FRANK HUFFAKER was born on the old Huffaker estate in Loami Township, June 26, 1865. He is a fine representative of the native born citizens of Sangamon County and is one of the most prominent stockmen. He is perhaps one of the most extensive stock breeders in the county, if not in Central Illinois, for his age. His specialty is heavy Percheron horses, and standard bred trotters and saddle horses. He has a large, highly improved farm in the township mentioned that is perfect in its appointments for stock raising purposes.
Our subject is a son of Wellington B. Huffaker, who was in his time one of the most prominent men in the county. He enjoyed an extensive acquaintance throughout Central Illinois through his business transactions as one of the largest stock dealers in this part of the State. He was a native of Morgan County, and was born in 1830. He was in the prime of a vigorous manhood when he came to this county in 1855 and located in Loami Township. Here he became a leading farmer and stock raiser, and at the time of his death in 1873, left an estate of two thousand, seven hundred and fifty acres of very valuable land. He not only bore a conspicuous part in advancing the material prosperity of the county, but he was active in elevating its social and religious status, and at his death ere yet old age had come upon him, his community lost a citizen who could ill be spared and whose memory is cherished for what he was and for what he did. He was for some years a member of the Christian Church.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was Michael Huffaker, who migrated from Kentucky to Illinois in an early day of the settlement of this State. He was a prominent farmer and stock dealer, and died in 1877 at the ripe old age of eighty years. The mother of our subject, was born in Waverly, Morgan County, in 1836. She died in this county in 1879 at the age of forty-three years. She was a zealous Christian woman, and a valued member of the Christian Church. Of the seven children born of her marriage three are living.
The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm and received his primary education in the local district schools. He subsequently entered Illinois College at Jacksonville, where he remained until the close of his junior year. After leaving college he turned his attention to farming and stock breeding and is pursuing those branches with marked success. He owns nine hundred and forty-five acres of as fine land as can be found in Central Illinois, all lying in a body and beautifully located on sections 11 and 12, Loami Township. He has all the conveniences for carrying on stock raising to the best advantage, including extensive and well fitted up buildings, and for his standard bred horses he has thirty specially arranged box stalls. He has two fine imported Percheron stallions and about thirty trotting and saddle horses, besides from one hundred and fifty to two hundred other horses. He takes much pride in his fast horses, among which may be mentioned the noted Kansas Jack, a pacer with a record of 2:31. He also has half a dozen trotters with nearly as good records. Mr. Huffaker deals extensively in cattle, buying and shipping a great many during the year. He is a stockholder in the Illinois National Bank at Springfield, and is one of the wealthy young men of the county. He brings a bright well trained mind to his business. He is possessed of more than ordinary foresight and executive ability, and manages his affairs with the adroitness and skill of a veteran, and stands high among stockmen generally. Politically he is a Republican; and socially he is a Knight of Pythias and a Modern Woodmen of America.
Mr. Huffaker was married October 9, 1884, to Miss Eliza Deweese. Mrs. Huffaker is a native of this county and a daughter of Samuel S. and Hattie (Smith) Deweese, natives of Illinois. Two children have been born to our subject and his wife - Louise and Frank. Mr. and Mrs. Huffaker have one of the most charming and attractive homes in the community. Their residence is indeed a palatial mansion and there is no finer country place in the county. It stands on an elevation which has a natural slope in every direction and commands a beautiful view of the surrounding country. The large and well laid out lawn is adorned with eighteen varieties of trees, including maple, hickory, basswood, hackberry, walnut, etc.