Herbert E. Hadley

#50 Col. Herbert Erwin Hadley (1876-1960) 1927-1928

Herbert Erwin Hadley, son of Peter Hadley and Anne Myrah, was born April 5, 1876 near Badger, Webster County, Iowa. He received his early education in the rural schools of Webster County, Iowa then took a prelegal course at Humboldt College at Humboldt, Iowa.

His studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in April 1898. He enlisted in the Army as a private in the 52^nd Iowa Volunteers. When the war ended in August 1898, he returned to his school graduating from Humboldt College in 1899. He then attended the State University of Iowa at Iowa City where he received his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1903. He was admitted to the bar that same year. Mr. Hadley settled in Nevada and engaged in the practice of law.

On August 26, 1908, he married Stella Elizabeth Lowman, daughter of William Lowman and Mary Smith, at Iowa City. She too had graduated from the university at Iowa City and had pursued a teaching career teaching in the Tipton, Iowa schools before her marriage.

The couple made their home in Nevada and Mr. Hadley returned to his law practice. However with the advent of World War I, in 1917 when his country called again, Mr. Hadley answered. He was commissioned as a major and assigned assistant adjutant at Camp Snelling and, later, Camp Dodge. He later commanded the 2^nd Battalion, 35^th Infantry. At Camp Dodge he was assistant adjutant of the 19^th Division. He was discharged on in 1919 from active service but retained a commission of lieutenant colonel in the Officers Reserve Corps until he retired in June 1949.

Mr. and Mrs. Hadley had no children of their own. They raised Herbert’s nephew, William Milo “Milo” Hadley, son of William and Susie (Hanson) Hadley, from a young age and later adopted him as their own.

Once again he returned to private practice but remained active in public life. He was City Solicitor from 1913 to 1915 and again 1941 to 1943 and served as mayor of Nevada from 1927 to 1928. He served as Story County Attorney, postmaster of Nevada, special assistant to the United States Attorney General, president and member of the Nevada Library Board and devoted considerable time and finances to establish the Story County Hospital on whose board he headed. He organized the first Boy Scout Troop in Nevada, was charter member and first president of the Nevada Community Club, was director of Nevada National Bank, was active in both the Story County and Iowa Bar Association, as well as a several fraternal organizations.

In 1949 he went into partnership with Dayton Countryman, a 1948 law school graduate, and his law office was fashioned Hadley & Countryman with offices at 1033 ½ Sixth Street.

Col. Herbert Erwin Hadley remained in practice until his death on October 23, 1960 in Nevada, Story County, Iowa. He was survived by his wife and adopted son, Milo Hadley.