L. W. HUFF.

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         At the advanced age of seventy-nine years L. W. Huff is now living retired in a comfortable home at Columbus City, having by his industry and good business judgment accumulated a competence. His residence is located on five acres of ground, beautifully shaded, and which is one of the attractive spots of the city. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born September 14, 1831, a son of John and Anna (Eisenhart) Huff. The parents were both born in the Keystone state and there passed their entire lives. Of the eight children in their family three are still living.

         L. W. Huff was reared at home and acquired a common school education. He continued with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age and then for two years served as agent for a railroad. Having given up this position he purchased a boat which he operated on the Pennsylvania canal, then an important highway of commerce in the state. An experience of two years as a boatman proved sufficient and after disposing of his boat he engaged in farming in his native state.

         In 1871, at the age of forty, believing that the great west presented a more favorable field for agriculture and stock-raising than he perceived in Pennsylvania, he removed to Louisa county, Iowa, and purchased two hundred and fifty acres of land in Columbus City township. He made his home upon this place for more than twenty-five years, engaging quite extensively in general farming, but devoting special attention to raising and feeding stock for the market. Upon his farm was located the county station for the agricultural department, whose headquarters are at Washington, D.C., and many improved . . .

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. . . methods tested at this place have been successfully applied in other parts of the county. For sixteen years Mr. Huff was a member of the board of directors of the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Columbus Junction, and always discharged his duties in such a way as to meet the approval of the stockholders and officers of the bank.

         On the 14th of February, 1854, Mr. Huff was married in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to Miss Anna S. Hipple, a daughter of Frederick and Mary B. Hipple, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. Nine children were born to this union, six of whom survive, namely: Anna, who is now the wife of Henry Cutcomb, of Louisa county; John, also of Louisa county; Harry, who makes his home in Dallas county; Elmer, of Louisa county; Agnes, who is the wife of J. M. Harris, of Columbus Junction; Mamie, who married Orville Sipe, of Cedar Rapids. For forty-four years Mr. Huff and his wife traveled life’s pathway together and then, on July 15, 1898, he was deprived by death of the presence and companionship of one who had been to him indeed a true friend and counselor. Her remains were interred in the cemetery at Columbus City.

         Mr. Huff is a consistent member of the United Presbyterian church, as was his wife, and in the various relations of life he has ever striven to apply the principles of the Golden Rule, thus gaining the respect and confidence of all with whom he has associated. Politically he gives his support to the republican party and has served in township offices. He began his business career as a young man with nothing to rely upon except his own indomitable courage and a good constitution which he inherited from sturdy ancestry. As the years passed he became in a large degree financially independent and it is to his credit that he never sought to advance his own interest to the injury of others. Of him it may be said that he has always been upright and progressive, never failing to be true to any responsibility intrusted to his charge, and therefore he truly merits the esteem of the entire community.