Buena Vista County, IA
USGenWeb Project

William Lucia, a successful and enterprising agriculturist residing on section 31, Elk township, was born in McHenry county, Illinois, April 23, 1873.  His father, Eli Lucia, a native of Vermont, was there reared and in early manhood journeyed westward, becoming one of the first settlers in McHenry county, Illinois.  He had to haul his goods from Chicago before the railroad was built and experienced many of the hardships and privations of pioneer life.  Subsequent to the death of his first wife he married Mrs. Angeline Deno, a widow, who was a native of Canada.  He carried on agricultural pursuits in McHenry county for a number of years and his two sons and two daughters were all born there.  In 1878, however, he came west to Iowa, purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of raw prairie, where his son now resides.  He broke and improved the land to such an extent that it annually yielded golden harvests, and here reared his family and spend his remaining days, passing away in 1885.  His wife, long surviving him, was called to her final rest in 1902.

William Lucia was reared on the old homestead farm in this county, acquired a

public-school education and assisted his father in the work of the fields until the latter's death.  Subsequently William and his brother, Nelson Lucia, now of Los Angeles, California, conducted the place together for three years.  On the expiration of that period our subject bought the interest of the other heirs and has since remained in possession of the home farm, which he has brought under a high state of cultivation and improvement.  The place is enclosed with woven-wire fencing and is lacking in none of the accessories and conveniences of a model farming property of the twentieth century.  In addition to the work of the fields he is also engaged in raising and feeding high grade stock, both branches of his business returning to him a gratifying annual income.  He also operates another tract of eighty acres in addition to the home farm and is widely recognized as a progressive and up-to-date agriculturist, whose success is but the merited reward of his untiring industry and capable management. He is likewise a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company.

On the 6th of January, 1898, in Cherokee county, Iowa, Mr. Lucia was united in marriage to Miss Hannah M. Henderson, a native of Hamilton county, Nebraska and a daughter of Elias Henderson.  The latter passed away in Cherokee county, and Mrs. Lucia was subsequently reared by an uncle.  By her marriage she has become the mother of two children, Lucile J. and Dwight W.

In his political views Mr. Lucia is a stanch [sic] republican but has no desire for the honors or emoluments of office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his private business interests.  Thirty years have passed since he came to Buena Vista county.  This region was then a vast open prairie and seemed to hold forth little promise of early development, but Mr. Lucia has witnessed a most wonderful transformation as the wild tract has gradually become a productive and thickly settled district.