Born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1846. In 1852 his-father concluded that the land across the sea offered better inducements than old England; he therefore embarked with his family upon a ship bound for New Orleans. After a voyage of eleven weeks the family arrived there safely, and after a brief stop in the Crescent city, they came up the Mississippi river on a packet steamer to Davenport, Iowa. When Senator Hurst was a lad of 9 years, his father died, and he was thus early thrown upon his own resources. When very young he enlisted in the army, in the transportation service. He was thus engaged nineteen months, and was present at the battles of Paducah, Shiloh, and Ft. Donelson. After leaving the army he engaged in the steam boating business on the upper Mississippi until 1866, when he returned to Davenport and learned the trade of brick and plaster mason. During his labors as mason he made extensive studies in different qualities of lime that he used, and reached the conclusion that he could improve on the methods of making it. He accomplished his object of improvements in this line, and has been engaged in the business ever since. In their home town the Hurst brothers Alfred and William K. are known as the " Invincibles, " because of their success in every undertaking. Senator Hurst is one of the staunchest of democrats, and by his genial disposition has won friends throughout the entire state, and by his generosity and public spirited ways his local friends want him to represent them in office. He has served five years as a member of the board of supervisors of Jackson county, and is serving his second term in the senate. He is interested in all matters of legislation that will be of good to the people. Senator Hurst is not an orator, but in committee work he makes apparent his ability. Last year he was on the committees on ways and means, appropriations, railways, senatorial and representative districts, highways, military, pharmacy, printing, retrenchment and reform and public buildings. He and ex-Senator Hipwell, of Davenport, were the Damon and Pythias of the past two assemblies. He was married in 1872 to Miss Sarah Lary, and to them have been born six children. Senator Hurst is a member of the Masonic, I. O. O. F. and K. P. lodges.

Jackson county's Democratic Senator, the Hon. Alfred Hurst, is now serving his second term. His first acquaintance with the Iowa Legislature as a member was in the Senate of the Twenty-fourth General Assembly. Mr. Hurst is a native of "Merrie England," having been born at Grimsby, November 19, 1846. His parents moved to Davenport, Iowa, while Alfred was quite young, and his education was carried on in the public schools of that city. In the civil war Mr. Hurst was for two years in the marine service in the Mississippi river squadron. For the past twenty-two years he has been in the lime manufacturing business at Maquoketa, Jackson county, and is regarded as quite a substantial citizen. The people having confidence in his business ability placed him on the board of county supervisors for five years and then sent him to the State Senate. He is a member of the Masons and Odd Fellows and a man who makes a jolly member of any company he may join. In the Legislature he does not work in any special line, but watches all quite closely, and is found voting for the best interests of the people. Two years ago he served on the committees on railways, agriculture, labor, commerce, federal relations, and enrolled bills.

Jackson County's Democratic Senator, the Hon. Alfred Hurst, is among the holdovers. His first acquaintance with the Iowa legislature as a member was in the Senate of the Twenty-fourth General Assembly. Mr. Hurst is a native of "Merrie England," having been born at Grimsby November 19, 1846. His parents moved to Davenport, Iowa, while Alfred was quite young, and his education was carried on in the public schools of that city. In the civil war Mr. Hurst was for two years in the marine service in the Mississippi river squadron. For the past twenty-two years he has been in the lime manufacturing business at Maquoketa, Jackson county, and is regarded as quite a substantial citizen. The people having confidence in his business ability placed him on the board of county supervisors for five years and then sent him to the State Senate. He is a member of the Masons and Odd Fellows and a man who makes a jolly member of any company he may join. In the Legislature he does not work in any special line, but watches all quite closely, and is found voting for the best interests of the people.

Jackson county's Democratic Senator, the Hon. Alfred Hurst, is among the holdovers. His first acquaintance with the Iowa legislature as a member was in the Senate of the Twenty-fourth General Assembly. Mr. Hurst is a native of "Merrie England," having been born at Grimsby November 19, 1846. His parents moved to Davenport, Iowa, while Alfred was quite young, and his education was carried on in the public schools of that city. In the civil war Mr. Hurst was for two years in the marine service in the Mississippi river squadron. For the past twenty-two years he has been in the lime manufacturing business at Maquoketa, Jackson county, and is regarded as quite a substantial citizen. The people having confidence in his business ability placed him on the board of county supervisors for five years and then sent him to the State Senate. He is a member of the Masons and Odd Fellows and a man who makes a jolly member of any company he may join. In the Legislature he does not work in any special line, but watches all quite closely, and is found voting for the best interests of the people.