Judge Egbert E. Aylesworth, for more than forty years a member of the bar of Council Bluffs, has throughout this period maintained a foremost place in the ranks of the legal profession, which has always had important bearing upon the progress and stable prosperity of a section or community and which has long been considered as conserving the public welfare by furthering the ends of justice and maintaining individual rights. He is descended from one of the old New England families, his paternal grandfather, Benjamin Aylesworth, having been born in Pownal, Vermont. On leaving the Green Mountain state he removed to Milford, New York, in early manhood and was there married and spent his remaining days, his life being devoted to the occupation of farming. His son, John Aylesworth, was born in Milford, New York, November 30, 1800, also carried on general agricultural pursuits throughout the period of his manhood and died while on a visit to Batavia, New York, in 1870. He married Savina Adams and they were the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters.

Egbert E. Aylesworth remained a resident of his native town until twenty-six years of age. He acquired his primary education in the schools of Milford and afterward attended Hartwick Seminary, at Otsego, New York, prior to entering Delaware Literary Institute in Franklin, New York. Completing his studies in the latter institution in 1860 he then returned to Milford, where he began reading law as a student in the office of R. N. Townsend. On the 12th of May, 1863, he was admitted to the bar at Binghamton, New York, and soon afterward located for practice in Milford, where he remained until 1866, continuing in the office of his preceptor up to that time. In the year mentioned he came to Council Bluffs, opened an office and has remained in active practice continuously since, save for the period of his service on the bench. He is devotedly attached to his profession, systematic and methodical in habit, sober and discreet in judgment, diligent in research and conscientious in the discharge of every duty.

In his political views Judge Aylesworth has always been an earnest democrat and in 1884 he was made the nominee of his party for the office of judge in the fifteenth judicial district, his opponent being C. F. Loofbourrow. The canvas of the votes gave Judge Aylesworth a majority of two but the election was contested and Judge Loofbourrow was declared elected by fourteen votes. Four years before he had run against Judge Aylesworth, on which occasion he was elected by only sixty-four votes, although the normal republican majority was about three thousand. In 1873 Judge Aylesworth was appointed by the city council to the office of city attorney of Council Bluffs, was elected to the position in 1874 and again in 1876, serving in all for four years. In March, 1882, he was elected judge of the superior court and remained upon the bench for twelve years, his service being highly satisfactory to all who give due regard to law and order. His decisions were strictly fair and impartial, being based upon the law and the equity in the case and in his application of legal principles he was always regarded as most sound. He retired from his position as he had entered it — with the confidence and trust of all concerned, and then resumed the private practice of law, in which he has since continued, being a member of the Council Bluffs bar for almost forty years.

Mr. Aylesworth was married on the 20th of September, 1864, in Milford, New York, to Miss Marcella R. Winsor, a native of Otsego county, New York, and a daughter of Isaac C. and Sarah (Brockway) Winsor. They now have four children, three sons and a daughter, namely: Paul C.; Ellen W., the wife of Bruce L. Beals, of New York city; Egbert D.; and Winsor S.

Judge Aylesworth aside from his service on the bench has filled the office of city councilman and a member of the board of education. During the long years of his residence here his co-operation has been given to every movement that he has deemed of advantage to the community and his influence is ever on the side of right, reform and improvement. Socially he is connected with the Elks and the Eagles and he is a communicant of the Episcopal church.

[History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, Volume 2, 1907, transcribed by C. D.]