Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

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and Anamosa. He was a member of the board of
education of Olin and of the Stanwood schools, and was
always a stalwart champion of the public schools.
He practiced law in the county, and was elected a
judge of the Eighteenth Judicial District of Iowa.
commencing on Jan. 1, I903, and continuing until Jan.
1, 1907.
B.F. Miller was married to Eva Foreman, Sept. 12,
1869. Her parents were pioneer settlers, coming into
the county in 1844.
Benjamin and Eva were the parents of six children:
Merton M.. Harry WJ., Mabel E.. Luella B.. Ruby A. and
Earl F.
Judge Miller was a prominent Mason and was also
chief grand tribune of the Grand Lodge of the Knights of
Pythias of Iowa.
Hon. James M. Parsons
James M. Parsons was born near Anamosa Oct. I6,
1858. At the age of ten, he was left an orphan; but in
spite of this handicap, he acquired an education in civil
engineering at Iowa State College and Cornell College.
In 1879, he turned to the study of law and was
admitted to the bar the following year. In 1881, he
located at Rock Rapids, where he engaged in the
Hon. Davis McCarn
Davis McCarn was born in Newark, New York, April
11, I832. He grew to manhood and received his
education in that state, and later commenced reading
law. He completed his law studies and was admitted to
the bar in Rochester. New York. in March 1855. In the
fall of the same year, he came to Iowa, locating in
Tipton. Cedar County, and remained there until 1857.
when he came to Anamosa and engaged in practice.
Hon. John McKean
John McKean was born July 19. 1835. in Lawrence
County, Penn., the son of the Rev. James and Nancy
Smith McKean. James was a soldier in the
Revolutionary War, and later studied at Mercer
Academy and became a Presbyterian minister. Jarnes
McKean moved with his family to Carroll County. Ohio.
when John was an infant.
John grew up on a farm. He received his education at
Hagerstown Academy and later New Richmond
College. In October 1854, John and an older brother.
James W.. came to Jones County. Iowa, with a twohorse
wagon, pitched their tent in Scotch Grove
Township and camped in the woods. They fenced 40
acres of prairie land and built a small frame house.
The next winter John taught country school.
having also taught two seasons before leaving Ohio. In
May 1856, James and John retumed to the East, and
John entered Jefferson College in Cannonsburg, Pa..
and graduated in August 1859. In March of that year.
John McKean was a Franklin debater, for which he
received an award of honor. On leaving college,he
returned to Jones County, and located at Anamosa.
where he read law with S.T. Pierce. He was admitted to
practice in 1861.
John became a member of the Lower House of the
Hon. Warren J . Rees
Warren J. Rees was born Aug. 2. 1908, at Anamosa.
the son of B.G. and Anna Lowe Rees. He graduated
from Anamosa High School in 1925 and attended
Grinnell College.
He studied law under District Court Judge F.O.
Ellison and lawyer Clifford Paul, and was admitted to
the bar in 1934.
He was married to Alma Davis August 20. 1938.
They are the parents of two children: Mary Ann (Mrs.
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private practice of law. While at Rock Rapids, he served
as mayor and one term as county attorney.
In 1906, he moved to Des Moines where he continued
in private practice until being elected to the Supreme
Court of Iowa. where he served from Jan. 1, 1935, until
his death Dec. 16, 1937. For one term of six months, he
served as ChiefJustice of the Supreme Court.
He was elected a Judge of Jones County, and held
that office for five years. He was also mayor of Anamosa
in 1868, and held other town and school offices.
In 1853, while still living in Newark, he was united in
marrriage with Mary A. Hopkins. They became the
parents of two children, Burtis D. and George S.
McCarn.
Iowa General Assembly in 1866 and 1868. and later
was elected to the Senate for the regular sessions of
1870 and 1872. Being nominated for Circuit Judge in
the summer of 1872, he resigned his seat in the Iowa
Senate.
As a legislator. John McKean was an ardent friend to
the State University, the Agricultural College, and of
educational matters generally. He served for six years
as Regent of the State University, and, while in the
Senate, originated the measure and secured the
passage of a bill for a second penitentiary, located at
Anamosa.
McKean took his seat as a Judge of the District Court
in January 1873.
Judge McKean was a Mason, an elder of the
Presbyterian Church, and, for some time, was trustee
for Lenox Collegiate Institute at Hopkinton.
John married Nancy A. Carr Nov. 16, 1865, and they
became the parents of six children.
Judge McKean's great-grandson, Andrew, of
Anamosa. is currently serving in the Iowa House of
Representatives, ca1Tying on a tradition begun almost
125 years ago. Andy is married to the former Constance
Hoefer, and they are the parents of two children, Fern
and Evan.
Ashley Lyman) and William. who was killed in action
while serving with the Marines Corps in Vietnam. Mary
Ann and Ashley are the parents of three children:
Sarah, Matthew and Jeffrey.
Justice Rees practiced law in Anamosa from 1934 to
1963 as a member of Frazier 8: Rees, Rees 81 Remley,
and Rees, Remley 61 Heiserman. He served as clerk of
district court in Jones county and also as county
attorney.