Representative Merton E. DeWolf View All Years

Memorial to the Honorable Merton E. De Wolf of Clay County

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the late Honorable Merton E. De Wolf, of Spencer, Iowa, begs to submit the following report:

Merton E. De Wolf was born at Cambria, Michigan, on July 23, 1867, son of S. P. and Martha J. De Wolf. His boyhood was spent at Cambria where he attended Hillsdale High School, later graduating from the State University at Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In 1888, when he first came to Iowa, he found employment in the harvest fields at Rock Valley, later working for the grain buyer and within a short time became manager of an elevator at Inwood, Iowa. Soon after he accepted a position as bookkeeper in a bank in Rock Valley, moving to Marathon in 1892, where he became cashier of the Savings Bank at Marathon. In 1895 he went into the grain business and moved to Laurens and operated a line of country grain elevators for over thirty years. He moved his general office to Spencer in 1903, where he lived the balance of his life.

Mr. De Wolf was a public spirited man, who contributed much to community development and he served as a member of the school board in Spencer for many years. A Republican, active in politics since he became of age, Mr. De Wolf at the age of thirty served as Representative of the Seventy-sixth District, composed of Pocahontas and Humboldt counties in the Twenty-seventh General Assembly of Iowa during the years 1898-99. During his service in the legislature he received considerable recognition preceding passage of the building and loan bill.

In 1891, during his residence at Rock Valley, he married Elizabeth Prentice, who preceded him in death. One son, Maris E., and three daughters, Gail, Hester and Mabel, were born to this union.

Mr. De Wolf passed away on December 7, 1948, at his home in Spencer and is survived by Mrs. C. J. Obrecht and Hester De Wolf.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Fifty-third General Assembly of Iowa: That, in the passing of the Honorable Merton E. De Wolf, the state has lost a valuable and honored citizen and the House expresses its appreciation of his character and public service and tenders, by this resolution, its sincere and heartfelt sympathy to his beloved family in their great sorrow and loss.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

LOUIS L. KOPRIVA,

A. H. AVERY,

NORMAN NORLAND,

Committee.