Joseph Morris Rea (1846–1895), often known simply as J. Morris Rea, was an Iowa attorney and politician. He served in the Iowa State Senate from 1893 to 1895.

Early life and education

Joseph Morris Rea was born to George and Ann Rea on March 1, 1846, in Chester County, Pennsylvania. After living for a time in North Coventry Township, the family moved west to Mount Carroll, Illinois in 1854. Rea studied at the Mount Carroll Seminary, later known as Shimer College, from his family's arrival in Mount Carroll in 1854 until 1863. His classmates at the small school included future Illinois politicians H.H.C. Miller and Virgil Ferguson, and future Iowa Speaker of the House William H. Redman. Rea subsequently attended the old University of Chicago, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1867. After graduating from the University of Chicago, Rea

read law Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under the ...

in the office of C.B. Smith in Mount Carroll. In 1869, he completed his studies and became a member of the Illinois bar.

Political career

Rea moved from Illinois to

Grundy Center, Iowa Grundy Center is a city in Grundy County, Iowa. The population was 2,796 at the time of the 2020 census, a 7.7% increase from 2,596 at the 2000 census. Grundy Center is also the county seat of Grundy County. Grundy Center is part of the Waterloo ...

, in 1870. He went into practice with his brother-in-law, Francis Garner Moffett. The two also purchased the county's only newspaper, the ''Grundy County Atlas'', running it for the next six years, Moffett serving as local editor and Rea as political editor. The ''Atlas'', later succeeded by the ''Republican'', was the only newspaper serving Grundy County. In 1876, they sold the paper to Rea's fellow Mount Carroll Seminary alumnus Charles Keiter. In 1871, Rea was elected the Grundy County superintendent of schools and served for two years. Later, he also served for some time on the Grundy Center school board, including a stint as its president. In 1875, Rea married Ann Raymond. They had two children, George and Ralph. A lifelong Republican, Rea was presented as the preferred choice of the Grundy County Republican Party for senate at every election from 1879 to 1893. Rea also served as an alternate delegate to the

Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the United States Republican Party. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal of the Repu ...

in 1884. In 1893, Rea was elected to the state senate of Iowa as a Republican, representing the 38th district, which comprised the counties of Grundy and Black Hawk. He served in the

25th Iowa General Assembly Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five. Fifth or The Fifth may refer to: * Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth" * Fifth column, a political term * Fifth disease, a contagious rash th ...

in 1894, but died before reaching the second half of his senatorial term. In addition to his political work, Rea was a director of the Grundy County National Bank, which he had helped to organize. He was also a member of the Knights Templar Masons, who presided at his funeral. He was a lifelong member of the Baptist church. Rea died at his home in Grundy Center on August 25, 1895. He had been diagnosed some time previously with Bright's disease.

Works cited

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rea, Joseph Morris University of Chicago alumni Shimer College alumni Politicians from Chester County, Pennsylvania People from Mount Carroll, Illinois Iowa state senators 1846 births 1895 deaths People from Grundy Center, Iowa 19th-century American legislators American lawyers admitted to the practice of law by reading law