Representative Oliver Coomes View All Years

HON. OLIVER COOMES

MR. SPEAKER—Your committee appointed to prepare resolutions commemorating the life and work of the Honorable Oliver Coomes, late of Cass County, Iowa, beg leave to report the following memorial:

Honorable Oliver Coomes, pioneer settler of western Iowa and a member of the general assembly in the seventies, was born August 26th, 1845, in Licking County, Ohio, the son of Isaiah and Mary Coomes. In 1856 he moved with his parents to Iowa, settling on a farm in Jasper County. The father of Mr. Coomes was engaged in farming and also operated a pottery. The son attended school in the winter, but during the summer months worked in his father’s pottery.

With the intention of completing a collegiate course he entered Iowa College, now known as Grinnell College, in the winter of 1865 and 1866, but owing to a shortage of funds he was only able to spend a few months in school.

In 1867 he was married to Miss Addie Kellogg. Miss Kellogg was a sister of William Pitt Kellogg, at one time chief justice of the territory of Nebraska, and later governor and United States senator from the state of Louisiana.

In the fall of 1870 Mr. and Mrs. Coomes became residents of Cass County, taking up their residence on a farm near Atlantic. About this time Mr. Coomes started on a literary career. He wrote many western stories which he readily sold to eastern papers. For a quarter of a century he found time from his farm duties, especially during the long winter evenings, to write vivid sketches of life in the far west. Among his best sellers were Ironside, the Scout, Hawkeye Harry, Death Notch, The Dumb Spy, and the Kid Bandy series.

With the establishment of a postoffice at the town of Wiota in Cass County, Mr. Coomes was commissioned the first postmaster, and at the general election in 1877 he was chosen a member of the lower house of the general assembly, and was re-elected in the fall of 1879, having served his county and state in the eighteenth and nineteenth general assemblies. He was a republican in politics.

At the time Mr. Coomes was representing Cass County in the lower house, Senator LaFayette Young, then engaged in the publication of a newspaper at Atlantic, Iowa, but now editor of the Des Moines Capital, represented that district in the Iowa State Senate.

In the year of 1905 Mr. Coomes retired from the farm and with his wife took up residence in the city of Atlantic. Two years later Mrs. Coomes died. Some years after the death of his first wife Mr. Coomes was united in marriage to Miss Addie Johnson, a niece of his first wife. She and two sons by the first marriage, Arthur K. of Atlantic, and I. S., state’s attorney for Day County, South Dakota, survive him. Mr. Coomes met death in an automobile accident near Storm Lake, Iowa on June 27th, 1921.

The span of Mr. Coomes’ life covers a period of development of the middle west and, particularly, of southwestern Iowa, and his patriotic service had much to do with its development. In all of his public work he was a typical American, standing only for progress and good government. As a neighbor, he was helpful, kind and considerate. His home life was excellent, and be had the love and deep affection of his family.

Therefore, Be It Resolved, That in the death of Oliver Coomes, the state has lost one of its sturdy pioneers who materially contributed to the upbuilding of his country and state, and the House of Representatives take this occasion to present this tribute to his memory and to express appreciation of his character and public service and to extend to his family most sincere sympathy.

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be printed in the journal of the house, and that the chief clerk be directed to forward to the family of the deceased an engrossed copy.

CHAS. W. HUFF,

W. C. CHILDREN,

RAY GARBER,

Committee.

Adopted April 12, 1923.