A. J. IDDINGS, president of the Citizens Bank of West Milton and for many years a prominent citizen of Union Township, is located on a farm between West Milton and Pleasant Hill and is the owner of 440 acres of land, all located in Miami County. He was born in Newton Township, in 1842, and is a son of Benjamin and Barbara (Hill) Iddings. His grandfather was one of the pioneers of Newton Township.

Benjamin Iddings was born on the same farm as the subject of this sketch and lived in Newton Township all his life. He always farmed as a business and lived to reach the age of eighty-eight years. He married Barbara Hill, and ten children were the offspring of their union.

A. J. Iddings attended the district schools of his native township, and then turned his attention to agricultural pursuits which he has always followed. A man of great industry and foresight, he made steady advancement and accumulated land piece by piece until he was possessed of 440 acres of valuable land. He was one of the organizers and second president of the Citizens Bank of West Milton, which was incorporated with a capital stock of $30,000. The other officers are: A. Pifer, first vice president; C. Emerich, second vice-president; Ira Minnich, cashier; and Ada Gnagey, assistant cashier. The Citizens' Bank, backed as it is by men of substance and officered by men of demonstrated business capacity, takes high rank among the financial institutions of Miami County. At the present time there is in the course of construction on Miami Street a new building, with marble front, to be. devoted entirely to the business of this institution.

Mr. Iddings was united in marriage with Miss Melinda Haskett, who prior to her marriage lived west of West Milton, in Miami County. They have one son, Esty, who lives across the road from his father and follows farming. The last named was married to Miss Lulu Coate and they have two children, John and Nellie. The subject of this record is a veteran of the Civil War, having enlisted in 1864 as a member of Company H, 147th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served until the expiration of his term of enlistment. In politics, he is independent and not bound by any party ties. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Masons, and also the Patrous of Husbandry. He and his wife are consistent members of the Christian Church.