From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 558.

Edward M. Harvey, now filling the position of justice of the peace in Anamosa, was for almost a half century closely identified with the building operations of the city and surrounding district as a contractor. In this connection he became recognized as a capable and expert workman and as a man of the utmost reliability in all business transactions.

His birth occurred in Onondaga county, New York, September 24, 1835, his parents being John and Lydia (Booker) Harvey, who were natives of Chester, Suffolk county, England. They were reared in that city, which is one of the oldest and quaintest on the "merry isle," still showing evidences in the old stone wall which surrounded the city after the invasion of Julius Caesar in 50 B. C., for that monarch was the builder of the city wall. Mr. and Mrs. John Harvey were reared and married in England and in 1832 crossed the Atlantic to America in one of the old-time sailing vessels which were the only means of navigation at that period. They settled in the state of New York, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father passing away in 1868 at the age of seventy years, his birth having occurred in 1798. The mother died in 1843 at the age of forty-five years, and both were laid to rest in the burying ground at the old home. They were the parents of nine children: William B., Jane, Mary, John, James, Harriet and Charlotte, all now deceased; and Henry G., who is residing in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is the only survivor of the family with the exception of our subject.

Edward M. Harvey spent the first eighteen years of his life in the land of his nativity and then went to another part of the state, where he learned the carpenter's trade. Two years later, in 1855, he made his way westward to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he followed his trade for two years and then returned to the Empire state. It was in New York, on the 7th of January, 1858, that he wedded Miss Lucy L. Clark, a daughter of Alexander and Jemima (Jackson) Clark, both of whom were natives of Onondaga county, New York.

Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Harvey came to Anamosa, where they have since resided. It was then a small town of comparatively little commercial or industrial importance and with its substantial improvements since that time Mr. Harvey has been closely associated. He began contracting and building here and continued actively in that business with growing and gratifying success until the year 1904. He was then called to the office of justice of the peace, which position he is still filling. His decisions are fair and impartial and his course in office has "won him golden opinions from all sorts of people."

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey was blessed with four children: Hattie M., the eldest, is now the wife of J. W. Gerber, a resident of Washington, D. C., and they have a daughter, Helen C., at home. Charles H., a graduate of the Anamosa high school, of the Beloit (Wis.) College and of the State University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, is now president and manager of the Knoxville Electric Railway & Light Company of Knoxville, Tennessee. He married Ida Locke and they have two daughters, Edith C. and Helen W., both at home, but their mother died about 1902. Jane M., the third of the family, is a graduate of the University at Ann Arbor and for eleven years has been connected with the pension office in Des Moines, Iowa. James E., the youngest of the family, died in infancy.

Mr. Harvey is well known in fraternal circles. He belongs to Anamosa Lodge, No. 40, I.0.0.F., and has been identified with the fraternity since June, 1860. He has filled every office in the local lodge and in 1872 became a member of the grand lodge. He is a charter member of McDaniels Encampment, I.0.0.F., in which he has filled every position and is also a member of the grand encampment of the state. His name is on the roll of charter members of the Modern Woodmen Camp, NO. 48, at Anamosa and also of the Legion of Honor, and in both of these organizations he has held all of the offices and from the latter has been a delegate to its grand lodge. His wife is a charter member of the Rebekah lodge, of the Eastern Star and of the Woman's Relief Corps and belongs to the Daughters of the American Revolution.

In his political views Mr. Harvey has been a stalwart republican since casting his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont in 1856. He has taken quite an active part in local politics, serving as a member of the city council three terms; as a member of the school board six years; as mayor of Anamosa in 1888 and 1889, and was township trustee for over thirty-five years. As a citizen he stands for all that is progressive in community affairs and for all that promises improvement and advancement. There is no better indication of his genial manner, his spirit of justice and his consideration for others than is to be found from the fact that for over forty years he was associated with Colonel Shaw, during which time they never had to resort to written agreement nor was there ever any trouble or misunderstanding between them. Mr. Harvey and his wife now occupy a comfortable home and the columns of the front porch were made by him fifty years ago for use on another building and were later transferred to his present place of residence. Here he and his wife, with whom he has traveled life's journey for more than a half century, are living happily and comfortably, the success which he has achieved being well merited for it has come as the direct reward of his intelligently directed labor and business probity.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 379.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 558.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 611.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 695.

From History of Jones County, Iowa, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1879, page 640.