Iowa State Representatives
Leonard Simmer
Representative from Wapello county, was born in Wapello county, 1890. Graduate
public schools of Agency, Iowa, of Iowa Wesleyan college in 1914, of law school
of State University of Iowa in 1920. Engaged in the practice of law in Ottumwa,
Iowa, since 1920. Married in 1915 to Agnes Shank of Agency, Iowa. Has four
children.
George W. Smith
Representative from O'Brien county, was born in Richland county, Ohio, January
24, 1868, coming to Benton county, Iowa, in 1884. He was educated in the public
schools of Ohio and Tilford Academy at Vinton, Iowa. Moved to Sioux county in
1889 and was married in 1890 to Effie Troutman of Benton county. Four sons were
born to them, Clarence E., Orlo H., Jesse E. and Marvin W. Jesse E. died while
in S.A.T.C., Morningside college in 1918. Mr. Smith moved to O'Brien county in
1902, where he engaged in farming and the raising of pure bred cattle and hogs.
He retired from the farm in 1920 and has since lived in Paulina. He is a member
of the M.E. church, a Thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the Eastern Star
and Modern Woodmen of America, and is a republican in politics. Member of the
forty-first and forty-second general assemblies.
Michael F. Springer
Representative from Decatur county, was born on a farm in that county January
15, 1870. Lived continuously on the farm until 1920, when he moved to Leon, but
still continues the active management of the farms. Received his education in
the rural schools. On December 25, 1895, he was married to Mary Frances Stone
and to this union three children were born, George, John and Helen, who are
graduates from the State University of Iowa. Has been a life-long democrat. Has
served in various township offices. Was chairman of the county central
committee, secretary of the farm bureau, president of Leon school board, state
representative for the farmers union. Was a member of the fortieth general
assembly, defeated in the forty-first and reelected to the forty-second general
assembly.
W.H. Stepanek
Representative from Forty-eighth district (Linn county). Was born on a farm in
Johnson county May 8, 1868, and gained his early education in the public schools
at Ely and the Cedar Rapids business college. At the age of twenty-one he left
the farm to take a position with a hardware company, remaining four years. In
1894 organized the Stepanek-Vondracek Hardware Company in Cedar Rapids. Was
married June 11, 1892, to Josephine Chastek, and has one son, Leo. Is a member
of the People's Church. Active in civic affairs, having been a director in the
old chamber of commerce, a city councilman, commissioner of finance under the
commission plan, chairman of the court house committee that was instrumental in
location the county seat at Cedar Rapids, and is at present chairman of thee mercantile bureau of the chamber of commerce, a director in the Western
Bohemian Fraternal association, member of the Rotary club and the zoning
commission, as well as all bodies of the Masonic order. A republican in
politics.
E.B. Thomas
Representative from Audubon county, was born October 9, 1884, in Marshall
county, Iowa. Attended district schools of that county and the high school at
Marshalltown. Graduated in 1905 from the four-year course in animal husbandry at
Iowa State college. Moved to Audubon county in 1909, where he has been actively
engaged in the business of farming, making the breeding of Shorthorn cattle a
specialty. Served as township trustee, director of the Audubon County Fair
association, and as president of the county farm bureau. Has served as secretary
of the Iowa Beef Producers Association. In 1906 was married to Minnie Maharg and
to them three children were born, Frances Ada, Elbert Maharg and Homer Earl.
Member of the Presbyterian church and Masonic bodies. Elected representative in
1924 and reelected in 1926. A republican in politics.
Thore Thompson
Representative from Fayette county, Iowa, was born August 23, 1877, at Wadena,
Iowa. He received his education in the district school, attended Upper Iowa
university for two terms, also attended the agricultural college at Madison,
Wisconsin, for two terms. Has been engaged in farming and live stock feeding. in
June of 1908 he was married to Miss Olive Gunderson of St. Olaf, Iowa. To them
were born seven children: Orvin, Tillman, Evelyn, Floyd, Torvald, Glen and Earl.
He is a member of the Lutheran church, a director in the Wadena Savings bank and
has been farm bureau director and township trustee. Republican in politics.
