History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Lucian L. Ainsworth
LUCIAN L. AINSWORTH was born in Madison County, New York, on the 21st of June, 1831. He acquired a liberal education, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1854. Mr. Ainsworth came to Iowa in August, 1855, locating at West Union in Fayette County where he opened a law office. He soon attained high rank in the profession and in 1859 was nominated by the Democrats for State Senator in the district composed of the counties of Fayette and Bremer. He made a vigorous canvass, overcame the Republican majority and was elected, serving four years with marked ability. In 1862 Mr. Ainsworth raised a company for the Sixth Cavalry, of which he was appointed captain. In 1871 Captain Ainsworth was again elected to the Legislature, serving two years in the House. In 1874 he was nominated by the Democrats of the Third District for Congress and by his personal popularity overcame the Republican majority of nearly 2,000 and was the first Democrat elected to Congress from Iowa in twenty years. He died in April, 1902.