The Lahee Family of Des Moines County, Iowa

Those qualities which in every land and every clime awaken confidence and respect found expression in the life of John Lahee, a man of many sterling traits of character. He held to high ideals and guided his actions by honorable purpose and thus when death called him he left behind him a memory that should serve as an inspiration to his family and all who knew him.

A native of New York, he was born at Martinsburg, Lewis county, May 7, 1820. and was of Scotch-Irish descent. His father, Timothy Lahee, was born in the northern part of Ireland in 1795 and came to the new world as a British soldier during the War of 18 12. He became interested in America and her people, however, and continued on this side of the Atlantic, remaining in the Empire state until his death. He there married Catherine Buck, who was born in 1796 and passed away in 1846. She was the eldest daughter of Elijah Buck, a farmer of Lewis county. New York, and descended from Dutch ancestors who settled in Washington county, New York, prior to the Revolutionary war. His father, Elijah Buck, Sr., was once the owner of the township of Harrisburg, Lewis county, which he named in honor of his friend, Governor Harris, of New York.

John Lahee pursued his education in the schools of Martinsburg and in Yale Academy and later became a law student in the office of D. M. Bennett, of Martinsburg, thus qualifying for the practice of law, upon which he entered at Rome, New York, in 1849. He built up a good practice during several years of his connection with the profession there, but on the 19th of December, 1852, he arrived in Burlington, having come to the west through the influence of a relative who was superintendent of the Wells Fargo stage lines and post routes between Burlington and the Missouri river. Mr. Lahee began dealing in real estate and in 1854 entered into partnership with W. R. Brown. Their business prospered because of the rapid growth of the town, owing to the construction of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway. In 1858, however, owing to the great financial

JOHN LAHEE panic of the previous year, land began to depreciate in value and at that time Mr. Lahee accepted the agency for the Continental Insurance Company of New York, the first company from that state to operate in Burlington. Although he still continued to give some attention to the real estate and loan business, he concentrated his efforts and energies more and more largely upon insurance and in 1868 he was one of the organizers of The Republic Insurance Company of Chicago, of which he was a prominent stockholder, and was one of its most earnest promoters. The business was successfully conducted until the great Chicago fire in 1871. He was in partnership with the late Judge Phelps from 1871 to 1875 and during that period promoted, organized and was the first stockholder of the German-American Savings Bank of Burlington, of which he was made assistant cashier and one of the directors. He contributed much toward the establishment of the bank upon a safe and substantial basis and remained in the office for two years. He was an expert on real-estate values and a good judge of human nature, and the bank never had to call in a single loan that he passed upon favorably. In matters of citizenship he stood at all times for progress and advancement and during the period of the Civil war proved his loyalty to the country by assisting W. D. Gilbert in equipping an artillery company known as the Fletcher or First Iowa Battery, which did notable service on southern battlefields, especially at Pea Ridge.

Mr. Lahee was always greatly interested in the political questions and issues of the day and in early life gave his allegiance to the democratic party. In 1840 the writings of Horace Greelev, editor of the New York Tribune, converted him to the political creed of the whig party and upon its dissolution and the formation of the new republican party he joined its ranks and was a delegate from Des Moines county to the first republican convention held in Iowa, the meeting taking place at Iowa City in 1854. Upon the organization of the party in the state in 1856 he was chosen a member of the congressional committee from the first district, at once assuming a position of leadership in partisan councils. He gave the most earnest effort and thought to the cause and contributed much to its growth. In 1860 he was elected clerk of the district court of Des Moines county, being the first republican in this county elected to any office. In this connection a contemporary writer has said: "His interest in the workings of practical politics continued for a long period, and he lived to serve the party over whose infancy he had watched in many a convention hall and post of honor. He was a man of strong and determined character, frank, open and above board as far as is consistent with the care of complicated and delicate interests, and commanded universal admiration, while the cordiality and amiability of his disposition won him the friendship of the majority of those with whom he was personally acquainted."

On the 6th of December, 1856, IVIr. Lahee wedded Miss Ellen F. House, of Rome, New York, whose grandfather was one of the Life Guards of General Washington. Mrs. Lahee was educated at Miss Willard's Academy at Utica, New York, and the Troy Female Seminary of Troy, New York. Four children were born to this marriage, John Stillman and Effie Frances, a graduate of Vassar College, being the surviving members of the family. The death of the mother occurred July 7, 1908, while Mr. Lahee passed away October 2, 1900. As one of the pioneer residents of the city, he had contributed largely to its upbuilding and development, wisely utilizing his time, talents and opportunities, and thus he won a substantial measure of success. Never did he sacrifice honor and good name to the attainment of a competence, and his record is indeed one well worthy of emulation.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN S. LAHEE.

