Iretus Wells Jacoby (1868-1944)

  A citizen of distinction in both Colorado and Nebraska, Mr. Iretus Wells Jacoby succeeded in multiple fields of interest during his life, being a miner, farmer, cowboy, and state legislator. While Nebraska has fielded several famed politicians over the years (President Gerald Ford, Julius Sterling Morton, George W. Norris, and Chuck Hagel among them), the amount of strangely named politicians hailing from the Cornhusker State isn't as great as you might imagine, with only 40 or so being discovered over the past ten years or so.

  Born in Mt. Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa on September 9, 1868, Iretus W. "I.W." Jacoby was one of seven children born to Samuel Rush (1823-1903) and Julia Ann Ball Jacoby (1825-1916). No information could be found on Jacoby's early years, accepting notice of his removal with his family to the Lancaster, Nebraska area while still a child. 

  I.W. Jacoby married in Lincoln, Nebraska on April 1, 1890, to Sarah Jane "Jennie" Dimick (1868-1939), with whom he had four children, Harley North (1895-1962), Henry Franklin (1896-1976), Julia Ann (1898-1955), and Marjorie (1900-1935).

  Jacoby is recorded as residing in Colorado during the early 1890s and was employed as a marshal during his stay here. Notice is also given to his being a gold and silver miner, prospector, cowboy, and Indian fighter while living here, but no source elaborates on how long he was engaged in any of those occupations. In the mid-1890s, Jacoby returned to Nebraska and began a long career as a farmer and agriculturalist, and a 1945 legislative resolution honoring him notes that "agriculture was his chief interest, and that brought him his greatest pleasure." 

  In November 1923 Jacoby was elected as a Democrat to the Nebraska State House of Representatives from Lancaster County and served in the legislative term of 1924-26. Following his term in state government, Jacoby returned to farming and maintained memberships in the Nebraska State Historical Society, the Central Lancaster County Farmers Club, and was a parishioner at the Methodist Church in Havelock, Nebraska. 

Iretus W. Jacoby died on June 12, 1944, at age 75, and was interred at the Rosehill Cemetery in Waverly, Nebraska.