Bio of Carley, James A. (b.1869) Wabasha Co., MN
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Carley, James A. (page 238), senator, attorney, business man and public
official, is a splendid example of those native sons of Minnesota, whose
parents were pioneers, and who have worthily carried the affairs of the
Commonwealth still further along the road of progress and eminence. With
but little encouragement he has won his way in the world and in achieving
a satisfactory measure of success for himself, has assisted materially in
the public, civic and business development of the state. As farm boy,
teacher, attorney, county attorney, mayor, state representative, state
senator, real estate, telephone and lumber investor, he has faithfully
done his duty as he has seen it, and in so doing has won the esteem and
respect of the people with whom he has come in contact. So widespread is
his sterling reputation that he has already been prominently exploited in
the public press as excellent material for the Governorship, and in 1918
he secured heavy support for the Democratic nomination for that office.
James A. Carley was born in Oronoco Township, Olmsted County, Minn., June
17, 1869, son of Charles Brookings and Agnes (Dodson) Carley. With a
common school training as a foundation, he secured an excellent education,
his alma maters being the Wesleyan Methodist Seminary at Wasioja, Minn.;
the Minnesota State Normal School at Winona, Minn.; the Hamline University
at Hamline, Minn., and the law school of the University of Minnesota at
Minneapolis. In the meantime since the age of fifteen he had made his own
way, teaching, working at farming, and at such other employments as
promised sufficient financial return. His first school was at Farm Hill,
which he had attended as a boy, and subsequently at intervals he taught
other school, including night classes at St. Paul. He was graduated and
admitted to the bar in 1894. He at once opened an office in Plainview, but
for two years thereafter continued his career as an educator. Since then
his life has been one of ever increasing success. In 1896 he was elected
county attorney, and although then inexperienced, he conducted the office
in such a manner that he was thrice reelected. At the close of 1908 he
retired to take up his duties as a member of the lower house of the
Minnesota State Legislature. So excellent was his record in this respect
that in 1910 he was persuaded to run for the upper house of the
Legislature. Owing to political conditions he was defeated, but in 1914
again became a candidate and was elected. Although a Democrat, and the
county was largely Republican, he received the largest majority ever
received by a candidate for the senate in this district. In the senate he
has made a most notable record, and is one of the influential figures in
capitol politics. He was chairman of the Game and Fish Committee, and
later of the Civil Administration committee, and a member of the finance,
Education, Insurance, Judiciary, Towns and counties, and Public Service
Co-operations Committees, all being of the most important in the Senate
organization. One of his most notable fights has been for a tonnage tax on
iron ores, which after years of effort he and his friends enacted into a
law, in 1919, only to be defeated by the Governor's veto. In Plainview,
Senator Carley has likewise been an important factor in public life. From
1914 to 1918 he did most excellent work as president of the village.
During the world War he took an active part in the various drives, and
delivered hundreds of talks in behalf of the loyal support of the
government, in his own county and at many points within the state. In
business, he has been no less distinguished. He was one of the founders of
the Greenwood Prairie Telephone Co. in 1902, and is now president and
principal owner, having had the practical management of the company since
1908. He was president of the New Wabasha Lumber Col., at Wabasha, which
has recently sold its yards to the Botsford Lumber Co., of Winona, and is
one of the founders and president of the North Star Moulding and Frame
co., of Minneapolis. He has extensive real estate holdings in the vicinity
of Plainview, and a large farm near Mapleton, in Blue Earth county, this
state. He also has a pleasant home in Plainview. Fraternally he belongs to
Plainview Lodge, A.F.&A.M., Wabasha Chapter, R.A.M., Lake City Commandery,
K.T., Winona Consistory, S.R.M., Osmon Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S., Rochester
Lodge, No. 1091, B.P.O.E., and Plainview Lodge, I.O.O.F., besides being a
member of many fraternal insurance orders. Mr. Carley was married October
4, 1900, to Mary G. Chamberlain, daughter of C. L. and Loretta (Woodard)
Chamberlain. Mrs. Carley is a member of the Congregational church. She is
also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and of the
Eastern Star.