William H. Laub
For thirty years past connected with the business interests of Denison and now most acceptably filling the office of mayor of the city, it may truthfully be said of William H Laub that he is a leading member of the community.
He was born in Benton county, Iowa, June 24, 1855, a son of Henry C and Lydia (Baer) Laub, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. He was less than six months old when his parents brought him to Denison, and he has ever since made his home in this city. He received his preliminary education in the public schools and later attended successively the Indianola, Western and Cornell Colleges.
After leaving college he worked for his father until twenty-eight years of age and then on August 13, 1881, embarked in the livery business in Denison, with which he has ever since been connected. From the start he pursued a straightforward policy and by becoming thoroughly acquainted with the wants of the people and maintaining his establishment at a high standard of efficiency he gained a large and growing patronage. He is now reaping the fruits of many years of close application and is in the enjoyment of a handsome competency.
On the 6th of December, 1883, Mr Laub was united in marriage to Miss Edna Goodspeed, a native of Burlington, Vermont. Her parents were both natives of England and came to this country, settling in Vermont, where they died when she was quite young.
Three children came to bless the union of Mr and Mrs Laub. William Austin, the eldest, is assisting his father in the livery business. Edna Hazel is a teacher of music at Amity Conservatory of Music at College Spring, Page county, Iowa, and has charge of instruction in piano, pipe organ and harmony at that institution, and also teaches several classes in the public schools of College Springs. She is a graduate of Denison high school, the Conservatory of Music of Simpson College at Indianola, Iowa, having received a diploma from the latter institution on June 9, 1909. Harold is now a student in the Denison public schools.
Mrs Laub is a member of the Methodist church, but her husband is not identified with any religious denomination. Politically he has since he attained his majority supported the republican party and has been an active worker in its behalf.
He was elected mayor of the city in March, 1910, and has administered the office to the general satisfaction of voters of all parties. He has always been known as a man of most admirable principles, thoroughly loyal to his friends, a liberal giver to all worthy objects and a patriotic and broad-minded citizen who has assisted in numberless ways in advancing the permanent welfare of Denison.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.