John Joseph Seerley | |
|---|---|
.jpg) From Volume II (1894) ofBiographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIowa's1st district | |
| In office March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | |
| Preceded by | John H. Gear |
| Succeeded by | John H. Gear |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1852-03-13)March 13, 1852 Toulon, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | February 23, 1931(1931-02-23) (aged 78) Burlington, Iowa, U.S. |
| Resting place | Aspin Grove Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | John Joseph Seerley Jr. |
| Alma mater | University of Iowa College of Law |
John Joseph Seerley (March 13, 1852 – February 23, 1931) was a one-termDemocraticU.S. Representative fromIowa's 1st congressional district in southeastern Iowa.
Born on a farm nearToulon, Illinois, Seerley moved to Iowa in 1854 with his parents, who settled on a farm inKeokuk County.
He attended the common schools, and graduated from theUniversity of Iowa at Iowa City in 1875.
While serving as principal ofIowa City High School in 1876, he enrolled in theUniversity of Iowa College of Law, graduating in 1877.
He wasadmitted to the bar in 1877 and commenced practice inBurlington, Iowa.
He served as City solicitor of Burlington from 1885 to 1890.
In 1888, he won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Republican RepresentativeJohn H. Gear, who was seeking re-election to a second term representing Iowa's 1st district.[1] This would be the first of three consecutive races between the two. Gear won the 1888 general election. Two years later, however, Seerley unseated Gear as part of the 1890 democratic landslide, becoming one of six Democratic U.S. House members from Iowa in theFifty-second Congress. In 1892, however, Gear again ran against Seerley. Like all four Democratic freshmen from Iowa, Seerley lost his bid for re-election. He served in Congress from March 4, 1891 to March 3, 1893.
Seerley resumed the practice of law in Burlington, serving again as City solicitor from 1893 to 1895. He was also interested in banking and agricultural pursuits. He remained active in Democratic Party activities, serving as a delegate to the1920 Democratic National Convention.
Seerley died in Burlington, on February 23, 1931. He was interred in Aspin Grove Cemetery.
His son and namesake, MajorJohn Joseph Seerley Jr. (1897–1943) served with distinction in World War I and World War II, losing his life while serving in the latter.
He was the grandfather ofGeorge Irving Bell.[2]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromIowa's 1st congressional district 1891–1893 | Succeeded by |
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.
