Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 4.djvu/426

 won high reputation in the General Assembly and in 1873 was nominated by the Republicans for Representative in Congress for the Fourth District. He was elected, serving two terms. Soon after the expiration of his last session he entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church and has attained eminence in that profession. ISAAC M. PRESTON was born in Bennington, Vermont, April 25, 1813. His father was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. The son came to Iowa in 1842, locating at Marion in Linn County, where he began to practice law. In December, 1845, he was appointed District Attorney, serving two years. In February, 1846, he was commissioned colonel to organize troops for the Mexican War. He was probate judge of Linn County for four years. In 1847 he was appointed by President Polk United States District Attorney for Iowa. In 1850 he was elected to the House of the Third General Assembly and after serving one term was elected to the Senate, where for four years, in the Fourth and Fifth General Assemblies, he was a prominent legislator. He took an active part in the enactment of the Code of 1851 and the important legislation of those early sessions. Mr. Preston ranked high, both as a lawyer and lawmaker. He was one of the leaders of the Democratic party of the State. HIRAM PRICE was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, January 10, 1810. He worked on his father's farm in boyhood, attending school during the winter months. He was a great reader, borrowing books of neighbors and thus acquiring an education. In 1844 he removed to Iowa, locating in Davenport, where he opened a store. In 1847 he was chosen School Fund Commissioner and a year later was elected recorder and treasurer of Scott County, holding the position eight years. Mr. Price was a radical advocate of temperance and was one of the founders of the order of "The Sons of Temperance." He was one of the framers of the first bill for the prohibition of the liquor traffic in the State, which was enacted into law by the Fifth General Assembly in 1854. He was the editor of the Temperance Organ, a State paper devoted to prohibition. He had been a Democrat in politics up to the time of the attempt to force slavery into Kansas when he left that party and was one of the organizers and founders of the Republican party of Iowa. Upon the enactment of the State Bank Law, Mr. Price was one of the organizers of the Davenport branch and was the second president of the State Bank officers. When the War of the Rebellion began he assisted in raising the money to enable Governor Kirkwood to equip the first two Iowa regiments. He was the first paymaster of Iowa troops and was untiring in his support and assistance to the Governor in raising men and money to meet the calls of the President. In 1862 he was elected by the Republicans of the Second District to Congress and for six years was one of the ablest members of the