From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"  Vol. I, page 655
Brant & Fuller, 1890.


WILLIAM J. HUFF

William J. Huff, a prominent young attorney of New Cumberland, who 
holds the position of prosecuting attorney for Hancock county, is a 
native of Fairview. He was born January 2O, 1857, the son of William 
and Elizabeth (Jackson) Huff.  His early life was spent upon his 
father's farm, working in the summer and attending the country school 
in the winter seasons, until he was about seventeen years old, when 
he entered Mount Union college, Stark county, Ohio.  There he was a 
student for three years, completing the commercial and philosophical 
courses.  After leaving school he became a teacher in Hancock county, 
where he has followed that profession with credit for ten years, and 
held the principalship of the New Cumberland schools during the term 
of 1888-9.  While teaching he also read law with Hon. John R. 
Donehoo, of Fairview.  He was licensed as an attorney in the fall of 
1870, and for some time afterward his time was devoted both to the 
law and teaching.  The latter, however, he has now retired from, and 
he is giving his whole attention to the practice of law.  In his 
preparation for this profession he took a course of study in the 
Cincinnati law  school.  Mr. Huff is popular and highly esteemed 
throughout the county, as was evidenced when in 1878 he became a 
candidate for the office of clerk of the circuit court.  Although his 
party was in a minority on the general ticket of about 20O votes, he 
lacked election by but seventy-one votes. In 1880 he became a 
candidate for the office of prosecuting attorney, and was defeated by 
eighty votes.  In 1883 he was elected county superintendent of 
schools, an office he held for eighteen months, when he resigned it 
to enter upon the duties of prosecuting attorney, as which he was 
elected in the fall of 1884.  He served four years, and in 1888 was 
re-elected, and is now filling the office to the satisfaction of the 
public.  The wife of Mr. Huff is Antha, daughter of John R. and 
Louisa (Scott) Finley, residents of Grant districts.  Mr. and Mrs. 
Huff have three children: William Herbert, John Brooks and Frank 
Clare.  Mrs. Huff is a member of the Presbyterian church, and he of 
the Methodist Episcopal.  He is also a member of the Knights of 
Pythias. 


(Linda Fluharty)