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         WILLIAM A. LESTER, Superintendent of Schools for Louisa County, Iowa, residing at Wapello, was born in Schenectady County, N. Y., April 16, 1853, and is a son of Alanson and Mary A. (Robins) Lester. His father was born in Albany, N. Y., and his mother in Warren County, the same State, both being descended from old American families of Colonial times. His father was a teacher and Superintendent of Schools, and was also engaged in farming. The family emigrated to Grant County, Wis., when William was but a child. For ten years his father was a lecturer on scientific subjects, but is now engaged in farming is Osborne County, Kan.

Our subject had no special advantages for education, as he was thrown upon his own resources when ten years of age. Working at whatever he could find to do, he availed himself of whatever chance he could get to obtain an education. In 1873 he went from Grant County, Wis., to Missouri, and later took up his residence in Muscatine County, Iowa, where he began teaching school in 1876. Subsequently he took a regular course of study at the Eastern Iowa Normal College, of Grand View, Iowa, then a flourishing institution of learning, being graduated in the class of ’79. Mr. Lester continued teaching as a profession, and among the schools taught by him may be mentioned the graded school of three departments at Cairo, of the same county, and the Morning Sun grammar school, which he taught one and a half years. In the fall of 1887 Mr. Lester was elected Superintendent of Schools of Louisa County, and entered upon the discharge of his duties Jan. 1, 1888, and has resided at Wapello since April of that year.

On the 22d of March, 1880, at Grand View, Iowa, the marriage of Mr. Lester and Miss V. Grace Lockwood was celebrated. Mrs. Lester was born at Port Louisa, in this county, Feb. 1, 1855, and is a daughter of Hiram and Thirza (Raymond) Lockwood, who were among the early settlers of Port Louisa Township, having located there in 1849, and both are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Lester are the parents of two children: Faith Uarda was born Jan. 28, 1883; John Francis was born Aug.16, 1886; both were born in Louisa County, Iowa. Mr. Lester is a Republican in politics, and has always supported that party since becoming a voter. He has devoted almost his entire adult life to the cause of education, and is acknowledged to be an efficient and faithful Superintendent.