Charles M. Harl, of the law firm of Harl & McCabe, of Council Bluffs, was admitted to the bar of Pottawattamie County in 1876. Mr. Harl was born in Sandusky City, Ohio, November 13, 1856, the son of John W. and Margaret (Smith) Harl. The former was born in Virginia, and the latter was a native of Ohio. The Harl family were early Virginians, having settled in that then British Colony prior to the Revolutionary War. The family is of Irish origin. The maternal ancestry of the subject of this sketch removed from the State of New York to Ohio during the early settlement of the latter State, but previous to their residence in New York they had resided in Canada. John W. Harl went to Ohio from his native State when a young man, and after marriage settled at Mt. Vernon, where the family of his wife had lived for many years. Later Mr. Harl removed with his family to Sandusky. In 1858 they went to Council Bluffs, where the father died April 6, 1881. His wife survived until February 6, 1886. The subject of this sketch is the only survivor of five children; three died in childhood, a son and two daughters. Edward, the second of the family in order of birth, enlisted early in the War of the Rebellion in an Iowa battery; after serving for a time and becoming broken in health, he was discharged for disability; but recovering his health he again enlisted in the service of his country, becoming a member of Company A, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, and was killed at Helena, Arkansas, July 4, 1863.

The subject of this sketch was educated in the public schools of Council Bluffs, graduating in the high school of this city in the class of 1874. He began studying law immediately after leaving school, with Judge Caleb Baldwin, and was admitted February 18, 1876. In June following he formed a partnership with Smith & Carson, which continued until 1886, when Carson was elected District Judge, and the firm became Smith & Harl, which continued for two years, when Mr. Smith retired to become President of the State Board of Railroad Commissioners, and was succeeded by James McCabe.

Mr. Harl was married in Council Bluffs, to Miss Lottie Oblinger, a native of Indiana. They have two daughters: Nellie and Ruth. They lost their eldest daughter, Margaret. Mr. Harl is a Republican in politics. He has a fine practice and is recognized as one of the leading members of the bar of Pottawattamie County.

Mr. Harl was for five years, 1882 to 1887, Secretary of the Board of Education, of Council Bluffs. In 1888 he was presented to the Republican Congressional Convention of the Ninth District as a candidate of Pottawattamie County for Congress, defeating Mr. Lyman, the then Congressman, in the Pottawattamie convention. A number of candidates were presented by other counties, and as a result and compromise Judge J. R. Reed was nominated, he being supported by Mr. Harl and friends when the nomination of the latter was found to be impossible.

Mr. Harl is the Past Master of Excelsior Lodge, No. 259, A. F. & A. M.,; First High Priest of Star Chapter, No. 47, R. A. M.; and the present Eminent Commander of Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 17, K. T., all of Council Bluffs; also First Vice President of League and delegate to the last National Convention of said clubs at Nashville, of Republican clubs of Iowa; and member of the board of trustees of the Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church.