John S. Lahee

As printed in 1915

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 History of Des Moines County, Iowa (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.