To fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator J. M. Rea the Republicans of the district composed of Black Hawk and Grundy counties named the Hon. E. M. Sargent. He was born in Felicity, Clermont county, Ohio, March 8, 1840. He made his home there for thirty-nine years, and for the last sixteen years has been a resident of Grundy Center. He worked on a farm and attended school till 18 years of age, then went to work in a store. In June, 1860, he entered the general mercantile business with his brother at Felicity, and continued in it till 1874, when he closed out and went into the banking business. In 1879 he made another change by quitting the banking business and his native town and coming to Iowa to live. He reentered the mercantile business with Sargent Bros., and it has engaged his attention ever since. When Lincoln made the first call for troops Mr. Sargent entered the army as a volunteer. He served as a private during his short term of enlistment, and on re-enlisting was made second lieutenant of Company F, 89th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In July, 1862, he was made captain of Company K, 59th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which position he served till mustered out of the service at Nashville June 28, 1865. He then returned to business. Not long after the close of the war he was married to Miss Mary E. Hartley. Three children have been born to them: Fred M., aged 22, graduate of Iowa College and now a student at Harvard; Armor H., aged 19, a junior at Iowa College, and Grace E., aged 15, at home with her parents attending school. Mr. Sargent was a charter member of Wilson post, G. A. R., was the first senior vice commander, afterwards commander, adjutant, and for the past ten years has been quartermaster. In his native town he served four years as a member of the town council and six years as a member of the school board. In Grundy Center he has served two terms in the city council and has put in fifteen years continuous service as a member of the school board. He attends the Presbyterian Church.