History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/John S. Woolson
JOHN S. WOOLSON
JOHN S. WOOLSON was born on the 6th of December, 1840, at Tonawanda, Erie County, New York. He was the son of T. W. Woolson who became a distinguished member of the Iowa State Senate in the Eleventh and Twelfth General Assemblies. The son received his education in the public schools, at Wilson Collegiate Institute, New York, and at Mount Pleasant Wesleyan College in Iowa, receiving the degree of LL. D. In March, 1862, he received the appointment of assistant paymaster law at Mount Pleasant, was admitted to the bar and at once began prac- in the navy, serving in that capacity to the close of the war. He studied tice. In 1875 he was elected to the State Senate on the Republican ticket and served in that body by reëlections for twelve years, retiring in 1891 when he was appointed by President Harrison Judge of the United States District Court for southern Iowa. He held this position to the time of his death which occurred on the 4th of December, 1899, at his home in Des Moines. He was a lifelong Republican and a citizen and public official of the highest character.