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Iowa Official Registers

1927 -1928

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Iowa State Officers

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]
 

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