Senator August A. Balluff View All Years

HONORABLE AUGUST A. BALLUFF

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee appointed to prepare suitable resolutions commemorating the life, character and public services of the Honorable August A. Balluff, a former member of the Thirty-third General Assembly of Iowa, beg leave to submit the following:

August A. Balluff, a life time resident of Scott county, died at Davenport, Iowa, November 18, 1934, after an extended illness, at the age of 75. He was born in Davenport, Iowa, January 12, 1859, a son of John C. and Matilda Hesse Balluff, pioneer residents of Scott county.

He attended St. Marguerite’s school and when 15 years of age was apprenticed to Harrison and Holman, whose store was situated at Third and Brady streets, Davenport, Iowa, to learn the drug business. For three years beginning June, 1879, he was employed as a drug clerk in the I. L. Graham store, Muscatine, and in June, 1879, he opened a drug store in East Davenport. Ill health, however, forced him to give up the business January 1, 1884. In March of that year he entered his first county position, that of clerk in the office of W. J. Birchard, clerk of the Scott county court. He remained there five years and then became a clerk in the law office of Cook & Dodge. January 1, 1893, he began serving his first term as county court clerk, a post held for four years. Upon leaving office he entered the employ of the Iowa Telephone company and soon was appointed secretary and treasurer, a position he held until November, 1898, when he became cashier of the Old Citizens National Bank of Davenport. When that bank was merged with the German Savings Bank he became vice president of the latter, as well as secretary and treasurer of the German Trust Company, a position from which he resigned May 1, 1908. It was in the fall of that year that he was elected representative from Scott county in the Iowa Legislature, serving during the Thirty-third General Assembly. In 1910, he was elected Senator and served in the Thirty­fourth and Thirty-fifth General Assemblies. About January 1, 1909, he returned to the firm of Cook & Dodge and continued with it and its successor, Cook & Balluff, until his death.

At Muscatine, September 30, 1879, he was married to Miss Josephine E. Havercampe, and to them were born a son and a daughter.

Mr. Balluff was a sincere friend of labor and capital, recognizing that both are required in business and industry, and that proper cooperation would result in prosperity and success for both. He was firm in his convictions, loyal to the state, its people and to the matters committed to his care. He lived a long, honorable and active life and deserved the honors which came to him.

The funeral services were held at the residence and at St. Anthony’s church. The burial, which was private, .was held in St. Marguerite’s cemetery.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Forty­sixth General Assembly of the State of Iowa., in Regular Session, That in the death of August A. Balluff the people of Scott county and the people of the entire state of Iowa have sustained a great loss. Everywhere he was known as a man honored and trusted, a man of sterling quality and irreproachable character.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the Journal of the House, and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrollled copy to the family of the deceased.

LOUIS H. WIESE,

PAUL FREEBURN,

B. L. METCALF,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted, April 18, 1935.