The member of the House from Decatur county is the Hon. Z. H. Gurley, of Lamoni. He was born in Hancock county, Illinois. February 24, 1842, and is the fourth son of Elder Zenas H. and Margaret Gurley. In childhood he moved with his parents to Jo Daviess county, from there into Lafayette county, and some years later returned to Illinois, settling in Knox county. He received his education in the common schools of Illinois and Wisconsin, but being studious he has picked up under the pressure of necessity considerable information, and may well be termed a self-made man. He was raised a Democrat, and was, like Douglas, a warm supporter of the war, after which time he remained independent and mingled little in politics. In 1880 he became fully identified with the Republican party. He came to Iowa in 1870. He was married to Miss Grace Robinson. They have five girls and two boys all living. Previous to being elected a member of the Twenty-fifth General Assembly he had not held any public office except that of assessor and member of the school board. He was ordained a minister in 1871. and subsequently through force of circumstances became engaged in the war against the "twin relic" in Utah. He worked three months at Washington for the passage of the Edmunds anti-polygamy bill and now enjoys the satisfaction of seeing that the Utah church has publicly renounced that dogma, and accepted the law. By reason of this he believes Utah gained statehood. In religion he is a Protestant, broad and liberal. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. In the last House he was a member of the committees on retrenchment and reform, school for the deaf, institution for feeble-minded, engrossed bills, and chairman of the committee on public charities. He did good work in committees and upon the floor of the House, and fully merits the compliment of a second term which his constituents have bestowed upon him.

The member of the House from Decatur County is the Hon. Z. H. Gurley, who was born in Hancock County, Illinois, February 24, 1843, and is the fourth son of Elder Zenas and Margaret Gurley. In childhood he moved with his parents to Jo Davis county, from there into Lafayette county, Wisconsin, and finally after some years returned to Illinois, settling in Knox county. He received his education in the common schools of Wisconsin and Illinois, but being studious has picked up under the pressure of necessity considerable information. He was raised a Democrat and like Douglas, a warm supporter of the war, after which he remained independent mingling but little in politics till 1880, when he became fully identified with the Republican party. He came to Iowa in 1870. He married Miss Gracie Robinson and has made his home here since that time. He has never held public office except that of assessor and member of school board. He was ordained a minister in 1871, and subsequently through force of circumstances became engaged in the war against "twin relic" in Utah. In religion he is Protestant, broad aad liberal. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. In legislation he is interested in the welfare of the State and in all her institutions, but has no hobby. He believes however that prohibition should be, if possible, satisfactorily settled and that assessment and tax laws might be improved.