, Burdette and Lowell. Republican in politics.
 

STEVENS, Truman S. --Judge of the Supreme Court, was born in Tama county, Iowa, in 1868. Attended the public schools, the Guthrie county high school; graduated from the law department of the state university and in 1892 located at Hamburg, Fremont county, where he still resides. Was appointed judge of the fifteenth judicial district February 1, 1917, and to the supreme court May, 1917. Was elected to said office in 1918 and re-elected in 1922. Has held no other public office except that of county attorney of Fremont county for one term. Was married in 1893 to Miss Cora Patterson. They had one daughter born to them, Velma, who died December 14, 1910, at the age of thirteen.