ROLAND H. HARTLEY was born in Skogomoc, York County, New Brunswick, Canada. Educated in Minnesota, he managed a lumber firm before serving as private secretary to Governor David M. Clough of Minnesota.He moved to Everett, Washington in 1903 and established a lumber company. He was Mayor of Everett in 1910-11. He was also a member of the State House of Representatives, after which he returned to the lumber business briefly before running for governor in 1924. He was reelected in 1928 but declined to run in 1932 and was an unsuccessful candidate in 1936, after which he retired to Everett, where he died.