Lewis Westre
(This biography is from Lee's 1912  History of Hamilton County Iowa, volume 2)

     Lewis Westre engages in general farming and stock-raising in Lyon Township, where his mother owns eighty acres of land located on section 29.   He is the seventh in order of birth of the eight children born of the marriage of Oliver and Bertha (Oleson) Westre, his day of birth being the 13th of August, 1883.   The parents were born, reared and married in Norway, whence they emigrated to America about 1874, coming directly to Mahaska County, Iowa.   There they purchased eighty acres of land, which the father cultivated until 1882, when he sold his farm and coming to Hamilton County invested the proceeds in a quarter of section 29, a portion of which is now owned by our subject's mother.   Mr. Westre here continued his agricultural pursuits until his death in June, 1903, at the age of sixty-three years.   The mother, who is now sixty-seven, continues to reside on her homestead.

     The entire life of Lewis Westre has been passed on the farm, where he now resides.   In the acquirement of an education, he attended the district schools until he had mastered the common branches, and then devoted his entire attention to the work of the farm, remaining at home until he was married.   His principal crops are corn and oats and in connection with general farming he engages in raising stock.   The land is all fenced and tiled and under high cultivation, and annually produces abundant harvests.   The improvements on the place were made during the lifetime of his father, and as they were substantially constructed originally and have been kept in repair, are in good condition.

     On the 6th of March, 1912, Mr. Westre was married to Miss Amy Johnston, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Stevenson) Johnston, natives of Ireland.   They came to America in early life and were married in Connecticut, but in 1891 they came to Iowa, locating in Wright County.   There the mother passed away in 1904, at the age of forty-five years.   The father, who is now sixty, resides in Wright County, where he follows the carpenter's trade.   He takes an active interest in all local affairs, particularly of a political nature, and for eight years held the office of marshal at Dows.   Mrs. Westre, who was born of the 12th of April, 1887, is the eldest of three children born to her parents.

     Mr. and Mrs. Westre attended the Norwegian Lutheran Church, and in politics he is a republican.   He is one of the energetic, ambitious and capable young men of his community, and is directing his undertakings with a foresight and intelligence which give assurance of contantly increasing success.