John T. Moffitt, of Tipton, lawyer and man of affairs, is a son of Hon. Alex Moffit who was a member of the Sixteenth General Assembly of Iowa. The father was born in 1829, in the county of Tyrone, Ireland, and came with his father to America and settled in Cedar county in 1840, where he has since resided. He is a farmer and lives on his farm and personally directs the management.
      John T. Moffit was born on his father’s farm, near Mechanicsville, Cedar county, Iowa, July 8, 1862. He attended the common schools of that county from 1868 until 1876, after which he spent three years in the Mechanicsville high school. In September, 1879, he entered the preparatory department of Cornell college, at Mt. Vernon, took the classical course, and on June 16, 1884, graduated with the degree of A. B. He was manager of the college base ball team for two years and held various offices in the Adelphian Literary society.
      After his college days were over he formed a law partnership with Charles E. Wheeler, under the firm name of Wheeler & Moffit, and commenced business November 1, 1887, at Tipton, Iowa. September 1, 1894, Judge J. H. Preston resigned his seat on the district bench and became associated with the firm of Wheeler & Moffit under the firm name of Preston, Wheeler & Moffit, and immediately the new firm opened an office in Cedar Rapids, to be conducted in connection with the one at Tipton.
      Mr. Wheeler withdrew September 1, 1897, and the firm is now Preston & Moffit. Judge Preston has charge of the business in Cedar Rapids and resides there, while Mr. Moffit looks after the practice in Tipton. They have been connected with all the important litigation of Cedar county and are regarded as a strong firm.
      Lieutenant-Colonel Moffit has always been a republican. He was a delegate from Iowa to the republican national convention which met at Minneapolis in 1892, being but 29 years of age at that time. He was one of the youngest members of that body, certainly the youngest of the Iowa delegation. He takes an active interest in politics, but has never sought office.
      In the spring of 1896, Tipton was organized into a city of the second class and he was elected its first mayor under the new order, although against his wish. He was president of the Republican club of Cedar county in 1888, and held a similar office in the McKinley club of Tipton in 1896. He was married to Miss Winifred E. Hecht, daughter of Fred and Margaret E. Hecht, at Clarence, Iowa, September 28, 1892. Has one daughter, Margaret Eleanor, born May 6, 1897.