Representative John Lockwood Dana View All Years

HON. JOHN L. DANA.

MR. SPEAKER—Your committee appointed to prepare and present suitable resolutions respecting the life, character and public service of the Hon. John L. Dana, late a member of this House in the Seventh General Assembly, begs leave to report the following:

The subject of this memorial was born March 25, 1826, near New Haven, Huron county, Ohio, and died at Nevada, Iowa, June 5, 1906. He spent his boyhood on a farm near Fremont, Ohio, attended Oberlin College, and also attended a law school at Cincinnati, was admitted to the bar and was married at Fostoria, Ohio, February 16, 1854, to Harriett A. Davis. In the fall of the same year he moved to Iowa, locating first at Sigourney, in Keokuk, county. About a year later he moved to Marshalltown, and in April, 1856, he located finally at Nevada, where he ever afterward had his home. He early gained recognition in his pioneer community and in the election of 1857, he was elected to the General Assembly as representative for the counties of Story, Hardin and Grundy. In the session that followed the state located its “Agricultural Farm” in Story county and Mr. Dana was no doubt largely responsible for this splendid location.

In the years of the war he had a young family and did not go to the front but he was captain of a company of “Home Guards” and in everything that a patriotic citizen could do to forward the cause of the Union, he was active and effective and prominent. In the years that followed he prospered in the law business and especially enjoyed the patronage and confidence of the old soldiers as their pension attorney.

Mr. Dana was a man of marked force of character and all through his active years he was a factor in his community, always striving for the upbuilding of the community and the betterment of his fellow man. He was singularly diligent in the matters to which he gave his attention and he was an example of uprightness to those about him. He was one of the earliest builders of the county and state; and for more than half a century was permitted to witness and aid the development of our commonwealth.

Resolved: That the foregoing memorial be entered upon the Journal of the House and that an engrossed transcript thereof be presented to the bereaved family of the deceased.

GEO. C. WHITE,

F. C. DAVIDSON,

Committee.