Representative John Stanley Stanbery View All Years

HON. JOHN S. STANBERRY.

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee appointed to prepare suitable resolutions commemorating the life, character and public services of John S. Stanberry, deceased, a member of the Thirtieth and Thirty-first General Assemblies, beg leave to submit the following:

John S. Stanberry was born in Mercer county, Ohio, September 28th, 1846. His father was a doctor of medicine and practised in that county. In the spring of 1857 the father came to Iowa to look up a location and he was followed in the fall of that year by the mother and three children who came that long distance in a covered wagon. After long weeks of travel they located at Vinton, in Benton county, Iowa. In May, 1858, the family moved to Clear Lake, Iowa, where the father continued his practice of medicine. In 1860 the family moved to Mason City.

John S. attended school in Clear Lake and Mason City until 1865 when he began teaching school after which he attended school for short periods between terms of teaching. In the fall of 1868 he entered the Iowa law school and remained about a year. In 1871 he began the practice of law, forming a partnership with his father. In 1872, D. T. Gibson was added to the firm. In 1874 he formed a partnership with Joseph J. Clark, which continued for about thirty years. Later, the firm was again changed to Stanberry, Hill and Eulette, and finally to Stanberry and Stanberry, the junior member of the firm being the son of John S.

Mr. Stanberry was the eldest member of the bar of Cerro Gordo county in years of service. He did not mix much in politics, but he was a member of the republican party and was justice of the peace in Mason City for six years, member of the school board for several years and was honored by being chosen as a member of the House of Representatives for two terms. Of all the offices he held, however, the one which gave him the most pleasure was the superintendency of the M. E. Sunday School, an office he filled with ability for ten years. His life was constructive and he was ever found on that side of questions which tended to better conditions for his fellow men. He was twice married; in June, 1873, to Laura Janet Ives, who died in August, 1875; in September, 1876, he married Martha A. Waldo. To them were born two children, Anna Waldo and Ralph Stanley. His second wife died March 11th, 1906.

He was one of a family of twelve children, seven boys and five girls, nine of whom are still living. The death of the father in 1874 left much of the care of the family on John S., who was one of the elder children and his help to them is gratefully remembered by the rest of the children.

Resolved, that in token of our appreciation of his well spent life, this brief sketch be spread on the Journal of the House and that the chief clerk be directed to forward engrossed copies of this to each of his children as evidence of the high regard in which he is held by this House and by the community in which he lived.

ARTHUR PICKFORD,

WM. LARRABEE, JR.,

F. R. FRY,

Committee.

Adopted.