Viewing Edward Welles Hawley (1867-1952).

Edward Welles Hawley (1867-1952).

Edward Hawley was as close to the proverbial "Renaissance man" to ever serve on the Minneapolis City Council. An alderman for sixteen years, he was a polyglot, poet, student of literature, athlete and public lecturer who reportedly "was prepared on ten minutes notice to delver an hour's lecture on any one of seventeen subjects, without notes." He also practiced law in Minneapolis for almost a half century.

Fascinated by parliamentary procedure, he wrote "Principles of Parliamentary Law," self-published in 1938. Renowned for his expertise, he conducted classes on parliamentary rules for state lawmakers at sessions of the legislature for many years. He died on November 16, 1952, while revising his treatise. The next year, the Hennepin County Bar Association presented a memorial to him in district court.

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