Isaiah S. Coomes Biography


	This biography appears on pages 911-912 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				ISAIAH S. COOMES. 

	Isaiah S. Coomes, county judge of Day county, has in his 
professional connections won a most creditable and prominent position 
and his ability as a fair and impartial judge is indicated in the fact 
that he has been reelected to the office in which he is now serving. He 
was born in Cass county, Iowa, July 12, 1878, and is a son of Oll and 
Addie (Kellogg) Coomes. The former was a son of Isaiah Coomes, who for 
a number of years resided in Ohio and removed thence to Iowa, where his 
remaining days were passed. His life was devoted to the occupation of 
farming. Oll Coomes was born in Ohio in 1858 and after coming to Iowa 
was married in Colfax to Miss Addie Kellogg, who was born in 1857 in 
Vermont and died in 1907. Mr. Coomes turned his attention to 
agricultural pursuits after reaching Iowa and in the conduct of his 
business affairs met with a substantial measure of success. He is also 
well known as the author of several novels which have been well 
received and is a notable figure in the literary circles of his state. 
In politics, too, he has figured prominently and after filling some 
local offices was elected to represent his district in the state 
legislature for a term covering the years 1878-1879. His political 
allegiance has always been given to the republican party. He belongs to 
the Methodist Episcopal church and is also a member of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows. In the family of Oll and Addie (Kellogg) Coomes 
were three children, but one of the number, Roy, is now deceased. The 
second son, Arthur, is a farmer of Iowa. Mr. Coomes was married in 1913 
to Miss Addie Johnson. 

	The third son is Judge Coomes of this review, who pursued his 
education in the schools of Iowa, being graduated from the high school 
at Wiota, that state. Later he continued his education at Atlantic, 
Iowa, and also pursued a course in a business college at Des Moines. He 
next entered upon the study of law and completed a course in the law 
department of the State University of South Dakota with the class of 
1907. In July of the same year he located in Webster and for four years 
continued in the practice of his profession with John Lund, since which 
time he has been alone. He is an able lawyer and while in active 
practice was always most conscientious and careful in the preparation 
of his cases, while his presentation of a cause was marked by force and 
clearness In 1912, his fellow citizens, appreciative of his worth and 
his ability as a member of the bar, elected him to the office of county 
judge and gave their endorsement of his first term's service in a 
reelection in 1914. He is a republican in politics and had previously 
held some local offices, serving as township clerk in Iowa and as 
justice of the peace in Webster. 

	In 1906 Judge Coomes was united in marriage to Miss Grace E. 
Love, who was born in Cass county, Iowa, a daughter of D. R. Love, a 
stock buyer of that state. Judge and Mrs. Coomes are prominent socially 
and enjoy the hospitality of the best homes of Webster and of the 
county. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and the 
Judge is prominent and active in the Odd Fellows and Masonic lodges. He 
has attained to the Royal Arch Chapter in Masonry and for two years was 
worshipful master of his lodge, while for three years he was noble 
grand of the Odd Fellows lodge, serving as a representative from the 
subordinate lodge to the grand lodge for two years. His ideals of life 
are high and he lives up to his standards. The opportunities which have 
come to him he has improved not only for the benefit of his own 
interests but also for the welfare and upbuilding of the community in 
which he lives.