Representative Ransom James Bixby View All Years

HONORABLE RANSOM J. BIXBY

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare suitable resolutions commemorating the life, character, and public services of the Honorable Ransom J. Bixby, a former member of the General Assembly of Iowa, serving in the Thirtieth, Thirty-first, Thirty-second and Thirty-second Extra Sessions, begs leave to report as follows:

Ransom James Bixby, son of the Reverend Newell W. and Ruby Knapp Bixby, was born March 29, 1854, on the Bixby Homestead, three miles northwest of Edgewood, Iowa, and passed quietly away at his home in Edgewood on November 18, 1940, after a year’s illness. His parents came from Vermont in 1847 as pioneer workers under the Free Baptist Mission Board. In this family were four children, deeply devoted to one another, and the two eldest, Dr. Sylvanus N. Bixby and Thera Bixby True, had gone before and were awaiting the coming of their brother to the Eternal Home.

From his seventeenth year, when he began teaching rural school, he served the public in one capacity or another until the end of his life, and had a statewide circle of friends. He received his higher education from Wilton College at Wilton, Iowa, graduating as valedictorian of his class, then taught in Delaware, Clayton and Cedar counties. He was principal of the Edgewood school when he was married to Miss Flora Blanchard, also a teacher in the school. The same year he entered into partnership with his father-in-law, Dr. Lewis Blanchard, in the mercantile business, and later established the village drug store, which he continued to operate until 1898 when he retired from commercial pursuits to concentrate on farming interests. In 1909 he opened an insurance and real estate office which he operated until 1923. Nearly everyone in the community went to him for advice and help in their legal and business problems.

Mr. Bixby was sent in 1904 as Representative from Delaware county to the state legislature where he served three terms, the Thirtieth, the Thirty-first, The Thirty-second, and the Thirty-second Extra sessions. He introduced the Bixby bill on the preservation of forests, also bills for the advancement of agricultural interests, and was in charge of the move for the establishment of the women’s reformatory and many pure food and temperance measures. He was one of the oldest members of the Pioneer Law Makers’ Association and for more than twenty-five years was chairman of the Delaware County Republican Central Committee. His services were frequently required as member of the local board of education. He was affiliated with Avalon Lodge No. 606, A. F. and A. M., also with Avalon Chapter No. 434, O. E. S., of which he had been worthy patron.

The surviving members of the family are a sister, Mrs. Lucina Buckley, two daughters, Angie F. Bellamy and Ruby L. Smith, all of Edgewood; and two sons, Ralph L. Bixby of Orcas, Washington, and Sylvan N. Bixby of Hopkinton, Iowa; also nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Therefore, Be It Resolved the House of Representatives of the Forty-ninth General Assembly, That in the passing of the Honorable Ransom J. Bixby, the state has lost a valuable and honored citizen, and the House would tender, by this resolution, its sincere sympathy to the surviving members of his family in their sorrow, and

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House, and that the Chief Clerk be instructed to send an enrolled copy to the members of the family of the deceased.

HUGH W. PARKER,

F. E. SHARP,

HERBERT G. SEEMANN,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted, April 3, 1941.