S.R. Torgeson
Representative from Worth county, was born in the county which he represents on
May 28, 1892. He received his early education in the rural schools. Being a
farmer's son, he was also schooled by the various teachings which farm life
offers in hard knocks. In 1912 he completed his high school work at Waldorf
college, Forest City, Iowa, and was graduated from St. Olaf college, Northfield,
Minnesota, receiving the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1917. He taught in the
public schools for a short period. In 1919 he entered banking in the Citizens
Saving bank, Hanlontown, Iowa, and had the position of assistant cashier. The
Farmers Trust and Savings bank, Joice, Iowa, elected him cashier in 1922, which
office he now occupies. He married Miss Emma Dahl of Worth county. They have one
son, Dean Nathan, born May 2, 1926. Besides his regular duties, he has held the
following offices: Justice of the peace, town clerk, secretary of the school
board and telephone companies, treasurer of Joice Cooperative Creamery,
president of St. Ansgar Circuit Young Peoples Luther League, member of the
county board of education, secretary of the Worth County Bankers Association,
secretary of the Waldorf College Association, and treasurer of the International
Young Peoples Luther League. He is a member of the Lutheran church. He was
elected to the legislature in 1926. Republican in politics.
Martin H. Troup
Representative from Story county, was born on a farm in Washington township,
Polk county, Iowa, March 30, 1877, the third son of Rev. Henry H. Troup, now
deceased. Was reared and grew to manhood upon the farm and after marriage
operated a farm for himself for some years. Upon leaving the farm he engaged in
the grain, coal and lumber business. From this employment accepted an
opportunity to enter the banking business, which was followed for a number of
years until he disposed of his banking business and engaged in the investment
and farm loan business which he now handles, together with the settlement of
estates. He has always been a supporter of the republican party, is a member of
the Methodist Episcopal church, Masonic and Eastern Star orders. Served in the
forty-first and forty-second general assemblies of Iowa.
J.B. Truax
Representative from Buchanan county, was born in Indiana in 1859. In 1864 he
moved to Iowa with his parents who settled on a farm in the northern part of
Buchanan county. He followed the occupation of farmer until 1884, when he met
with an accident which made it impossible for him to continue. He worked in a
general store for a number of years, and in 1892 was elected county recorder for
Buchanan county and served five consecutive terms. During that time he purchased
a set of abstract books and followed that occupation for a number of years. He
was married to Ella O. Lawrence of Hazelton, Iowa, November 7, 1880, and to them
was born one daughter who is now the wife of A.J. Schuette, who is the
proprietor of the book store in Independence. Mr. Truax is a member of
Independence Lodge No. 87 A.F. & A.M and has been its secretary for twenty-six
years. He is also a member of O.E.S. and of the Methodist church. He has always
been a republican in politics. He was elected representative of the
sixty-seventh district in 1924 and reelected in 1926.
D.A. Vaughn
Representative from Ringgold county, was born on a farm in Fairfield county,
Ohio, July 14, 1872. Moved with his parents and sister to Ringgold county, Iowa,
in October, 1882. Received his education in the schools of the county and
attended the old Shenandoah college for one term. From early manhood he has been
engaged in general farming, live stock breeding and feeding. He has held a
number of township and other offices of trust, is a member of all of the
branches of the I.O.O.F. Order of the Modern Woodman. He was married to Susie E.
Hutchinson of Benton, Iowa, in January, 1901, to which union eight children were
born, seven of whom are living, Perry, Lela, Orlo, Ethel, Bernice, Viona and
Merle. He was elected to represent the seventh district in 1926. A republican in
politics.
G.L. Venard
Representative from Sioux county, was born in Muscatine county, Iowa, August 7,
1860. His parents came from Indiana in 1856, taking up land in Muscatine county.
Received his education in the rural schools. Attended the Wilton academy two
years. He's been actively engaged in farming for the past twenty-eight years in
Sioux county. Served on the board of education eighteen years, was township
clerk fourteen years and assessor four years. Was elected representative in
march, 1921, to fill vacancy, reelected in 1922, in 1924, and again in 1926. A
republican in politics.
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