Born in Clinton County, Ohio, September 8, 1845, his parents being Daniel and Nancy (McKee) Harsh. He became a pupil in the district schools of that county. During the fall in which he attained the age of sixteen years he began teaching and for some time followed that profession through the winter seasons, while in the summer months he worked at farm labor, being thus engaged until he enlisted for service in the Union army, becoming sergeant of Company K, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry. He proved a valiant and faithful soldier and upon his return from the south he began teaching in the villages and towns. Ambitious to promote his own education, he attended for a time Lombard College at Galesburg, Illinois, and afterward taught in the schools of that city. In 1867 he became still more closely associated with the educational development there through the establishment of the Western Business College, which he conducted for two years. On the 1st of July, 1869, Mr. Harsh was married to Miss Anna Eliza Slater, a daughter of Dr. S. D. and Amanda (Stafford) Slater. Leaving Galesburg, Mr. and Mrs. Harsh came to Creston, Iowa, in 1870. Upon taking up his abode in this city he engaged in the real estate business, in which connection he has been prominently associated with the development and improvement of the city. He likewise practiced law and conducted a general brokerage business. In the former field of activity he was originally a member of the firm of Harsh & Stafford, and subsequently practiced as the senior partner of Harsh & Higbee. It was the logical and legitimate step from the brokerage to the banking business in which Mr. Harsh has been actively engaged since 1870. He began operating in this connection under the style of J. B. Harsh & Company, later Harsh & Perrin, and subsequently again J. B. Harsh & Company. The private banking house was then merged into the Creston National Bank, with the Creston Loan & Trust Company. In the field of journalism Mr. Harsh has also figured, having in 1872 established the Creston Gazette, now the Advertiser-Gazette, and was active editorially and in its management for many years. He attained prominence in connection with farming interests that made him a leading representative of the agricultural life of the state. When active in journalistic circles his political and farm editorials attracted wide attention and did much toward molding public thought and opinion. He also owned the Hub Dry Goods Store and the Annex Grocery, and was a factor in the commercial life of the city. He is president of the Colorado Smelting & Refining Company, which has a plant at Florence, Colorado. It is not alone as a businessman, however, that Mr. Harsh has left the impress of his individuality and worth upon the public life. On the contrary he has been called to various positions of honor, trust and responsibility. The first office which he filled was that of justice of the peace and he became one of the early mayors of Creston. In later years Mr. Harsh again served as mayor, giving to the city a businesslike, just and progressive administration. In 1885 he was elected on the republican ticket to represent his district in the state senate, where he served until 1892, when he declined a reelection. He has been a prominent candidate before his party for the nomination for congress and for governor and is recognized as one of the leading and influential republicans of Iowa. He has served his party as chairman of state conventions. He accepted the presidency of the Creston District Agricultural Fair and Blue Grass Palace, putting forth every effort in his power to make it a success that it might prove a stimulus in the development of farming interests. He also organized the Blue Grass League of southwestern Iowa, of which he served as president. He was president of the Reunion of the Southwestern Iowa and Northwestern Missouri Veterans Association. In religious faith Mr. Harsh is a Universalist and with his wife and daughter holds membership in the First Universalist church at Galesburg, Illinois. He was president of the board of trustees of Lombard College, a member of the Phi Delta Theta college fraternity, is associated with the Elks, the Grand Army of the Republic and the Masonic fraternity and is president of the Creston Masonic Temple Association.

