has said: "Not the good that comes to us but the good that comes to the world through us is the measure of our success," and judged in this way as well as in the more material things of the business life Mr. Hix was a most successful man.
Mrs. Hix still survives her husband and spends much of her time in visiting among her children. She is extremely active for one of her age and travels alone, three times having visited Portland, Oregon. She has twenty-three grandchildren living and five great-grandchildren. Her husband left her in very comfortable financial circumstances and she is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of valuable land in Sherman township. No history of Story county would be complete without mention of Mr. and Mrs. Hix, for no home has been more hospitable and none have been more free in according to friend and stranger a warm welcome than this worthy and honored couple.
RICHARD WILLIAMS.
The life of any man who has forged his way to a position of responsibility through his own exertions is worthy of record. It teaches the importance of industry and self-reliance, as without these characteristics. very little can be accomplished in the modern world. Richard Williams has from his boyhood been industrious and self-reliant, hence he overcame many obstacles and is today well established as one of the successful farmers 0f Story county. Born in Fairfield county, Ohio, July 23, 1849, he is the son of Robert K. and Martha (Brannum) Williams, the former a native of Greene county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Fairfield county, Ohio. The parents removed to Hancock county, Ohio, in 1851, when the subject of this review was two years old and there the father 'died in 1860. Subsequently the mother took up her residence with her children and passed away at Fort Wayne, Indiana, October 6, 1907.
Richard Williams was educated in the common schools of the Buckeye state and continued at home until he arrived at maturity. In 1872, after having, married, he came west by wagon, bringing his household effects with him, and located in Collins township, Story county, Iowa. He began farming upon rented land and in 1874 had acquired sufficient capital to purchase forty acres, which is now a part of his present farm. He has since made several purchases of adjoining land and at the present time is the owner of a beautiful farm of two hundred and forty-three acres, which he has developed from its original state of virgin prairie until it is one of the most valuable farms in the township. He is equally successful both as an agriculturist and stock-raiser and as he keeps thoroughly informed concerning the most advanced methods and the best available markets, his opinion is much sought by those who desire to keep fully abreast of the times in all matters pertaining to agricultural interests.