Isaac N. Lough was born in Cumberland county, Kentucky, on February 27, 1851, being the son of Samuel M. and Delilah (Stolcup) Lough, mention of whom is made in another portion of this work. When five years old, Isaac came with the balance of the family to Grayson county, Texas, where the father farmed and raised stock. Nine years were spent there and during this time the father and one son, John, were conscripted in the Confederate army. The mother died in Texas and the father had married a second time. Our subject and his brother, Aaron, two years his senior, remained at home and cared for the family. Here Isaac learned to spin and weave, his stepmother being unable to do so. He kept the family in clothes and also made for his brother, father and uncle in the war. At the close of the war came the happy time of reunion of the family and they all moved to Barry county, Missouri. There Isaac was educated and at the age of twenty-nine, he was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Anna, daughter of Uriah and Elizabeth (Ellmore) Humphreys, natives of Missouri. The mother's cousin was the noted preacher, Alfred Ellmore, of Indiana. Mrs. Lough was born in northern Missouri in 1862, and died March 7, 1889. She was an active and devout member of the Church of Christ and a beautiful singer of gospel songs. She died firm in the faith and surely went to the reward of the Christian. She has two brothers and two sisters: George, Isaac, Gertrude Marshall, and Eva. Subsequent to his marriage Mr. Lough moved to White river and farmed, doing well. In August, 1887, he came thence, on account of poor health, to Latah county and rented land there until 1896, when he came to his present place, making a filing two miles north-east from Gifford. The next April, 1897, he settled with his family. He had rented from one man in Latah county for eleven consecutive years without a line of writing. Mr. Lough has a fine farm, good barn and other improvements and is about to erect a beautiful residence. Mr. Lough has the following named brothers and sisters: John T., George W., Sallie Marshall, Lee, Alice Mason, Granville J., Bell Stevens, Amelia and David. All but the first two were offsprings of the stepmother. Mr. Lough is a member of the Church of Christ and has been for many years an active and conscientious worker in it, being now a deacon in the Gifford congregation. He votes for the man rather than the party and in school matters he is well known as one of its best supporters. He is one of the committee on the fine school building being erected in Gifford now and it is due to his efforts largely that it is being materialized now.