Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 4.djvu/320

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ruary, 1854, and opened a law office, making it his permanent home. He soon acquired a good practice and upon the organization of the Republican party on the 22d of February, 1856, Mr. Lane took an active part, serving as a delegate from Scott County in the first State Convention which met at Iowa City and was one of the secretaries of that gathering which brought a new party into existence. He entered into partnership with Abner Davisson, upon the death of D. S. True, and Davisson & Lane was for many years one of the leading law firms of Davenport. In 1801 he was elected on the Republican ticket to the House of the Ninth General Assembly and took rank among the leading members; was made chairman of the committee on military affairs, then the most important of the standing committees, as the country was in the midst of the great Civil War. In 1873 Mr. Lane was appointed by President Grant United States District Attorney for Iowa, serving with distinction until 1882. He died on the 19th of March, 1890.

JOSEPH R. LANE was born in Davenport, Iowa, on the 6th of May, 1858, and was the son of Hon. James T. Lane. He was educated at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois, attended the Law Department of the State University and began to practice law in Davenport in 1880. In 1898 he was elected to Congress on the Republican ticket in the Second District, serving but one term, as he declined a reëlection. He has long been one of the active Republican leaders in the Second Congressional district, but prefers the line of his profession to official positions.

JAMES L. LANGWORTHY, one of the pioneers of Dubuque, was born in Windsor, Vermont, January 20, 1800. While a boy his father removed successively to New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois, always keeping in the frontier settlements. In 1821 James made his way to the Galena lead mines on foot and engaged in mining. Having acquired great influence with the Sac, Fox and Winnebago Indians, in 1827 Mr. Langworthy was employed by the Government to accompany General Henry Dodge to negotiate a treaty with these tribes by which they were induced to move to the west side of the Mississippi River. In 1830 Mr. Langworthy and his brother, Lucius, obtained permission to engage in lead mining on the west side of the river in the old Dubuque mines. Several other white men crossed the river, made a settlement in the vicinity of the mines and made rules and regulations as to taking and holding claims on the mineral lands. The Indians made complaint against the invaders and the Federal officials ordered them to leave the Indian country. When the Black Hawk War began, Mr. Langworthy became a scout for General Dodge and served to the end of the war. He returned to Dubuque and again engaged in mining, securing rich veins of ore. Mr. Langworthy and his brother increased their mining enterprises and in 1833 were among