Shortridge, Samuel Morgan (1861-1952) — also known as Samuel M. Shortridge — of Menlo Park, San Mateo County, Calif. Born in Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, August 3, 1861. Republican. Lawyer; Presidential Elector for California, 1888, 1900, 1908; U.S. Senator from California, 1921-33. Member, Freemasons; Elks; Redmen. Died January 17, 1952 (age 90 years, 167 days). Interment at Oak Hill Memorial Park, San Jose, Calif.

Relatives: Son of Rev. Elias W. Shortridge and Tabitha C. Shortridge; married, August 3, 1899, to Laura Gashweiler.

McFarland, Silas Clark (1859-1908) — also known as Silas C. McFarland — of Marshalltown, Marshall County, Iowa. Born in Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, June 3, 1859. Republican. Newspaper editor and publisher; alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1888; U.S. Consul in Nottingham, 1899-1902; Reichenberg, 1902-07; U.S. Consul General in St. Gall, 1907. Killed himself, by gunshot, in his compartment on the Hamburg-Berlin express train, near Ludwigslust, Germany, October 24, 1908 (age 49 years, 143 days). Burial location unknown.

Relatives: Son of Samuel McFarland and Mary A. (Woolson) McFarland; married, September 1, 1886, to Marie Eiboeck.

Sullivan, Jerry Bartholomew (1859-1948) — also known as Jerry B. Sullivan — of Creston, Union County, Iowa; Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. Born in Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, January 1, 1859. Democrat. Candidate for Governor of Iowa, 1903; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 1908; member, U.S. Board of General Appraisers, 1913-26; Judge of U.S. Customs Court, 1926-39; retired 1939. Died April 17, 1948 (age 89 years, 107 days). Burial location unknown.

Payne, Frank Smith (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 (born c.1839) and Margaret (Patton) Payne; married to Grace Dickinson.

Poe, Elsie Mae (b. 1885) — also known as Elsie Mae Grumbling; Mrs. Burns Poe — of Tacoma, Pierce County, Wash. Born in Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, 1885. Republican. Delegate to Republican National Convention from Washington, 1948. Female. Burial location unknown.

Smith, Sylvester Clark (1858-1913) — also known as Sylvester C. Smith — of Bakersfield, Kern County, Calif. Born near Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, August 26, 1858. Republican. Newspaper editor; member of California state senate, 1894-1902; U.S. Representative from California 8th District, 1905-13; defeated, 1902; died in office 1913. Died in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Calif., January 26, 1913 (age 54 years, 153 days). Interment at Union Cemetery, Bakersfield, Calif.

Spry, Clyde (1889-1961) — of Woodbury County, Iowa. Born near Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, March 26, 1889. Republican. Farmer; Iowa secretary of agriculture, 1950-61; appointed 1950; died in office 1961. Presbyterian. Member, Farm Bureau; Izaak Walton League; Moose; Freemasons. Died June 14, 1961 (age 72 years, 80 days). Interment at Masonic Cemetery, Des Moines, Iowa.

Relatives: Married 1911 to Fern Barney (1887-1920).

Hale, William (1837-1885) — Born in New London, Henry County, Iowa, November 18, 1837. Lawyer; member of Iowa state house of representatives, 1863-66; Presidential Elector for Iowa, 1868; Governor of Wyoming Territory, 1882-85; died in office 1885. Died, of Bright's disease, in Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyo., January 13, 1885 (age 47 years, 56 days). Burial location unknown.

Cullison, James Buchanan (b. 1857) — also known as James B. Cullison — of Enid, Garfield County, Okla. Born in New London, Henry County, Iowa, September 21, 1857. Republican. School teacher; lawyer; register, U.S. Land Office, Enid, Okla., 1897-1902; district judge in Oklahoma 21st District, 1911-29; delegate to Republican National Convention from Oklahoma, 1912 (alternate), 1932; justice of Oklahoma state supreme court, 1929-31. Member, Freemasons; Knights Templar. Burial location unknown.

Relatives: Son of Elisha Cullison and Matilda (McCabe) Cullison; married, July 30, 1882, to May Mary Sharp.

Barton, Silas Reynolds (1872-1916) — of Grand Island, Hall County, Neb. Born in New London, Henry County, Iowa, May 21, 1872. Republican. Nebraska state auditor, 1909-13; U.S. Representative from Nebraska 5th District, 1913-15. Member, Ancient Order of United Workmen. Died in Grand Island, Hall County, Neb., November 7, 1916 (age 44 years, 170 days). Interment at Aurora Cemetery, Aurora, Neb.

