Representative John McDermott View All Years

JOHN MCDERMOTT

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

John McDermott was born in Richland county, Ohio, on February 17, 1857, the son of Henry and Elizabeth McDermott, and died at Bridgewater, Iowa, April 9, 1943, at the age of 86 years, 1 month and 22 days.

On March 11, 1884, he was united in marriage to Anna E. Marsh. To this union eight children were born, six of whom survive. Those left to mourn his passing are the three sons: Bert, Kenton and Clayton McDermott all of Bridgewater, and three daughters: Mrs. H. S. Love of Bridgewater, Mrs. Mac Arnold of Dallas, Texas, and Mrs. R. B. Stewart of St. Charles, Iowa. The wife and mother passed away in August, 1940, and two sons, Dallas and Ellis, also preceded him in death. He also leaves one brother, Charles McDermott of Greeley, Colorado, and 16 grandchildren.

During the year 1857 Mr. McDermott’s parents moved to Benton Township, Cass County, Iowa. Here be engaged in farming and continued to farm after his marriage until 1892, when the family moved into Bridgewater.

Mr. McDermott lived a long and useful life. Through sound judgment he became one of his community’s outstanding business men, at the same time carrying on extensive agricultural interests. At the time of his death he was still active in the management of his lumber and coal business.

He was active in church, civic and political affairs. He was deeply interested in the Methodist Church with which he was affiliated and faithfully attended, serving a great part of the time on the official board. To him was entrusted much of the responsibility of the construction of a new church building. For forty years he served as treasurer of the Bridgewater Independent District. He served over twenty years as town councilman. Mr. McDermott became a member of the board of directors of the Union State Bank in Bridgewater at the time of its organization and was named its first president.

In 1932 Adair county honored Mr. John McDermott by electing him to the office of State Representative on the Democratic ticket and he was returned to the office for a second term, thus he served in the 44th, 45th, and 45th Extra Sessions of the General Assembly.

Therefore Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Fifty-first General Assembly, That in the passing of Honorable John McDermott, the State has lost a valued and honored citizen and the family a loving father and brother and the House would tender, by this resolution, its sincere sympathy to the surviving relatives 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 each member of the family of the deceased.

IVAN R. MILLS,

G. T. KUESTER,

E. E. POSTON,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted,