Representative John Homrighaus View All Years

HON. JOHN HOMRIGHAUS.

MR. SPEAKER—Your committee appointed to draft proper resolutions of respect in honor of the Honorable John Homrighaus, a former member of this body, respectfully submit the following:

The Honorable John Homrighaus was born November 16, 1844, in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, of German parents. In 1850 he was brought by his parents to Cook county, Illinois, where he received his education in the public schools. In 1863 he moved to Iowa and settled in Bremner county, where he has ever since resided. He was engaged as a contractor and builder and was also the proprietor of a wagon and blacksmith shop. In 1872 he retired from business on account of health; and made an extensive visit to Germany and other European countries. On his return to Iowa he engaged in farming. He was justice of the peace for six years. In 1880 he read law and 1882 was elected county supervisor. In 1888 he was elected state representative from his county to the Iowa legislature and in this the Twenty-second General Assembly he introduced and carried through three important bills, the insurance bill, a revenue bill, and a bill to enhance the usefulness of the Iowa agricultural college. During this Assembly he was chairman of the agricultural committee, a member of the committee on ways and means, committee on elections and compensation of public officers and one of the committee on representative districts. He received the re-election to the Twenty-fifth General Assembly, and while a member of that House he introduced the oleomargarine bill which became a law that is of inestimable value to the farmers of this state. This is one of the most important bills passed by that legislature and Mr. Homrighaus received much honorable mention at the time as he had solved in a simple way a problem that had been perplexing the friends of the dairy interests for many years. This Iowa law was immediately copied by other states and finally adopted as a federal statute, applying to every section of the country.

In 1896 he traveled through the south and west of the United States and on his return engaged in the mercantile business in Denver, Iowa. Here he was instrumental in having an electric railroad built connecting his town with Waverly and Waterloo. He helped to organize the bank of his town and also helped to organize the Janesville savings bank and later was instrumental in various other financial and industrial corporations.

For a number of years prior to his death he served his town as mayor, in which position he led and gave inspiration to various movements for the moral and material advancement of his community. During his administration a system of water works was inaugurated and his last effort for the civic advancement was to secure the electric lighting of his town.

During the early part of his manhood Mr. Homrighaus affiliated with the republican party but in 1888 he joined hands with Horace Boies and other prominent republicans in repudiating that party on account of its attitude on the liquor question. The passage of the McKinley tariff law still further divorced him from his early political preference, and ever afterwards he devoted himself to the success of the democratic party, giving its principles and its candidates the same zealous support and championship that marked his energies in whatever direction they were turned. Though in the later years of his life he persistently declined the political honors that his party associates frequently sought to confer upon him, he never faltered in his zeal in behalf of democracy, and he was serving as chairman of the county committee at the time of his death.

As a pioneer in the movement that resulted in the establishment of cooperative farmers mutual fire insurance companies throughout Iowa and the application of his splendid mind to the subject of such organization, made his opinions of high worth to those similarly interested. In recognition of his equipment in this regard he was chosen to serve the Iowa mutual insurance associations as its president in 1910-1911, and he also served this organization as a member of its legislative committee for a number of years, during which many of his practical ideas were embraced in our insurance laws.

Mr. Homrighaus was married in 1867 to Miss Sophia Platte, who died in 1871. In 1873 he was again married, Miss Eliza H. Ottman of Palatia being the companion of his choice and his present bereaved widow. Other surviving relatives are his brother, Christine of Galveston, Texas, his sister, Mrs. Marie Boeserm and his sister-in-law, Miss Laura Dammerman, all of Denver.

Mr. Homrighaus was identified with various fraternal organizations, including the Masonic Order, the Knights of Pythias, and the Modern Woodmen of America, and was a member of the Lutheran Church.

The death of this splendid man occurred at his home in Denver on Wednesday, April 24, 1912, following an illness of several weeks and his death is a distinct loss to the state of Iowa and thus recognized by all who are familiar with the measure of his splendid service in matters of statecraft and his exalted example of true American citizenship. Now, therefore be it

Resolved, By the House of Representatives of the Thirty-fifth General Assembly that an engrossed transcript of this memorial be furnished to the family of the deceased and a copy thereof be spread upon the Journal of the House.

C. W. MILLER,

W. I. ATKINSON,

GEO. W. KOONTZ,

Committee.

Adopted April 10, 1913.