Sam H. Twedt spent the first twenty years of his life on the homestead in Howard township, in the district schools of which township he acquired his education. When he had completed his school course he assisted his father with the work of the farm and this arrangement continued until 1887, when the young man decided to begin working for himself. He first engaged in farming as a renter in Emmett county, where he remained for two years but at the end of that time he returned to Story county and rented a farm which he cultivated for five years. Untiring energy, perseverance and economy won the usual reward and at the expiration of that period he was able to become a property owner and invested his accumulated savings in one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 4, Warren township. Careful supervision and close application resulted in his adding another eighty acres in 1900 and eight years later he annexed by purchase a similar amount, so that he now possesses one-half section of some of Story county's most fertile and valuable land. In addition to his extensive real-estate interests Mr. Twedt is a stockholder and official of the McCallsburg State Bank, a director of the Farmers Creamery Company of the same place and a stockholder of the Farmers Savings Bank of Roland, Iowa.
Mr. Twedt has been married twice, his first wife being Miss Alice Christian, the daughter of John Christian, and unto them were born three children: Herman J., Cecilia and Helen, all at home. The wife and mother passed away in 1901 and the father holds in trust for his children two hundred and forty acres of land, the mother's portion of her father's estate. His present wife was Miss Hattie Krohn, who was born in Story county in 1881, a daughter of Hans and Annie (Sadvig) Krohn, both of whom were natives of Norway. They emigrated to the United States in 1870 and came directly to Story county, where they still reside. They were the parents of five children, Mrs. Twedt being the second in order of birth. Mr. and Mrs. Twedt have one little son, their only child, Allis.
Mr. Twedt votes the republican ticket and has been honored by being elected township trustee, which office he has held for two years. He is one of the older residents of Story county and is in every way worthy of the regard in which he is held in the community where he lives.
RALPH E. MARSH.
Ralph E. Marsh, one of the leading merchants of Story county, conducts an extensive business at Collins as a dealer in furniture and carpets and also handles agricultural implements. In addition to his interests in this connection he is likewise the proprietor of an undertaking establishment. His birth occurred near Oskaloosa, Iowa, on the 8th 'of December, 1866, his parents being Lewis W. and Laura A. (Hartpence) Marsh, the former