Born August 10, 1837, at Belle Fonte, Pennsylvania. He earned his first money working on a farm at twenty-five cents per day, and the most of his life has been spent upon a farm. His education was begun in the typical log school house of early Iowa days. He began teaching at the age of eighteen years and taught continuously for eight years, a part of which time he was principal of the city schools of Fort Madison. During this period he was furthering his own education by attending three terms of fourteen weeks each, at the Denmark Academy, Denmark, Iowa. In 1867 he was elected to the office of county superintendent of schools of Lee County, serving two terms. He declined the nomination for the third term, which his efficiency and the approval of his methods by the people prompted his party to make. He was a member of the board of directors of his home school district. Politically, Mr. Kent is a democrat, having joined the ranks of that party on attaining his majority. By virtue of the votes of his party and many of the opposing party, he was elected a member of the Iowa House of Representatives of the Twenty-first General Assembly in 1885, resigning in 1886 to accept the democratic nomination for State Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of the late Judge J. M. Casey. He was elected, and in the fall of 1889 was re-elected for a full term, serving as Senator in the Twenty-second, Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth General Assemblies. Mr. Kent took high rank both in the House and the Senate. Naturally a genial and clever gentleman, Senator Kent made many friends and was very influential in securing the passage of the measures which he championed. He performed his duties on committees wisely and faithfully, and Lee County has never been better represented in the state Legislature than by him. In 1892 he was nominated for railroad commissioner, but was defeated with the rest of the ticket. In 1894 he was appointed by Governor Jackson as a member of the commission to plan, locate and erect a hospital for the insane in northwestern Iowa. On the death of General Ed. Wright he was chosen secretary of the commission which erected the magnificent hospital at Cherokee. He has held commissions from Governors Larrabee, Boies and Jackson, as delegate to the National Farmers' Congress, Commercial Convention, Kansas City, and Trans-Mississippi convention at St. Louis. Senator Kent assisted in the organization of the Lee County Savings Bank in 1888, and was chosen director and vice-president, retaining the position to the present time. He is a prominent member of the Delta Commandery, No. 51, Knights Templar, Fort Madison. He was married in December, 1863, to Miss Sarah E. Shepherd, of Lee County.

Born August 10, 1837, at Belle Fonte, Pennsylvania. He earned his first money working on a farm at twenty-five cents per day, and the most of his life has been spent upon a farm. His education was begun in the typical log school house of early Iowa days. He began teaching at the age of eighteen years and taught continuously for eight years, a part of which time he was principal of the city schools of Fort Madison. During this period he was furthering his own education by attending three terms of fourteen weeks each, at the Denmark Academy, Denmark, Iowa. In 1867 he was elected to the office of county superintendent of schools of Lee County, serving two terms. He declined the nomination for the third term, which his efficiency and the approval of his methods by the people prompted his party to make. He was a member of the board of directors of his home school district. Politically, Mr. Kent is a democrat, having joined the ranks of that party on attaining his majority. By virtue of the votes of his party and many of the opposing party, he was elected a member of the Iowa House of Representatives of the Twenty-first General Assembly in 1885, resigning in 1886 to accept the democratic nomination for State Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of the late Judge J. M. Casey. He was elected, and in the fall of 1889 was re-elected for a full term, serving as Senator in the Twenty-second, Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth General Assemblies. Mr. Kent took high rank both in the House and the Senate. Naturally a genial and clever gentleman, Senator Kent made many friends and was very influential in securing the passage of the measures which he championed. He performed his duties on committees wisely and faithfully, and Lee County has never been better represented in the state Legislature than by him. In 1892 he was nominated for railroad commissioner, but was defeated with the rest of the ticket. In 1894 he was appointed by Governor Jackson as a member of the commission to plan, locate and erect a hospital for the insane in northwestern Iowa. On the death of General Ed. Wright he was chosen secretary of the commission which erected the magnificent hospital at Cherokee. He has held commissions from Governors Larrabee, Boies and Jackson, as delegate to the National Farmers' Congress, Commercial Convention, Kansas City, and Trans-Mississippi convention at St. Louis. Senator Kent assisted in the organization of the Lee County Savings Bank in 1888, and was chosen director and vice-president, retaining the position to the present time. He is a prominent member of the Delta Commandery, No. 51, Knights Templar, Fort Madison. He was married in December, 1863, to Miss Sarah E. Shepherd, of Lee County.

