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HENRY J. LAMB, fire insurance and real estate agent, and notary public, of Mount Auburn, was born October 13, 1850, in Scott county, Indiana, and came to Benton county June 7, 1871, when the country was much of it raw prairie. He is a son of S. T. and, Elizabeth (Arbuckle) Lamb. S. T. Lamb was born in 1820, in Erie county, New York, son of Jason and Mamie (Kruver) Lamb, the former being a shoe dealer, who came from England and lived in the state of New York until his death. When twenty-one years of age the subject's father went to Scott county, Indiana, and built the first house in Frankfort; afterwards he built a factory for the manufacture of fanning mills and cutting boxes, which he carried on until 1852. In 1847 he was married, and a few years later (in 1852) came to Benton county, Iowa, and entered eight hundred acres of land in Cedar township. He spent one winter in Vinton and in 1853 went back to New Washington, Indiana, and entered into business, having a factory similar to the one he had formerly conducted. While here he invented the self-rake reaper, which was manufactured by McCormick. In 1864 he removed to New Albany, and spent some time there and in Louisville, engaged in the oil trade. Later he invented car couplers used on the J. M. & I. Railway, and later conducted a ship yard at New Albany, Indiana, on the Ohio river, under the name of Lamb & Hill. Mr. Lamb finally located in Chicago, where in 1900 he retired; he died there in March, 1903. His wife was a daughter of Henry and Lina (Tilford) Arbuckle. Her mother was a sister of John Tilford, who founded the Tilford Collegiate Academy, at Vinton. She was born in Clark county, Indiana, July 8, 1829, was reared in her native state, and lived there until her marriage, previous to which she had taught school three years. She is now residing in Chicago. S. T. Lamb and his wife had children as follows: Mary Amelia, born in November, 1848, and died unmarried, in 1885, in Indiana; Henry J.; Florence S., born in September, 1852, and residing with his mother; Nettie G., born in 1860, wife of Thomas Burke, of Peoria, Illinois; Frank T., born in 1863, now in the employ of Armour & Company and living in Chicago; and Salem T., born in 1866 and died in infancy.
Henry J. Lamb was reared principally in New Washington, Indiana, where the family lived ten years; he attended the public school, and later graduated from the Bryant and Stratton Business College in Louisville. He worked some time as second bookkeeper in a wholesale grocery house at New Albany, and later attended college in Louisville. In 1870 he worked as clerk for 0. W. Guthrie, an ice dealer, of Chicago, and held this position until coming to Benton county. He then went on his father's farm, which he operated, although he had never had any experience in this line; nevertheless, he remained on the farm ten years on account of his health. In 1881 Mr. Lamb engaged in general merchandise business in Mount Auburn, under the name of Lamb & Shield, for one year, and then he conducted the business alone seventeen years. In 1899 Mr. Lamb sold a half interest to J. M. St. Clair, and in 1902 sold his remaining interest to John Galbraith.
In 1900 Mr. Lamb went into banking business, in a new building, under the name of H. J. Lamb, Banker, which he continued several years; he sold out in August, 1906. In 1866 Mr. Lamb began operations as a stock buyer, and he continued this enterprise until 1908. For the past ten years he has been engaged in insurance business. He has great business acumen, and has been successful in all his enterprises. He now owns a half-section in sections 13 and 14, Cedar township, which is occupied by a tenant. He has had much valuable experience in a business line, and has the confidence of all. His probity and integrity are recognized, and he does a very flourishing business.
In political views Mr. Lamb is a Republican, and he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has a record of long standing in the Masonic order, having joined at the age of twenty-one years. He was one of the organizers of the Lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Mount Auburn. Mr. Lamb served ten years as township clerk, eight years as trustee, and a number of years on the school board.
September 23, 1877, Mr. Lamb married Lucy Adele, daughter of Lorenzo and Laura J. Newell; her parents were reared in Erie county, as were Mr. Lamb's parents, but they were strangers until all came to Iowa. Mr. Lamb and his wife had children as follows: Charles S., born May 4, 1880 and died in March, 1882; Leeta Adele, born February 10, 1882 and living at home; Lloyd J., born November 9, 1883, unmarried and living in Canada; Henry Harland, born September 10, 1886 and died July 31, 1898; Florence S., born August 8, 1894; and the youngest child, born in September, 1898, died unnamed, in infancy.
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