Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-12-29
E. H. STILES is
BOOKS AUTHOR
FORMER OTTUMWAN WRITES
BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY IOWA
LEGAL LIGHTS.

A biogra phical volume of much IN
terest to Iowans and particularly SO
to Ottumwans mas Just been issued
1t is entitled, "Recollections am
Sketches of Notable Lawyers and PUB
lie Men Of Early Iowa" and the author
is E. H. Stiles. formerly Of this city
later Of Kansas CITY. and now resiu
ing at South Pasadena. Cal.
Mr.. Stiles came to Ottumwa in lS5t
and soon won a place as prominen
member of the bar. The scope OF ms
activities in legal and political work
was state wide and he became ln'l
mately acquainted with many OF the
legal lights Of his day.
!, For this reason he is particularly,
well qualified to write of the men OF
early Iowa and his work shows that ne
has bestowed MANY years of palnstsk
lug labor in amnlfying and ver'fyins
his own information and that which ne
was able to get from, other sources.
The volume. which is large one
containing nearly thousand pages
conta MS much that pertains to Ottum
wa. The biographies of nearly all the
men of legal note in his day are con-
tanned in the book.
Regarding the author, himself. the
cura or of the historical department OF
Iowa. had the following to say IN tn"
ninth volume of the annals of Iowa;
Edward r. Stiles commenced the
practice of his profession at the city OF
Ottumva. where he resided for a
PERIOD Of nearly thirty years and was:
during th~t time leading member OF
the Iowa b"r. In 1850 he was chosen
CITY ccunsolnr. In 1861. county attor-
rey. He YVES elected to the Iowa house
OF repre- sentatives for the session o.
1864 and to the state senate IN the
autumn cf 1865 He served In the reg
Mar session of 1866. but in the autumn
of that year. he res gned the senator
shin. to accent the position OF reporter
of trc sunr.me court of the states. tie
served in this position until 1873. HIS
reports fill sixteen octave volumes. he
also prepa red and published In TOUR
volumes digest of the decisions OF the
supreme court of Iowa from the earll-
est territ per'od. He was the re-
publican candidate for congress IN
Gon. Weaver's d'str'c ct. The sixth Iowa,
then democratic stronghold. in 1883
and came within a few votes OF cleo
ton. He was the attorney Of the Chi
Nago. Burlington & Quincy railroad
chmpanv and of the Chicago. ROCK
lAlapd &. Pacific railroad company for
twenty years in the Ottumwa district.
n 1886 he removed to Kansas City.
Missouri. where he has since practlced
hi profession and is a leading member
OF that bar. He was the republican
Cd didate for circuit judge in 1892 and
81 ce November of that year. has been
N Fer in chancery Of the United
81 les circuit court for the western
III ion Of the western district OF Mis-
ID mi. In 1881 at the request OF the
Airs of the supreme court, he com.
tniencod to gather material fo, bio
graphical sketches Of lawyers and lead
ing public men of early Iowa. He is
row engaged in utilizing the material
thus compiled, the result of which we
are authorized to say he expects in the
near future to place before the public
in book FORM"
To this sketch which was published
in 1909, might be added the informa-
ton that Mr.. Stiles participated in the
organization of the city of Ottumwa.