ness; he also bid off a number of stage routes, usually, however, selling them to some other operator.
   In the spring of 1883 our subject found himself comparatively well-to-do, as a result of the above efforts, and determined with his family to see somewhat of Western life. They proceeded to Nebraska, where our subject purchased a farm near Lincoln, which was in all its native wildness, and proceeded immediately to tame it by those arts which his experience in his native State and the Michigan home had furnished him. The house which he began to erect almost at first is situated in the most convenient part of his farm that could be found for such a purpose, and has a very pleasant outlook. Its internal arrangements and decorations are in keeping with the position which our subject is enabled to take in the social world. The various outbuildings needed upon a farm are also provided upon a similar scale, large, commodious and substantial. During the building and furnishing of the residence the family resided at Lincoln. To our subject and wife has been born a daughter, now Mrs. O. J. King, of Lincoln, who has become the mother of two beautiful children.
   The wife of our subject was born on the 22d of October, 1827, at Otisco, and is the daughter of Hiram and Edith Fellows, of the same city. Her days of childhood, youth and womanhood, until her marriage, were spent in the home of her parents. Her father and mother both lived to enjoy a good old age and had reached at the time of decease the ages of seventy-six and seventy-seven respectively. The father of our subject, John Outt, was born in Onondaga County, April 5, 1805. He passed the usual studies of the common school, and until manhood was his father's assistant on the farm. Upon reaching his majority he purchased a farm and began life for himself, and realized more and more the truth which Longfellow published to the world, when he wrote "Life is real, life is earnest." His first property was in his native county, and comprised 200 acres. He was quite prosperous, and after a few years added an additional 100 acres, and thus he proceeded from time to time until, before he retired from the activities of farm life, he was one of the largest farmers in his district. He continued to reside in his native county all his days, and, as the infirmities of age made themselves more and more felt, he added to his help upon the farm, and restricted his labor to superintending the same.
   Mr. John Outt was most happily married to a lady like himself a native of Otisco, and their home was gladdened by the advent of a family of three sons and three daughters, all of whom they were privileged to rear. The family record their names as follows: The eldest, William H., our subject; Marcia, A., James F., Nelson, Cordelia and Francelia. His wife was the daughter of Benjamin and Rachael Carter, of Tully. Mr. Outt lived to reach the very ripe age of seventy-six years, and departed this life on the 30th of September, 1881. His life from the earliest days to its last hour was one of the strongest proofs that could be given of a higher life. Those who knew him in early days cannot remember the time when he was not striving to follow the teachings and mold his life according to that of the Great Exemplar. He was deeply interested in Sunday-school work, and was for many years Superintendent of the Sunday-school of the Baptist Church, of which communion he was a prominent member and active supporter. For more than fifty years he filled the important office of Deacon of the Tully Church, in all that period reflecting the highest honor and dignity upon his sacred office. He was always chosen as the church representative to any meeting, council or association to which it was necessary to send a delegate. He was one of a class--alas that it should be so limited--who follow the much-to-be-commended example of the Syrian prince Naaman, who, recognizing the value of the health miraculously restored to him upon his obedience to the divine direction given to the prophet of Jehovah, immediately pressed upon the prophet for his reception and. use in the divine service, the wealth of gold, silver and other precious gifts which he had brought in a train of chariots from the Syrian capital. Mr. Outt was one whose pocket-book was as much Christian as himself, and they helped each other in the advancement of every noble, philanthropic, beneficent and Christian endeavor.
   Our subject has not been to any great extent prominent in political or official circles, but has

always been a very stanch adherent of the Republican party, which received in its support his active efforts and influence. Both in Otisco, and likewise in Michigan, he filled in a most commendable manner the office of Highway Commissioner. Both in Otisco and in his Nebraska home our subject's high order of manly character and honor have won for him in the community the highest respect and regard, and it is due to him to say that he appreciates to the fullest extent the esteem of his fellow citizens.

SAAC DULING. One of the great and important uses of our large, undeveloped West is that it allows scope for growth. A nation may be cramped and confined in such a manner that growth is a practical impossibility, just as the foot of the Chinese girl is cramped and confined until growth is imperiled if not paralyzed. The same would apply to the physical or mental development of a child, or to the expansion and increase of vegetation. Here we have the secret cause of the principles of colonization, followed by some of the governments of the Old World. They realize their need of some outlet to the over-crowded population. It is at once the good fortune and strength of "the greatest nation on earth," that she does not have to go hunting from pole to pole for some little island to attach or protect and colonize, that within her own borders she has range and scope enough for the onward march of centuries.
   Nothing is more clearly shown in biographies similar to that of this writing, than the fact that citizens like our subject who pass out into the Far West in order to the development of the country, themselves expand in all that goes to make the noblest manhood, and amplify in intellect and character as well as that which is of less importance, perhaps, namely, the enlargement of West Oak Precinct, actual possessions. Our subject, whose farm comprises 320 acres, being one-half of section 34, is the son of John Duling, who was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, about the year 1835, and there spent his early days, but, removed with his parents to Tuscarawm County, where he received his early education and began farming with his father.
   Striking out for himself, however, as a young man, he moved to Indiana and went to farming. While there he became enamored with the many virtues and womanly graces of Miss Sarah Germain, of the same State. Their union has been blessed by the birth of four children, who still live: our subject, and his sisters Fanny, Eva and Clara.
   About the year 1860 John Duling removed with his family to Edgar County, Ill., where he bought a farm and continued to reside for fourteen years, being withal successful and prosperous. In 1874 he came here, and purchased the farm now occupied by our subject, which at that time was wild prairie land. The family took up their residence at Lincoln until a house should be built on the property, upon which work was begun at once. The house then erected is still a good and comfortable farm dwelling, but at the time it was put up was the finest in the northwest part of the county. The house being finished, and the family comfortably in it, work upon the farm was pushed; rod by rod and acre by acre, the taming and improving went on, until the whole was brought under cultivation, and even then, not satisfied, our subject wrote upon his banners the old Spanish motto, plus ultra, believing that indeed there was "more beyond" in the improvement possible.
   In the year 1885 Mr. Duling, with his wife, again removed to Lincoln, taking a new tract of unbroken prairie, and having the means at command constantly improved this also. It is now one of the finest farms of the section, being possessed of a magnificent grove containing several thousand trees, also a very extensive orchard, containing all manner of fruits that can be grown in the country. He has received the confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens, which they have expressed at the ballot. Mr. Duling was for a long time Supervisor and Assessor, several times Justice of the Peace, besides filling numerous other town offices, and serving as School Director.
   The general character and beneficent spirit of Mr. Duling find a eulogy more eloquent than any word picture could present, and have a monument more lasting than that of marble, from the fact that, after the terrible devastation of the grasshopper plague, when the whole community were