Born in Greene County, Ohio, on the 13th of January 1853, the son of Parker B. and Nancy (Grieve) Harper, who in the year 1857 removed with his family to Mercer County, Illinois, where he resided until 1861, and then went to Monmouth, Illinois. Mr. Harper acquired a public-school education and also attended the academy at Xenia, Ohio. He determined upon a professional career and, thinking to find the practice of law congenial, he began reading under the direction of Judge William C. Norcross at Monmouth, Illinois, and was admitted to the bar at Mount Vernon, in November, 1880. He then located for practice at Roseville, Illinois, where he remained until, 1883, when he came to Burlington, Iowa, as attorney for the Burlington Insurance Company, which he thus represented for thirteen years. On the expiration of that period he was elected to the Iowa Senate and served through the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth General Assemblies and through the special session of the Twenty-sixth. He was connected with much important constructive legislation and he gave most careful consideration to every question that came up for settlement. He was instrumental in holding the semi-centennial of Iowa at Burlington and he secured the passage of a number of bills aiding in the construction of Crapo Park. His influence and his efforts were ever on the side of progress and improvement and he left the impress of his individuality for good upon the laws enacted during his connection with the Senate. Upon his retirement from the General Assembly, Mr. Harper opened a law office in Burlington. In following his profession he has practiced for individuals and not for corporations. He was national attorney for the Chicago School of Naprapathy. Ever a friend of the public-school system, he did active work on its behalf during three years’ connection with the board of education. He served for nine years as president of the Iowa State Good Roads Committee and has long been interested and active in furthering the movement for the establishment of an adequate system of fine public highways. He was sent as the Iowa delegate to Washington to a meeting composed of delegates from all the states to aid in securing the passage of the Latimer-Brown bill asking for an appropriation of twenty million dollars to be distributed among the various states for the development of good roads. His political allegiance has always been given to the Democratic Party. Mr. Harper belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Workmen and had been grand master of the latter. He was also connected with the Maccabees and the Woodmen of the World. He is not identified with any church, but was a worker for good, and a writer of note on religious and other subjects.

Born in Greene County, Ohio, on the 13th of January 1853, the son of Parker B. and Nancy (Grieve) Harper, who in the year 1857 removed with his family to Mercer County, Illinois, where he resided until 1861, and then went to Monmouth, Illinois. Mr. Harper acquired a public-school education and also attended the academy at Xenia, Ohio. He determined upon a professional career and, thinking to find the practice of law congenial, he began reading under the direction of Judge William C. Norcross at Monmouth, Illinois, and was admitted to the bar at Mount Vernon, in November, 1880. He then located for practice at Roseville, Illinois, where he remained until, 1883, when he came to Burlington, Iowa, as attorney for the Burlington Insurance Company, which he thus represented for thirteen years. On the expiration of that period he was elected to the Iowa Senate and served through the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth General Assemblies and through the special session of the Twenty-sixth. He was connected with much important constructive legislation and he gave most careful consideration to every question that came up for settlement. He was instrumental in holding the semi-centennial of Iowa at Burlington and he secured the passage of a number of bills aiding in the construction of Crapo Park. His influence and his efforts were ever on the side of progress and improvement and he left the impress of his individuality for good upon the laws enacted during his connection with the Senate. Upon his retirement from the General Assembly, Mr. Harper opened a law office in Burlington. In following his profession he has practiced for individuals and not for corporations. He was national attorney for the Chicago School of Naprapathy. Ever a friend of the public-school system, he did active work on its behalf during three years’ connection with the board of education. He served for nine years as president of the Iowa State Good Roads Committee and has long been interested and active in furthering the movement for the establishment of an adequate system of fine public highways. He was sent as the Iowa delegate to Washington to a meeting composed of delegates from all the states to aid in securing the passage of the Latimer-Brown bill asking for an appropriation of twenty million dollars to be distributed among the various states for the development of good roads. His political allegiance has always been given to the Democratic Party. Mr. Harper belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Workmen and had been grand master of the latter. He was also connected with the Maccabees and the Woodmen of the World. He is not identified with any church, but was a worker for good, and a writer of note on religious and other subjects.