Senator George Carson View All Years

GEORGE CARSON.

Senator Kimball, from a special committee, submitted the following report and moved its adoption:

MR. PRESIDENT—Your committee which was appointed to report resolutions commemorating the life, character and services of the Honorable George Carson of Pottawattamie County, beg leave to report the following and hereby move the adoption of the report:

Judge George Carson died on Tuesday morning, on the 18th day of February, 1919, being seventy-eight years old, having been born February 5th, 1841, in Jennings County, Indiana. He was reared on a farm, attended the public schools, an academy and after the war attended Hartsville University for a time. In 1866 he began reading law under Colonel J. S. Scoby of Greensburg, Indiana. He later attended the law department of the University of Michigan, where he was graduated in 1868.

The judge had a noteworthy civil war record, enlisting as a private in 1861 and being discharged in 1865 as a first lieutenant. He saw action in the campaign along the Potomac, in the Cumberland, through Tennessee, was at Missionary Ridge, at Chattanooga and helped raise the siege of General Burnside.

Judge Carson was married October 5, 1871, to Miss Rachel L. Boyce, of Ypsilanti, Michigan. They had seven children, Hannah L., Rachel B., George D., Grace S., Jannette R., Hiram K., and Mary P. He was a member of Excelsior lodge, A. F. and A. M., G. A. R. and Union Veteran Legion.

He was a man of splendid physique, commanding appearance and up to the date of his death, which came very suddenly, was vigorous and active. When he left the army in 1865 he began his career as a lawyer and took up his career as a public man at Council Bluffs in Pottawattamie County. He soon gained the reputation of being one of the sturdiest, most honest and clean men of his profession. He was universally respected and became very popular. He was elected judge of the district court and served his district faithfully and well. While he was somewhat slow and deliberate in his jjudgment he held the esteem of all who practiced before him.

After serving as judge of the district court he was elected and served as a member of the House of Representatives for the 17th and 18th General Assemblies. He was afterward selected and served as a member of the Senate in the 20th and 21st General Assemblies. His service for the state was marked by a splendid judgment and a determination to do everything that was for the best interests of the people. He was a Republican in politics, having great confidence in his party. He always took an active part in public affairs and was much loved by the younger men of his party for his kindly but sound advice and interest in their welfare. In 1896 he again entered politics, serving his city as mayor. In this capacity he was very successful and the city went forward under his administration. His city had become deeply indebted and involved and it was necessary to bring order out of chaos in the financial affairs of the city. To accomplish this he induced other officers of the city with himself to voluntarily reduce their salaries, saving the city a large sum of money at a time when they were seeking to reform the city finances. Although a man who had accumulated only a small means, he gladly gave up a portion of his salary in the interest of public affairs, and as an inducement to reform the financial affairs of the city. This was characteristic of his unselfish service and of his manhood.

After his political career he maintained his law office and steadily practiced law in a quiet way until his death. In his private life he was clean and upright, and his whole character was impregnated with the highest principles of honesty. He frequently wrote articles for the papers relating to important matters of state and local questions. Two days before his death he wrote a letter to the Senator from his district, which is set forth on page 635 of the Journal of the Senate. In this letter he showed his great interest in the elimination of the white plague in Iowa and requested a copy of the State Board of Health Biennial Report. This was never sent him because the news of his death was received the day after the receipt of the letter.

Your committe recommends that as a fitting recognition of his life the following resolution be adopted:

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Thirty-eighth General Assembly:

That in the death of Judge George Carson the State of Iowa has lost a valuable citizen and a faithful public servant; that he was an able judicial officer, a splendid statesman and a man whose services may well be emulated by coming generation; that above all he was a man whose public services won the applause of his fellow men, and whose relations in his home and to his family stand as an ideal for future citizens to follow.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the journal of the Senate and an engrossed copy of the same be sent to the members of his family.

CLEM F. KIMBALL,

J. M. WILSON,

A. V. PROUDFOOT.

The resolutions were adopted unanimously by a rising vote.