Born in Clinton County, Ohio, September 8, 1845, his parents being Daniel and Nancy (McKee) Harsh. He became a pupil in the district schools of that county. During the fall in which he attained the age of sixteen years he began teaching and for some time followed that profession through the winter seasons, while in the summer months he worked at farm labor, being thus engaged until he enlisted for service in the Union army, becoming sergeant of Company K, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry. He proved a valiant and faithful soldier and upon his return from the south he began teaching in the villages and towns. Ambitious to promote his own education, he attended for a time Lombard College at Galesburg, Illinois, and afterward taught in the schools of that city. In 1867 he became still more closely associated with the educational development there through the establishment of the Western Business College, which he conducted for two years. On the 1st of July, 1869, Mr. Harsh was married to Miss Anna Eliza Slater, a daughter of Dr. S. D. and Amanda (Stafford) Slater. Leaving Galesburg, Mr. and Mrs. Harsh came to Creston, Iowa, in 1870. Upon taking up his abode in this city he engaged in the real estate business, in which connection he has been prominently associated with the development and improvement of the city. He likewise practiced law and conducted a general brokerage business. In the former field of activity he was originally a member of the firm of Harsh & Stafford, and subsequently practiced as the senior partner of Harsh & Higbee. It was the logical and legitimate step from the brokerage to the banking business in which Mr. Harsh has been actively engaged since 1870. He began operating in this connection under the style of J. B. Harsh & Company, later Harsh & Perrin, and subsequently again J. B. Harsh & Company. The private banking house was then merged into the Creston National Bank, with the Creston Loan & Trust Company. In the field of journalism Mr. Harsh has also figured, having in 1872 established the Creston Gazette, now the Advertiser-Gazette, and was active editorially and in its management for many years. He attained prominence in connection with farming interests that made him a leading representative of the agricultural life of the state. When active in journalistic circles his political and farm editorials attracted wide attention and did much toward molding public thought and opinion. He also owned the Hub Dry Goods Store and the Annex Grocery, and was a factor in the commercial life of the city. He is president of the Colorado Smelting & Refining Company, which has a plant at Florence, Colorado. It is not alone as a businessman, however, that Mr. Harsh has left the impress of his individuality and worth upon the public life. On the contrary he has been called to various positions of honor, trust and responsibility. The first office which he filled was that of justice of the peace and he became one of the early mayors of Creston. In later years Mr. Harsh again served as mayor, giving to the city a businesslike, just and progressive administration. In 1885 he was elected on the republican ticket to represent his district in the state senate, where he served until 1892, when he declined a reelection. He has been a prominent candidate before his party for the nomination for congress and for governor and is recognized as one of the leading and influential republicans of Iowa. He has served his party as chairman of state conventions. He accepted the presidency of the Creston District Agricultural Fair and Blue Grass Palace, putting forth every effort in his power to make it a success that it might prove a stimulus in the development of farming interests. He also organized the Blue Grass League of southwestern Iowa, of which he served as president. He was president of the Reunion of the Southwestern Iowa and Northwestern Missouri Veterans Association. In religious faith Mr. Harsh is a Universalist and with his wife and daughter holds membership in the First Universalist church at Galesburg, Illinois. He was president of the board of trustees of Lombard College, a member of the Phi Delta Theta college fraternity, is associated with the Elks, the Grand Army of the Republic and the Masonic fraternity and is president of the Creston Masonic Temple Association.

Born in Clinton County, Ohio, September 8, 1845, his parents being Daniel and Nancy (McKee) Harsh. He became a pupil in the district schools of that county. During the fall in which he attained the age of sixteen years he began teaching and for some time followed that profession through the winter seasons, while in the summer months he worked at farm labor, being thus engaged until he enlisted for service in the Union army, becoming sergeant of Company K, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry. He proved a valiant and faithful soldier and upon his return from the south he began teaching in the villages and towns. Ambitious to promote his own education, he attended for a time Lombard College at Galesburg, Illinois, and afterward taught in the schools of that city. In 1867 he became still more closely associated with the educational development there through the establishment of the Western Business College, which he conducted for two years. On the 1st of July, 1869, Mr. Harsh was married to Miss Anna Eliza Slater, a daughter of Dr. S. D. and Amanda (Stafford) Slater. Leaving Galesburg, Mr. and Mrs. Harsh came to Creston, Iowa, in 1870. Upon taking up his abode in this city he engaged in the real estate business, in which connection he has been prominently associated with the development and improvement of the city. He likewise practiced law and conducted a general brokerage business. In the former field of activity he was originally a member of the firm of Harsh & Stafford, and subsequently practiced as the senior partner of Harsh & Higbee. It was the logical and legitimate step from the brokerage to the banking business in which Mr. Harsh has been actively engaged since 1870. He began operating in this connection under the style of J. B. Harsh & Company, later Harsh & Perrin, and subsequently again J. B. Harsh & Company. The private banking house was then merged into the Creston National Bank, with the Creston Loan & Trust Company. In the field of journalism Mr. Harsh has also figured, having in 1872 established the Creston Gazette, now the Advertiser-Gazette, and was active editorially and in its management for many years. He attained prominence in connection with farming interests that made him a leading representative of the agricultural life of the state. When active in journalistic circles his political and farm editorials attracted wide attention and did much toward molding public thought and opinion. He also owned the Hub Dry Goods Store and the Annex Grocery, and was a factor in the commercial life of the city. He is president of the Colorado Smelting & Refining Company, which has a plant at Florence, Colorado. It is not alone as a businessman, however, that Mr. Harsh has left the impress of his individuality and worth upon the public life. On the contrary he has been called to various positions of honor, trust and responsibility. The first office which he filled was that of justice of the peace and he became one of the early mayors of Creston. In later years Mr. Harsh again served as mayor, giving to the city a businesslike, just and progressive administration. In 1885 he was elected on the republican ticket to represent his district in the state senate, where he served until 1892, when he declined a reelection. He has been a prominent candidate before his party for the nomination for congress and for governor and is recognized as one of the leading and influential republicans of Iowa. He has served his party as chairman of state conventions. He accepted the presidency of the Creston District Agricultural Fair and Blue Grass Palace, putting forth every effort in his power to make it a success that it might prove a stimulus in the development of farming interests. He also organized the Blue Grass League of southwestern Iowa, of which he served as president. He was president of the Reunion of the Southwestern Iowa and Northwestern Missouri Veterans Association. In religious faith Mr. Harsh is a Universalist and with his wife and daughter holds membership in the First Universalist church at Galesburg, Illinois. He was president of the board of trustees of Lombard College, a member of the Phi Delta Theta college fraternity, is associated with the Elks, the Grand Army of the Republic and the Masonic fraternity and is president of the Creston Masonic Temple Association.

