Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

IV
Families Who Are Still Here!
Milton Remley arflved in Anamosa, as a fledgling
lawyer to begin the practice of law, sometime before
the year 1867. No record was made of the exact time of
his arrival. No one could have realized that he would be
the first of a long line of members of the Remley family
who would practice the legal profession in Anamosa
and Jones county for a span ofover 120 years.
Milton Remley had been admitted to the Iowa Bar
after attending the Law School of the University of
Iowa. In 1867 the local newspapers first noted his
presence upon the scene as the pitcher and strong
hitter of the championship Anamosa Athletic Baseball
team.
He was born in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. in
1843. His parents had immigrated to Johnson County,
Iowa, where his father, Rev. James Remley, a Baptist
minister, farmed, preached and began a private school
near Oxford, Iowa.
Rev. James Remley and his wife, Jane Alderson
Remley. were partially motivated in their immigration
to Iowa in 1855 by a desire to iind a peaceful place to
raise their family near the then state capitol, where a
state university was about to be opened.
His strong anti-slavery sermons back in Greenbrier
County had created considerable turmoil in Lewisburg,
what is now West Virginia, and brought stressful
relations with some of his family and in-laws. who
continued to live there. Notwithstanding the move to
Iowa, the Civil War eventually engulfed the family. His
oldest sons, who were brothers of Milton Remley and
Howard M. Remley. Sr.. had joined the Union army
while students at the university. and died supporting
the Union cause. One son is buried in the Federal
cemetery near Vicksburg, Mississippi, where his
cousins, who died supporting the Confederacy. are also
buried.
In 1872 Milton's brother. Howard M. Remley, Sr..
came to join him in the law practice at Anamosa.
Shortly thereafter, Milton returned to Iowa City to
continue his practice there. Later, Milton was elected
and served as Attorney General for the State of Iowa.
but always maintained his residence in Iowa City. One
of his two sons, George Remley, also graduated from
the Law School at the University of Iowa, and practiced
law in Cimmaron and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was
U.S. District Atorney for the Territory of New Mexico.
He later served as a state Senator in the New Mexico
legislature.
Howard M. Remley, Sr.. married Mary E. Underwood
of Muscatine in 1873. She. too, was a graduate of the
University of Iowa. Ten children were bom to their
union: Bertha, Arthur L.. James E.. Alfred G.. Agnes.
Robert, Elsie, Mary, Clara and Howard, Jr.. All ten
children attended Anamosa public school and
graduated from the University of Iowa. Three sons
returned to Anamosa, where Arthur L. Remley
A Legal Tradition
The Remleys of Anamosa
155
operated a grocery store and later was appointed post
master: James E. Remley became a law partner with
his father; and Alfred G. Remley was a partner in the
Anamosa Lumber Company. Arthur was married to
Ruth Kurtz and their children were Eleanor (Temple)
and Lewis. James E. married Lucy Tucker and their
children were Mary Cecelia (Wunder), James T. and
Lucille E. (Sunleai). Alfred G. married Lena Osborne
and they were the parents of Howard M. and Louise O.
(Scott).
The Howard M. Remley, Sr. family lived in a large
brick multi-bedroom home, notable for its extensive
library, at the NE quadrant of the North Davis and
Sycamore streets in Anamosa. The large brick Remley
home was a center of the family get-togethers on
Sundays, holidays and summer vacations, when many
of the children returned with their families for a visit.
Mary E. Remley, wife of Howard M. Remley, Sr.. not
only maintained the household for the large family, but
during the early years of their marriage. obtained a
masters degree by recording and reporting daily
weather observations as a portion of the work for her
graduate degree. She was a leader in the establishment
and building of the present Anamosa Public Library,
serving on the Library Board of Trustees.
Judge Remley, as he was known, always used a
buggy drawn by his favorite white horse for his travel to
and from his ofiice. about his law business and for his
visits to Iowa City where his brother Milton Remley and
family resided.
Howard M. Remley, Sr.. was very active in the First
Baptist Church of Anamosa; the Iowa State Sunday
School Convention; the Republican Party and the early
organizations which lead to the formation of the
University of Iowa Alumni Association and the Iowa
State Bar Association.
He served for ten years as a member of the Law
Reform committee of the State Bar Association. He was
elected and served for seven years as a judge of the Iowa
District Court for the Eighteenth Judicial District of
Iowa. composed of Cedar, Jones and Linn counties. His
sons, James E.. Robert G. and Howard M. Remley. Jr..
followed him into the legal profession.
James E. became his partner in Anamosa. while
Robert established a practice at Webster City, Iowa.
and Howard Remley, Jr.. engaged in practice in
Mason City, Iowa. His grandsons. James T. Remley and
Howard M. Remley, as well as his great-grandson,
David M. Remley, all served as county attorney for
Jones county. His grandson, Howard M. Remley III,
served as president of the Iowa State Bar Association in
1964-65.
James T. married Wilma Bosinger and they were the
parents of James J.. Ellen (Wetzel) and Gregory T.;
Howard M. married Betty J . Levsen and are the parents
of David M.. Jane L. (Rasley) and Nancy L. (Whiteley).