The Political Graveyard: Politicians in Public Utilities in Iowa

PoliticalGraveyard.com

Politicians in Public Utilities in Iowa
other than communications

Albert Foster Dawson (1872-1949) — also known as Albert F. Dawson — of Preston, Jackson County, Iowa. Born in Spragueville, Jackson County, Iowa, January 26, 1872. Republican. U.S. Representative from Iowa 2nd District, 1905-11; banker; utility company executive. Died on a train near Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, March 9, 1949 (age 77 years, 42 days). Interment at Preston Cemetery, Preston, Iowa.

William Greene Dows (1864-1926) — also known as William G. Dows — of Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa. Born in Clayton County, Iowa, August 12, 1864. Republican. President, Iowa Railway and Light Company, Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Railway; Iowa Electric Company; Central States Electric Company; member of Iowa state house of representatives, 1897-99; colonel in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War; delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1912. Presbyterian. Scottish ancestry. Member, Freemasons; Scottish Rite Masons; Royal Arch Masons; Knights Templar; Shriners; Odd Fellows; Elks; United Spanish War Veterans; Loyal Legion. Died, in University Hospital, Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa, November 25, 1926 (age 62 years, 105 days). Interment at Oak Hill Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

		Relatives: Son of Stephen Leland Dows and Henrietta Weddell (Safley) Dows; married, October 9, 1890, to Margaret B. Cook; third cousin twice removed of Jabez Upham, George Baxter Upham, Nathaniel Upham and Charles Wentworth Upham; third cousin thrice removed of Nathan Read; fourth cousin once removed of Nathaniel Gookin Upham and James Phineas Upham.
		Political families: Upham family; Bell-Upham family of New Hampshire; Kellogg-Adams-Seymour-Chapin family of Connecticut and New York (subsets of the Four Thousand Related Politicians).
		See also Find-A-Grave memorial

Robert Edward Kersting (b. 1916) — also known as Robert Kersting — of Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz. Born in Clinton, Clinton County, Iowa, August 26, 1916. Democrat. Lawyer; test pilot and executive, Howard Aircraft Co.; president, Red Rock Ranches and Arizona Aviation Co.; secretary, treasurer, director, Savage Industries, Inc., Sun States Land and Development Co.; director, general counsel, Insurance Corporation of America; president, general counsel, Yavapai Hotels Corp.; director, Prescott Utilities Corp.; member of Arizona Democratic State Central Committee, 1951-70; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arizona, 1956 (alternate), 1960. Episcopalian. Member, American Bar Association; Phi Gamma Delta; Phi Delta Phi; Moose; Fraternal Order of Police. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.

Relatives: Son of Augustus Henry Kersting and Eva (Schaub) Kersting; married, February 29, 1968, to Fracine Bassett.

Frank Smith Payne (1869-1933) — also known as Frank S. Payne — of Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa. Born in Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, August 16, 1869. Republican. Lawyer; banker; general counsel, Iowa Southern Utilities Co.; member of Iowa state house of representatives, 1900-02; delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1924. Presbyterian. Member, Freemasons; Elks; Kiwanis. Died in Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa, April 13, 1933 (age 63 years, 240 days). Interment at Oakland Cemetery, Centerville, Iowa.

Relatives: Son of Charles Wilson Payne and Margaret (Patton) Payne; married to Grace Dickinson.

Reno W. Trego (1877-1961) — of Merrill, Lincoln County, Wis.; Wausau, Marathon County, Wis. Born near Blairstown, Benton County, Iowa, August 24, 1877. Progressive. Machinist; automobile dealer; real estate agent; hotel operator; trucking business; electric utility engineer; member of Wisconsin state assembly from Lincoln County, 1937-40. Member, Odd Fellows. Died in Wausau, Marathon County, Wis., November 3, 1961 (age 84 years, 71 days). Interment at Garrison Cemetery, Garrison, Iowa.

		Relatives: Son of George Washington Trego; married, August 15, 1911, to Sevilla Ridenour.
		See also Find-A-Grave memorial
		Image source: Wisconsin Blue Book 1940

John Kalbach Valentine (1904-1950) — also known as John K. Valentine — of Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa. Born in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, February 5, 1904. Democrat. Lawyer; member of Iowa state senate 3rd District, 1933-35; Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, 1937-39; defeated, 1938; U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, 1939-40; candidate for Governor of Iowa, 1940; served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; vice-president, Iowa Southern Utilities Company, 1948. Episcopalian. Member, Elks; Eagles; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Lions; Rotary; Sigma Chi; Phi Alpha Delta. Died in Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa, October 12, 1950 (age 46 years, 249 days). Interment at Oakland Cemetery, Centerville, Iowa.

		Relatives: Son of Hosford Edwin Valentine and Annetta (Kalbach) Valentine; married, November 30, 1932, to Billie Armstrong.
		See also Find-A-Grave memorial

"Enjoy the hospitable entertainment of a political graveyard."
Henry L. Clinton, Apollo Hall, New York City, February 3, 1872

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