John S. Lahee, a broad and liberal-minded man to whom business is but one phase of existence and who has studied closely many of the vital and significant sociological and economic problems of the age, belongs to that class of men who field a power which is all the more potent from the fact that it is moral rather than political and is exercised for the public weal rather than for personal ends. Along business lines his connection with the city is that of an insurance specialist. Burlington claims him as a native son. He was here born January 12, 1864, his parents being John and Ellen (House) Lahee, of whom extended mention is made elsewhere in this volume.

After attending the public schools John S. Lahee became a pupil in the State University at Iowa City, entering the class of 1886. After his text-books were put aside he became connected with his father in the insurance and real estate business and upon the death of his father he took over the business, now concentrating his energies and attention upon general insurance. He is thoroughly familiar with every phase of the business and has secured a most gratifying clientage, writing annually policies that represent a very large sum.

Many other interests, however, have claimed the attention and profited by the cooperation of Mr. Lahee, who at all times stands loyally by every cause which he espouses. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he has served in the customs office, having charge of navigation and known as special deputy surveyor of customs. He was also connected with the supervising architect's office of the treasury department during the building of the Burlington postoffice and had charge of all the accounts. In early manhood, in 1882, he was appointed disbursing agent and chief examiner of the Chippewa Indian lands, but declined to serve in that connection, although it would have brought him lucrative returns. His activity in political circles began immediately after his college

JOHN S. LAHEE days, when he was chosen secretary of the Young Men's Republican Club of Des Moines county, at that time a very strong organization, wielding a wide influence in political circles of the community. Mr. Lahee has ever regarded it as the duty as well as the privilege of every true American citizen to exercise his right of franchise and he has been unfaltering in his devotion to the principles which he deems of the greatest value in good government.

in fraternal circles, too, Mr. Lahee is well known. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge, in which he has served as vice chancellor, and he is now affiliated with the Elks lodge. No. 84. Something of the nature of his recreation is indicated in the fact that he became a charter member of the Golf Club. Long a devoted member of the Presbyterian church, he served for a number of years officially and as president of the brotherhood of that organization for one year. He likewise had charge of the music for the Sunday school for many years and has ever taken a most deep and helpful interest in Sunday-school work. No record of Mr. Lahee would be complete without reference to the prominent part which he has taken in musical circles. Nature endowed him with a love of music, which he naturally developed through study, and for a number of years he played in the Burlington Boat Club Band. He was also a first violinist in Professor Heyner's orchestra and he played the first B flat cornet in the Burlington Boat Club Band. He was also the founder and organizer of an orchestra, which he continued to direct for one year, during which time it became well known and popular. On the expiration of that period the organization was taken over by Professor Schramm and was afterward known as the Schramm orchestra. Mr. Lahee was chief musician of the Second Regiment, Iowa National Guard. He likewise played first violin in the Ladies' Musical Club orchestra and was the leader of the Presbyterian church orchestra. For eight years he was secretary of the Burlington Boating Association. He has also belonged to the Board of Trade, to the Commercial Club and the Commercial Exchange, cooperating in all the plans and purposes of those organizations for the benefit and upbuilding of the city.

That his reading and study have been along broad and significant lines is indicated in the fact that he belongs to the American Economic Association, the American Academy of Political and Social Science and is a fellow of the Royal Economic Society of Great Britain and of other organizations, foreign and domestic, working along the same lines of investigation and research. He is a member of the State Charitv Association and he is well known as a writer against socialism. His opinions are formed from broad investigation and practical experience. He is indeed a broad-minded man to whom life has been purposeful and full of opportunities, which he has utilized for the benefit of his fellows. He belongs to that public-spirited, useful and helpful type of men whose ambitions and desires are concentrated and directed into those channels through which flow the greatest and most permanent good to the greatest number. He feels the most hearty concern in the public welfare and has been most helpful in bringing about moral reform and progress. He feels strongly that life should be shaped according to the highest moral laws. He lays, strong stress on the doctrine of man's free will, is a believe in marriage as a divine institution and a believe in future life. He is opposed most strongly to materialism, no matter under what name it appears. He advocates moral education in the public schools, feeling that it is necessary for the preservation of civilization to teach morality not only in the home but in the school. He is friendly to all moral education and believes that man's success and happiness in life depend upon his own moral character regardless of his environment. The entire trend of his thought is along the line of uplift and advancement, and his work has been beneficially resultant.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.