Buena Vista County, IA
USGenWeb Project

William Lee Clough, a prosperous and enterprising agriculturalist, owning a valuable and well-improved farm on section 20, Lee township, was born on the old homestead in Buena Vista county, Iowa, April 3, 1870. His father, Gardner Spaulding Clough, is mentioned at length in the sketch of John Franklin Clough, which is given in another page of this work. The work of the home farm and the duties of the schoolroom occupied his time until he had attained his majority and then, in connection with his brother, John F., he devoted his entire time to the operation of the home place until about twenty-four years of age. The brothers then divided the property, John F. taking the north half and William the south, and this arrangement continued until 1900, when John F. Clough purchased the northwest quarter of section 18, and William took entire possession of the old homestead, comprising a quarter-section of land. Thus he always resided on the farm where he was born, and in its cultivation and development he has met with a gratifying and well merited measure of success, being now numbered among the wide-awake and progressive agriculturalists of his native county. His attractive and commodious residence adds to the beauty of the surroundings and in its neat and thrifty appearance his farm indicates the supervision of a practical and enterprising owner. It is located within three and a half miles of Sioux Rapids, which distance is covered in a few minutes by his fine motor car.

On the 22nd of May, 1894, Mr. Clough was united in marriage to Miss Rose Wengirt, a daughter of Ulrich and Johanna (Wagner) Wengirt, both natives of Germany. About 1866 the parents crossed the Atlantic to the United States, taking up their abode in Independence, Iowa, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Wengirt passed away on the 8th of April, 1900. Unto our subject and his wife have been born three children, namely: Leona Agnes, Mary Laura and George William.

Mr. Clough gives stalwart support to the men and measures of the republican party, and his wife is a devoted member of the Catholic church at Sioux Rapids. He is well and favorably known throughout the county in which he has spent his entire life and that his career have ever been an upright and honorable one is indicated by the fact that the associates of his boyhood and youth are still numbered among his stanch friends and admirers.