170                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

but in 1886 left the ranks of that party and endorsed the principles of the
Prohibition party. He often casts an independent ballot, however, and
does not consider that he is bound by party ties. While living in Posey
township he served for a short time as justice of the peace but has never
been a politician in the sense of office seeking. In July, 1875, he was
made a Master Mason in Staunton Lodge, A. F. & A. M, and in Feb-
ruary of the same year became a member of Staunton Lodge, No. 415,
I. 0. 0. F. He has filled all of the offices in the latter organization, was
noble grand and has been a delegate to the grand lodge of Indiana. For
thirty-three years he has been a member of this lodge and has never
asked nor received any benefit funds. In February, 1880, he united with
the Christian church and his life has been in harmony with his profes-
sions, Men who know him trust him because he has proven himself
worthy of their confidence. His life in all of its phases has been actuated
by honorable principles and manly conduct and wherever known William
D.  Stewart is respected and esteemed.

    MONTERVILL V. HUFF—Among the prominent and well known
agriculturists of Perry township is numbered Montervill V. Huff,
whose valuable and well improved homestead is located in section 27,
Perry township. He was born in section 28 of the same township No-
vember 22, 1849, a son of William and Matilda (Likens) Huff, born
respectively in Clark county, Virginia, and in Mercer county, that state,
and the mother was a daughter of Jonas Likens, also from the Old
Dominion state. In an early day William and Matilda Huff made the
journey from Virginia to Ohio on horseback, and a few years later came
to Clay county, Indiana, where they entered one hundred and sixty acres
of land in Perry township, a part prairie and the remainder timber land.
The father at once began the task of clearing and improving his land
and placing it under cultivation, and about forty acres of the farm is yet
covered with its valuable growth of timber. He died on his homestead
here June 1, 1894, when ninety years of age, and his wife died in May
of 1889, aged seventy-nine years.
    Montervill V. Huff, the third born of their eight sons and three
daughters, spent his boyhood days on the homestead farm, attending the
district schools of Perry township, and after his marriage he resided for
eighteen months with his parents. He then spent seven years on another
part of the home farm, farming forty acres, and then returning to his
parents’ home he cared for them until their deaths. He then inherited
two hundred acres of the farmstead, and since then he has greatly im-
proved the old place, replacing the old home which was burned by a sub-
stantial dwelling, and he is engaged in general farming and stock
raising.
    On the 23d of January, 1873, Mr. Huff was married to Andora
Godfrey, who was born in Washington township, Clay county, November
29, 1854, a daughter of Abraham and Nancy (Philips) Godfrey, who
were born in Kentucky but were among the early residents of Clay
county. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Huff are: Howard, who resides
on a part of the old Huff farm; Della, who became the wife of Worth
Coble, and died in 1903, aged twenty-five years, after becoming the
mother of a son and daughter, Charles M. and Eva B.; Elsie, the wife of
George Summers, of Perry township; and William C., at home. Mr.
Huff is a Democrat. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist