to his farm and now owns three hundred and twenty acres of good land. Like his father he has always made a specialty of the breeding and raising of stock. He has some good thoroughbred animals on his farm, taking particular pride in his Duroc hogs and Polled Angus cattle, in the breeding and raising of which he has been quite successful. He also raises and breeds pure bred Percheron horses, in which he has been equally successful, having very much improved the standard of pacing horses in this section. He has the distinction of having bred a pacer–E. F. B.–who made a 2:20 record after a fifteen days' tryout.
On the 6th of January, 1891, Mr. Biddle was united in wedlock to Miss Sarah Maroney, a native of Woodford county, Illinois, and of this union eight children have been born, seven of whom are living, the order of their birth being as follows : Dorrel, now attending high school ; David, who died at the age of nine months ; Ethel, Elmer Charles, Jr., Edna and Maud, all of whom are in school; and Wayne and Ralph, who are at home.
Ever since he attained his majority Mr. Biddle has cast his vote with the republican party and has been very active in politics. At present he is filling the office of township clerk. His fraternal relations are entirely confined to membership in the Modern Woodmen of America, his local affiliation being with the Nevada camp. During his residence in Story county Mr. Biddle has proven himself to be a capable and competent business man and is regarded as one of the successful and prosperous farmers of the community. He is favorably regarded by those with whom he has had business and social relations and is well liked in the district where he resides.
ALFRED J. FAWCETT.
Alfred J. Fawcett, a prominent representative of financial interests in Story county, is the cashier of the People's State Bank at Maxwell, which institution he organized. His birth occurred in New Albany township, this county, on the 23d of October, 1869. He was reared on the home farm and supplemented his preliminary education, obtained in the common schools, by a course of study in the Collins high school. Subsequently he entered what is now known as the Leander Clark College at Toledo, Iowa, pursuing the commercial course and being graduated with the class of 1890.
Desiring to learn telegraphy, he entered the telegraph office at Collins but about two and a half months later was offered and accepted a position in a lumberyard. He took the position, however, with the intention of returning to the telegraph office, for the click of the key possessed a fascination for him. But it seemed that he was destined for some other field of activity. He remained in the lumberyard for about two years and then