Born in Clinton County, Ohio, September 8, 1845, his parents being Daniel and Nancy (McKee) Harsh. He became a pupil in the district schools of that county. During the fall in which he attained the age of sixteen years he began teaching and for some time followed that profession through the winter seasons, while in the summer months he worked at farm labor, being thus engaged until he enlisted for service in the Union army, becoming sergeant of Company K, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry. He proved a valiant and faithful soldier and upon his return from the south he began teaching in the villages and towns. Ambitious to promote his own education, he attended for a time Lombard College at Galesburg, Illinois, and afterward taught in the schools of that city. In 1867 he became still more closely associated with the educational development there through the establishment of the Western Business College, which he conducted for two years. On the 1st of July, 1869, Mr. Harsh was married to Miss Anna Eliza Slater, a daughter of Dr. S. D. and Amanda (Stafford) Slater. Leaving Galesburg, Mr. and Mrs. Harsh came to Creston, Iowa, in 1870. Upon taking up his abode in this city he engaged in the real estate business, in which connection he has been prominently associated with the development and improvement of the city. He likewise practiced law and conducted a general brokerage business. In the former field of activity he was originally a member of the firm of Harsh & Stafford, and subsequently practiced as the senior partner of Harsh & Higbee. It was the logical and legitimate step from the brokerage to the banking business in which Mr. Harsh has been actively engaged since 1870. He began operating in this connection under the style of J. B. Harsh & Company, later Harsh & Perrin, and subsequently again J. B. Harsh & Company. The private banking house was then merged into the Creston National Bank, with the Creston Loan & Trust Company. In the field of journalism Mr. Harsh has also figured, having in 1872 established the Creston Gazette, now the Advertiser-Gazette, and was active editorially and in its management for many years. He attained prominence in connection with farming interests that made him a leading representative of the agricultural life of the state. When active in journalistic circles his political and farm editorials attracted wide attention and did much toward molding public thought and opinion. He also owned the Hub Dry Goods Store and the Annex Grocery, and was a factor in the commercial life of the city. He is president of the Colorado Smelting & Refining Company, which has a plant at Florence, Colorado. It is not alone as a businessman, however, that Mr. Harsh has left the impress of his individuality and worth upon the public life. On the contrary he has been called to various positions of honor, trust and responsibility. The first office which he filled was that of justice of the peace and he became one of the early mayors of Creston. In later years Mr. Harsh again served as mayor, giving to the city a businesslike, just and progressive administration. In 1885 he was elected on the republican ticket to represent his district in the state senate, where he served until 1892, when he declined a reelection. He has been a prominent candidate before his party for the nomination for congress and for governor and is recognized as one of the leading and influential republicans of Iowa. He has served his party as chairman of state conventions. He accepted the presidency of the Creston District Agricultural Fair and Blue Grass Palace, putting forth every effort in his power to make it a success that it might prove a stimulus in the development of farming interests. He also organized the Blue Grass League of southwestern Iowa, of which he served as president. He was president of the Reunion of the Southwestern Iowa and Northwestern Missouri Veterans Association. In religious faith Mr. Harsh is a Universalist and with his wife and daughter holds membership in the First Universalist church at Galesburg, Illinois. He was president of the board of trustees of Lombard College, a member of the Phi Delta Theta college fraternity, is associated with the Elks, the Grand Army of the Republic and the Masonic fraternity and is president of the Creston Masonic Temple Association.