Warren Garst

Warren Garst (December 4, 1850 – October 5, 1924) was an American politician, Iowa State Senator, a member of the Republican Party, the Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, and the 19th Governor of Iowa.^[2]

Warren Garst
1st Industrial Commissioner of Iowa
In office July 1913 – 1914
Appointed by	George W. Clarke
19th Governor of Iowa
In office November 24, 1908 – January 14, 1909
Lieutenant	Vacant
Preceded by	Albert B. Cummins
Succeeded by	Beryl F. Carroll
20th Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
In office January 17, 1907[1] – November 24, 1908
Governor	Albert B. Cummins
Preceded by	John Herriott
Succeeded by	George W. Clarke
Member of the Iowa Senate from the 48th district
In office January 8, 1894 – January 13, 1907
Personal details
Born	(1850-12-04)December 4, 1850 Dayton, Ohio, US
Died	October 5, 1924(1924-10-05) (aged 73) Iowa City, Iowa, US
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Johnson (died 1881) Clara H. Clark Lee (m. 1889)
Children	4
Profession	Politician

Early life

Garst was born to Dr. Michael Garst and Marie Louise Morrison in Dayton, Ohio.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} His father's side was descended from Holland and his mother's from Ireland.^[1] At age 8 he and his family moved to Champaign, Illinois. At age 19 he moved to Iowa to start his business career.^[1] He and his brother went to Coon Rapids, Iowa, to open a general store called The Garst Store.^[1][2][4][5] He later co-founded Iowa Savings Bank in Coon Rapids.^[1][2][4]

Garst and Elizabeth Johnson had one child, Ada Belle Garst. Elizabeth died in 1881. He then married to Clara H. Clark Lee, in 1889 in Boone, and had two children: Louise Garst and Warren Carroll Garst Jr.^[1][4][6]

Political career

Iowa Senate

Garst started his political career when he ran for State Senate in 1893 and became a member of the Iowa Senate 1894.^[1][2][4][5] He served in the 25th through 31st General Assemblies (1894-1908).^[1][2][5] From 1896 to 1907, he was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.^[1][5]

Lieutenant Governor and Governor

He was nominated for lieutenant governor at the Republican Convention in 1906 and was inaugurated on January 17, 1907.^[2][4][5]

When Governor Albert B. Cummins was elected into the United States Senate he was elevated to the position of Governor of Iowa.^[1][2][4][5] During his short time as governor he carried out the Cummins administration's policies.^[2] He was urged to run for a full term as governor, but lost the 1910 Republican primary to State Auditor Beryl F. Carroll 49% to 35%, with the votes being: Carroll receiving 88,834 votes; Garst, 63,737; and John J. Hamilton, 29,292.^[1][4]

Industrial Commissioner

In July 1913, Garst was appointed by Governor George W. Clarke to be Industrial Commissioner.^[1] He helped to get laws enacted to get workers compensated for industrial accidents.^[1]

Later life

He died on October 5, 1924, and was buried at the Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa.^[2][4]