H. L. Karr

H. L. KARR, attorney at law, Osceola, is a native of Meigs County, Ohio, born August 13, 1839, a son of William and Jane (Murray) Karr. The father was born in the old fort at Marietta, Ohio, and the mother was a native of Clarksburg, Virginia. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Captain Hamilton Karr, the pioneer Indian hunter of Ohio. H. L. Karr, our subject, received his primary education in the common schools of Ohio, and later, entered Lombard University, at Galesburg, Illinois, where he pursued his studies four years, graduating from that institution in the class of 1862.  He returned home immediately after commencement day, and enlisted as a private in Company G, One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio Infantry, but was soon appointed First Lieutenant of his company, and a few months later promoted to Captain of the same company. Subsequently he was commissioned Major of his regiment, and also made Brevet-Major of United States Volunteers by the War Department “for gallant and meritorious services during the war.” Major Karr participated in all the campaigns of Generals Milroy, Sigel, Hunter and Sheridan, respectively, in the Shenandoah Valley, including the three noted victories of General Sheridan over General Early at Opequon (sometimes called the battle of Winchester), Fisher’s Hill and Cedar Creek. At the battle of Opequon he had his horse killed under him, and at the battle of Cedar Creek, received a considerable bruise on the right knee from a spent ball; but, aside from these trivial casualties, passed safely through the war. In December, 1864, the division to which Major Karr belonged was transferred to the Twenty-fourth Army Corps, in front of Richmond, and he consequently took part in the final engagements about Richmond, and was also at Appomattox at the surrender of General Lee’s army. He was mustered out of the service in June, 1865, after the close of the war, and returned to his home in Ohio.  He attended the law department of the Michigan University one year, and returned to Ohio, and was admitted to the bar in April, 1866. Practiced in the State of Ohio for one year, and in 1868 located at Osceola, Iowa, where he has ever since been engaged in the practice of his profession. He has built up a large and quite lucrative practice, and gained the confidence and esteem of a large business public. For a number of years he had associated with him Henry Stivers as his law partner, but since 1876 has practiced alone.  In 1871 Major Karr was united in marriage with Miss Anna F. Wonner, of the city in which they now reside, and of whom he thus speaks: “Since my marriage, whatever good I have accomplished and whatever successes I have achieved I attribute directly to my wife, whose wise counsels, earnest support, uncommon patience and purest love have never for one moment been withheld from me.” From this union they have been blessed with two sons – Frederick William and Hamilton L., Jr.  Mr. Karr is an energetic, industrious man, who believes that every man should have full compensation for his labor, but deprecates the idea of having something for nothing. He is kind and courteous to his friends, and frank and plain with his enemies. He is a radical Republican in politics, and strictly temperate both in theory and practice. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and at this time active and in good standing in the lodge, chapter and commandery at Osceola. In his religious views he is a Universalist.

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 369-70