Senior member of the firm of Hakes Bros., Laurens, is a native of Jones county, Iowa, where he was raised on a farm. In 1880 he graduated from the scientific department of the State Agricultural College at Ames. During the next four years he was in the employ of a railroad construction company and worked on the Oregon Short Line in Idaho, the Denver, South Park and Pacific in Colorado, and the extension of the B. C. R. and N. Ry. to Watertown, S. D. In December 1884 he married Hattie L. Arnold of Marion, Iowa, and in January 1885 located at Laurens, where he was engaged as a dealer in general merchandise and poultry. He was associated with Charles J. Bovee in the lumber and coal business at Laurens from 1892 to 1900. Mr. Hakes is a democrat in politics and in 1912 was a delegate from the tenth district of Iowa to the national convention of his party at Baltimore. For many years he was a leader in county and state politics, and he has done much in securing victory for his party. From 1885 to 1889 he was postmaster of Laurens, and from 1890 to 1895 he served upon the city council and exercised his official prerogatives in securing the betterment of the city along a number of lines. He represented his district in the thirtieth and thirty-first general assemblies of the state of Iowa and in 1908 was a candidate for congress against Frank P. Wood. He and his wife are Protestants in their religious belief and can be depended upon to support all worthy causes. He was one of the foremost citizens of Pocahontas County and all who have been brought in contact with him hold him in the highest esteem and respect, while he was especially popular in the Masonic order and the Knights of Pythias, to both of which organizations he belonged.

Senior member of the firm of Hakes Bros., Laurens, is a native of Jones county, Iowa, where he was raised on a farm. In 1880 he graduated from the scientific department of the State Agricultural College at Ames. During the next four years he was in the employ of a railroad construction company and worked on the Oregon Short Line in Idaho, the Denver, South Park & Pacific in Colorado, and the extension of the B. C. R. & N. Ry. to Watertown, S. D. In December 1884 he married Hattie L. Arnold of Marion, Iowa, and in January 1885 located at Laurens, where he was engaged as a dealer in general merchandise and poultry. He was associated with Charles J. Bovee in the lumber and coal business at Laurens from 1892 to 1900. Mr. Hakes is a democrat in politics and in 1912 was a delegate from the tenth district of Iowa to the national convention of his party at Baltimore. For many years he was a leader in county and state politics, and he has done much in securing victory for his party. From 1885 to 1889 he was postmaster of Laurens, and from 1890 to 1895 he served upon the city council and exercised his official prerogatives in securing the betterment of the city along a number of lines. He represented his district in the thirtieth and thirty-first general assemblies of the state of Iowa and in 1908 was a candidate for congress against Frank P. Wood. He and his wife are Protestants in their religious belief and can be depended upon to support all worthy causes. He was one of the foremost citizens of Pocahontas County and all who have been brought in contact with him hold him in the highest esteem and respect, while he was especially popular in the Masonic order and the Knights of Pythias, to both of which organizations he belonged.