Representative James B. McHose View All Years

HON. J. B. MCHOSE

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare resolutions commemorating the life and public service of Honorable J. B. McHose, late of Boone County, Iowa, and a member of the House of Representatives in the Thirty-sixth General Assembly, beg leave to submit the following:

J. B. McHose was born in Davenport, Iowa, August 25, 1849. His father and his grandfather were manufacturers of clay products and he spent the days of his youth working in his father’s brick yard and attending the public schools. He later studied law at Washington University at St. Louis, Missouri, and was graduated in the class of 1874. Following this he went to Nevada, Iowa, and practiced law for some years but abandoned this profession in order that he might turn his attention again to the clay products industry in Nevada. In 1889 he came to Boone and established the business known as the Boone Clay Works which manufactured brick, drain tile and other clay wares and which he conducted with gratifying success for about twenty-two years. He retired from active business life in 1910.

Mr. McHose was always prominent in public life. He was a keen student of the important questions of the day and took an active part in promoting the principles of the republican party in which he believed and was in demand as a campaign speaker. He became Chairman of the Republican County Committee, for a number of years was a member of the city council of his home city and in this he took an active part in inaugurating a number of civic improvements.

In 1912, Mr. McHose was elected to become a member of the House of Representatives and during his service was a member of its most important committees and took an active part in legislative matters.

He early saw the need of improved highways and was one of the pioneers in the good roads movement in Iowa and gave considerable of his time and energy in endeavoring to obtain a state-wide system of highways upon which the public could travel safely. The Daniel Boone Trail, extending from Minneapolis to St. Louis, was located and promoted by him and he was the first president of the Daniel Boone Trail Association. His ability was recognized by his associates when he was actively engaged in business life and for several years he served as president of the State Brick and Tile Makers Association. He also was the governor of the Iowa-Nebraska District of the Lions Club.

Mr. McHose was always a lover of nature and for a number of years was a member of the Board of Park Commissioners of his home city. Realizing that adequate park facilities was a necessity and would become more necessary in the future, he acquired a tract of beautiful woodland adjoining the city of Boone and presented it to the city upon the condition that it be used forever as a public park. It was named after him and now the citizens of Boone are justly proud of the benefaction which has made McHose Park a beautiful playground. In addition to this generous gift he provided in his will that practically all of his estate would be spent in making permanent improvements in the park.

On March 16, 1876, Mr. McHose married Miss Ella Hamor who survived him but is now deceased. They had no children.

Mr. McHose passed away at his home June 17, 1927. At his death his city and state lost a public spirited benefactor.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Forty-fourth General Assembly, That in the death of Honorable J. B. McHose the state has lost a useful and an honored citizen and that it take this occasion to express its appreciation of his character and public service.

F. HOLLINGSWORTH,

W. E. S. HUTCHEON,

FRANK G. SNYDER,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted April 13, 1931.