William Timmons was born in Marion, Linn county, Iowa, on January 10, 1844, being the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Mallett) Timmons. The father was born in Ohio, in 1811, and died in 1898, having been one of the earliest settlers in the territory of Iowa. The mother of our subject was born in Kentucky in 1821 and died in 1887. Her people were also natives of Kentucky and removed to Indiana on pack horses. This daughter was thirteen before she saw a wagon. Our subject grew to manhood in the vicinity of Colesburg, Iowa, and there received his education and assisted his father until he was twenty-one. He then bought a farm in Nodaway county, Missouri, and tilled it for two years. Next we see him in Floyd county, Iowa, and five years later, he went thence to Wayne county, Nebraska, with his two brothers, Henry and Stephen, and for three years tilled the soil there. He removed then to Grant, on the Columbia river in Oregon, thence to Adams county, Washington, then to Lincoln county. Six years later he went to Cornwall, Latah county, and when the reservation opened he settled on his present place, two miles southwest from Melrose. He has a good farm, raises cereals and flax, with hogs and cattle and is prosperous in his labors.

On March 28, 1869, Mr. Timmons married Miss Mary C., daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Ratibaugh) Anderson, the wedding occurring in Nodaway county, Missouri. Mr. Anderson was a farmer and carpenter: he and his wife were descended from the Dutch in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Timmons was born in Pennsylvania, in 1853, and has the following sisters: Kate Shaffer. Ann Overdorf, Susie Bishop. Mr. Timmons has the following brothers and sisters: Benjamin, Stephen, Jesse, Henry and Edward. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Timmons: Lizzie Clark, in Washington; Hattie Lowary, in Nez Perces county; Addie Hill, in Nez Perces county; Jacob, Thomas, Ruth, Robert, all at home. Mr. Timmons is a member of the I. O. O. F., at Melrose, while in political matters, he is an active and stanch Republican. He is treasurer of the school board and has ever been a zealous advocate for better education for the rising generations, and to that end betterschools.