Convention Member J. Scott Richman

Convention Member
Republican
Born March 11, 1820, at Somerset, Perry County, Ohio, the son of Rev. Evert and Mary (Scott) Richman. He is of Holland and English descent. Mr. Richman passed his youth on a farm in Bucks County, Pa., where his mother made her home, and attended the subscription schools during the winter months until fourteen years of age, when he engaged as clerk in a country store, continuing in that employment until he was eighteen. He then started westward, stopping a short time at Knoxville, Ill., where he began the study of law, but in the summer of 1839 came to Muscatine, Iowa, where his elder brother John W., resided, and was engaged in the wholesale grocery business. Mr. Richman pursued his law studies at Muscatine, was admitted to the bar in September, 1839, and engaged in the practice of his profession at Rochester, Cedar County, Iowa, until the removal of the county seat to Tipton, when he transferred his office to that town, but practiced there but a short time. Returning to Muscatine in the fall of 1840, Mr. Richman began business in the city by forming a law partnership with Hon. S. C. Hastings, afterward a member of Congress. That connection continued with marked success until 1847, when Mr. Hastings was appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court of Iowa. From that date until 1855, Mr. Richman was alone in his practice, and succeeded in establishing a very satisfactory business, but in that year he formed a law partnership with his younger brother, DeWitt C., late judge of the Second Circuit of the Seventh District. Under the firm name of Richman & Bro. Mr. Richman was a Whig in early life, and though not a politician in the ordinary acceptation of the term, he won prominence in public affairs as he advanced in years. In 1846, he was chosen of member of the convention that framed the first constitution adopted by the citizens of Iowa. In 1856, Mr. Richman served as a member of the Legislature in the Fifth special session, acting on several important committees. At Knoxville, Ill., on the 16th of November, 1842, Judge Richman was united in matrimony with Miss Calista Ann Hannaman, a native of Noblesville. Ind. Judge Richman was one of the pioneer Masons of Iowa, a member of Iowa Lodge No. 2, A. F. &. A. M., of Muscatine, and a member of the Republican Party.