Representative Wilbur J. Dole View All Years

Memorial to the Honorable J. Wilbur Dole of Jefferson County

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the late Honorable J. Wilbur Dole, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

J. Wilbur Dole was born February 7, 1869, on a farm in Jefferson County, Iowa, the son of the late Joe R. and Maria E. Dole. He died on July 17, 1949. He spent his entire life in Jefferson County. A life-long Democrat, he was an excellent and a very public-minded citizen.

Mr. Dole served as State Representative from Jefferson County during the Forty-fifth General Assembly of Iowa in 1933 and 1934. He was, as is well known, the author of the resolution which made the Goldfinch the official bird of Iowa.

He graduated from Parsons College with the class of 1894.

He remained throughout his life a deep student of science, and was unusually proficient in botany, upon which said subject he was recognized as something of an authority. He served the community efficiently and well in many capacities. The former Representative was Secretary of the Fairfield Board of Education from 1915 to 1921. He also served as a member of the park board, and for many years a member of the Fairfield Evergreen Cemetery Board.

He was a deputy clerk of the district court, and was Fairfield’s postmaster for five years. He was a member of the library board and served as its secretary for twenty years.

Whatever he did, he did well.

He had a fine sense of justice—and he carried into public affairs the same strictness of purpose and accountability that he ever held for himself, in his own private affairs.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Fifty-fourth General Assembly of Iowa: That in the passing of the Honorable J. Wilbur Dole, the state has lost a valued and honored citizen and the House, by this resolution, tenders its sincere sympathy to the surviving family in their sorrow.

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.

LEE GALLUP,

TED D. CLARK,

CLAYTON D. SHEROD,

Committee.