THE IOWA JOURNAL OF HISTORY AND POLITICS APRIL NINETEEN HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX VOL. XXIV-12 THE IOWA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION AND LAW REFORM I HISTORY OF THE IOWA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION The history of the Iowa State Bar Association extends over a period of fifty years. This half century comprises: the period of the Early Iowa State Bar Association, 18741881; an interregnum following the lapse of the Early Iowa State Bar Association, 1881-1895; and the life of the present Iowa State Bar Association, 1895-1926. THE EARLY IOWA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION The early Iowa State Bar Association was organized at Des Moines on May 27, 1874, at a meeting called by a committee of the Polk County Bar and attended by representatives from all parts of the State. A constitution was adopted, and pursuant to the report of the committee on permanent organization, the following persons were elected as the officers of the Association for the ensuing year: president, James Grant of Davenport; first vice president, C. H. Gatch of Des Moines; second vice president, O. P. Shiras of Dubuque; third vice president, W. A. Stowe of Hamburg; recording secretary, C. A. Clark of Webster City; corresponding secretary, Crom Bowen of Des Moines; treasurer, C. C. Nourse of Des Moines. An executive council composed of one member from each judicial district was also chosen as follows: first, R. H. Gilmore; second, H. H. Trimble; third, N. W. Rowell; fourth, W. L. Joy; fifth, E. Willard; sixth, J. C. Cook; seventh, J. N. Rogers; eighth, |