Relatives: Son of Eli B. Barton and Teressa (Nugen) Barton; married to Ellen Metcalfe.

Lewelling, Lorenzo Dow (1846-1900) — of Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kan. Born in Salem, Henry County, Iowa, December 21, 1846. Candidate for secretary of state of Kansas, 1886; Governor of Kansas, 1893-95; member of Kansas state senate, 1896. Died of heart disease in Arkansas City, Cowley County, Kan., September 3, 1900 (age 53 years, 256 days). Interment at Maple Grove Cemetery, Wichita, Kan.

Beardsley, Grenville (1898-1960) — of Chicago, Cook County, Ill. Born in Salem, Henry County, Iowa, January 12, 1898. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; lawyer; candidate for Illinois state senate 13th District, 1934, 1938; colonel in the U.S. Army during World War II; Illinois state attorney general, 1959-60; appointed 1959; died in office 1960. Member, American Bar Association; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Elks. In 1960 he had an aneurysm at his desk in the old State of Illinois Building on LaSalle Street, and died on June 3, a few days later (age about 62 years). Burial location unknown.

Relatives: Son of Frank Grenville Beardsley and Mary Elizabeth (Riddell) Beardsley; married, April 16, 1927, to Leona Marian Murray. He was a descendant of William Beardsley of Stratford, Connecticut.

Hess, Harriet Belle (d. 1951) — also known as Harriet Belle; Mrs. Luther C. Hess — of Juneau, Alaska; Fairbanks, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. Born in Winfield, Henry County, Iowa. Democrat. School principal; Trustee, Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines, 1917-35, continuing as Regent, University of Alaska, 1935-51; member of Democratic National Committee from Alaska Territory, 1944-48. Female. Member, American Association of University Women. Died in 1951. Burial location unknown.

Relatives: Married 1911 to Luther Constantine Hess (1865-1954).

Allen, William Sylvester (1857 – 1926) — was an American politician and lawyer. Born August 26, 1857 in Hillsboro, Henry County, Iowa, Allen went to the Hillsboro Public Schools. He then graduated from University of Iowa and was admitted to the Iowa bar. Allen practiced law in Birmingham, Van Buren County, Iowa. He served as mayor of Birmingham and on the Birmingham School Board. From 1894 to 1898, Allen served in the Iowa House of Representatives and was a Republican. He then served in the Iowa State Senate from 1909 to 1913. From 1913 to 1919, Allen served as Iowa Secretary of State. He then continued to practice law in Fairfield, Iowa, where he died December 6, 1926.

Stephenson, George Williams, Jr. (b. 1887) — Born in Winfield, Henry County, Iowa, October 11, 1887. U.S. Vice & Deputy Consul in Yarmouth, 1911. Burial location unknown.

Heartsill, Greg (1971 - ) — Born March 14, 1971 in Mount Pleasant, Iowa and raised in Salem. He earned an associate's degree in computer science from Indian Hills Community College and Bachelor of Arts in business from Buena Vista University. As of January 2013, Heartsill served on several committees in the Iowa House, including the Judiciary, Public Safety, and Transportation committees. He also served as the vice chair of the HouseGovernment Oversight and Local Government committees. Heartsill did not seek re-election in 2018.

Withrow, Winfield Scott (1855 – 1930) Biography
Born in Salem, Iowa on September 28, 1855. He earned a law degree at the State University of Iowa in 1880. A Republican, he served one term in the Iowa House of Representatives. He was a district court judge, and was appointed to the state Supreme Court on April 19, 1913. He was a justice of the Iowa Supreme Court from April 19, 1913, to December 31, 1914, appointed from Henry County. He was a longtime trustee of Iowa Wesleyan University. He died in Mount Pleasant on February 7, 1930. Buried in Forest Home Cemetery, Mount Pleasant, Iowa.

Pendray, Carolyn Campbell (1881-1958) - The first female to serve in the Iowa Legislature and the only woman to serve in both the Iowa house and senate. "Caddie" was born December 9, 1881, in Mount Pleasant and received her early education in Mount Pleasant. She was elected to the Legislature from Jackson County. Mrs. Pendray was responsible for the law permitting a wife to hold exempt from seizure for debt certain property of her own. Prior to its enactment, only the husband was recognized as the head of a household and only he could claim property exempt from seizure for debt. She died in Mount Pleasant on November 23, 1958, and is buried in Forest Home Cemetery.