Born August 10, 1837, at Belle Fonte, Pennsylvania. He earned his first money working on a farm at twenty-five cents per day, and the most of his life has been spent upon a farm. His education was begun in the typical log school house of early Iowa days. He began teaching at the age of eighteen years and taught continuously for eight years, a part of which time he was principal of the city schools of Fort Madison. During this period he was furthering his own education by attending three terms of fourteen weeks each, at the Denmark Academy, Denmark, Iowa. In 1867 he was elected to the office of county superintendent of schools of Lee County, serving two terms. He declined the nomination for the third term, which his efficiency and the approval of his methods by the people prompted his party to make. He was a member of the board of directors of his home school district. Politically, Mr. Kent is a democrat, having joined the ranks of that party on attaining his majority. By virtue of the votes of his party and many of the opposing party, he was elected a member of the Iowa House of Representatives of the Twenty-first General Assembly in 1885, resigning in 1886 to accept the democratic nomination for State Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of the late Judge J. M. Casey. He was elected, and in the fall of 1889 was re-elected for a full term, serving as Senator in the Twenty-second, Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth General Assemblies. Mr. Kent took high rank both in the House and the Senate. Naturally a genial and clever gentleman, Senator Kent made many friends and was very influential in securing the passage of the measures which he championed. He performed his duties on committees wisely and faithfully, and Lee County has never been better represented in the state Legislature than by him. In 1892 he was nominated for railroad commissioner, but was defeated with the rest of the ticket. In 1894 he was appointed by Governor Jackson as a member of the commission to plan, locate and erect a hospital for the insane in northwestern Iowa. On the death of General Ed. Wright he was chosen secretary of the commission which erected the magnificent hospital at Cherokee. He has held commissions from Governors Larrabee, Boies and Jackson, as delegate to the National Farmers' Congress, Commercial Convention, Kansas City, and Trans-Mississippi convention at St. Louis. Senator Kent assisted in the organization of the Lee County Savings Bank in 1888, and was chosen director and vice-president, retaining the position to the present time. He is a prominent member of the Delta Commandery, No. 51, Knights Templar, Fort Madison. He was married in December, 1863, to Miss Sarah E. Shepherd, of Lee County.

Born August 10, 1837, at Belle Fonte, Pennsylvania. He earned his first money working on a farm at twenty-five cents per day, and the most of his life has been spent upon a farm. His education was begun in the typical log school house of early Iowa days. He began teaching at the age of eighteen years and taught continuously for eight years, a part of which time he was principal of the city schools of Fort Madison. During this period he was furthering his own education by attending three terms of fourteen weeks each, at the Denmark Academy, Denmark, Iowa. In 1867 he was elected to the office of county superintendent of schools of Lee County, serving two terms. He declined the nomination for the third term, which his efficiency and the approval of his methods by the people prompted his party to make. He was a member of the board of directors of his home school district. Politically, Mr. Kent is a democrat, having joined the ranks of that party on attaining his majority. By virtue of the votes of his party and many of the opposing party, he was elected a member of the Iowa House of Representatives of the Twenty-first General Assembly in 1885, resigning in 1886 to accept the democratic nomination for State Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of the late Judge J. M. Casey. He was elected, and in the fall of 1889 was re-elected for a full term, serving as Senator in the Twenty-second, Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth General Assemblies. Mr. Kent took high rank both in the House and the Senate. Naturally a genial and clever gentleman, Senator Kent made many friends and was very influential in securing the passage of the measures which he championed. He performed his duties on committees wisely and faithfully, and Lee County has never been better represented in the state Legislature than by him. In 1892 he was nominated for railroad commissioner, but was defeated with the rest of the ticket. In 1894 he was appointed by Governor Jackson as a member of the commission to plan, locate and erect a hospital for the insane in northwestern Iowa. On the death of General Ed. Wright he was chosen secretary of the commission which erected the magnificent hospital at Cherokee. He has held commissions from Governors Larrabee, Boies and Jackson, as delegate to the National Farmers' Congress, Commercial Convention, Kansas City, and Trans-Mississippi convention at St. Louis. Senator Kent assisted in the organization of the Lee County Savings Bank in 1888, and was chosen director and vice-president, retaining the position to the present time. He is a prominent member of the Delta Commandery, No. 51, Knights Templar, Fort Madison. He was married in December, 1863, to Miss Sarah E. Shepherd, of Lee County.