Carolyn Campbell Pendray was inducted into the Iowa Woman's Hall of Fame in 1978.

Parents: Thomas Franklin Campbell and Harriett Emily Dutton.

Spouse: William J. Pendray

Newbold, Joshua G. (1830 – 1903) — Biography.
He was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1830. Newbold grew up in a Quaker family in Pennsylvania. Later he became a Baptist. He moved to Iowa in 1854, where he was a farmer. He joined the Union Army in 1862 as captain of Company C, 25th Regiment of the Iowa Infantry, and fought at the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, the Battle of Fort Hindman, the Third Battle of Chattanooga, the Battle of Ringgold Gap, the Atlanta Campaign, and Sherman's March to the Sea. Newbold served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1872 to 1876. He was elected Lieutenant Governor as a Republican in 1876, and succeeded to the governorship when Samuel J. Kirkwood resigned to take a seat in the United States Senate. From 1899 to 1903, Newbold was mayor of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Died June 10, 1903 in Mt. Pleasant and was buried in the Forest Home Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

Gillis, James Lisle (1792-1881) — of Pennsylvania. Born in Hebron, Washington County, N.Y., October 2, 1792. Democrat. Member of Pennsylvania state house of representatives, 1840, 1851; Jefferson County Judge, 1842; member of Pennsylvania state senate 28th District, 1846-48; U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 24th District, 1857-59. Died in Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, July 8, 1881 (age 88 years, 279 days). Interment at Forest Home Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

Corkhill, George Baker (1838-1886) — also known as George B. Corkhill — of District of Columbia. Born in Harrison County, Ohio, 1838. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, 1880-84. Died in Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, 1886 (age about 48 years). Interment at Forest Home Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

Harlan, James (1820-1899) — of Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa. Born in Clark County, Ill., August 26, 1820. Republican. Iowa superintendent of public instruction, 1847; president of Iowa Wesleyan College, 1853-55, 1869-70; U.S. Senator from Iowa, 1855-57, 1857-65, 1867-73; U.S. Secretary of the Interior, 1865-66; candidate for Republican nomination for Vice President, 1868. Methodist. Died in Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, October 5, 1899 (age 79 years, 40 days). Interment at Forest Home Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

Relatives: Father of Mary Harlan (who married Robert Todd Lincoln (1843-1926)).

Political families: Lee-Randolph family; Lincoln-Lee family; Walker-Helm-Lincoln-Brown family of Kentucky (subsets of the Three Thousand Related Politicians).

The city of Harlan, Iowa, was named for him. — The World War II Liberty ship SS James Harlan (built 1943 at Richmond, California; wrecked and scrapped 1962) was named for him.

Abraham, Lot (1838-1920) — Biography

of Center Township, Henry County, Iowa. Born in Butler County, Ohio, April 18, 1838. Republican. Served in the Union Army during the Civil War; farmer; member of Iowa state senate, 1881-84; delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1912. United Brethren. Died in Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, July 23, 1920 (age 82 years, 96 days). Interment at Abraham Cemetery, Center Township, Henry County, Iowa.

Relatives: Son of John Abraham (1806-1843) and Sarah (McCue) Abraham (1807-1872); married, September 24, 1865, to Sarah Cornelia Alden (1841-1888); married, October 22, 1891, to Mary Blount Blacker (1857-1961).

Blackford, John W.  (1837 – 1916) — Was an American politician. Blackford was born near Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, as were his grandfather Joseph and father Aaron, on 4 March 1837. His family had lived in the area since Martin Blackford emigrated from Scotland in 1751. John Blackford's mother was of Dutch descent. He was educated in country schools and the York County Academy. Blackford subsequently taught school, then moved to Van Buren County, Iowa, in 1864. In Iowa, he raised Poland China pigs and Hereford cattle. Blackford served as president of the American Poland China Record Association from 1903 to 1904, and became treasurer of the organization thereafter. From 1906, he lived in Hillsboro, and was president of the Hillsboro Savings Bank. He served one term in the Iowa House of Representatives, as a Republican legislator for District 20, then located in Henry County, from 1913 to 1915. Blackford died on 10 April 1916 in Hillsboro.

His son Aaron Vale Blackford later served in both houses of the Iowa General Assembly.

Sources: politicalgraveyard.com, Wikipedia, https://bioguide.congress.gov/, Iowa Official Register 1951-52, Findagrave.com, Wikipedia

Transcribed and contributed by Conni McDaniel Hall, 24 May 2022.