Charles S. Huffman, distinguished legislator, physician, and banker, was born at Vincennes, Knox county, Indiana, Oct. 8, 1865. His father, William P. Huffman, was born at Bruceville, Knox county, Indiana, and his paternal grandparents were Solomon and Fanny (Purcell) Huffman. The grandfather was a native of Pennsylvania, son of John Huffman, also a Pennsylvanian, who removed with his family from his native state in a very early day, settling in southwestern Indiana. The Huffmans are of Dutch origin, and the paternal grandmother, Fanny (Purcell) Huffman, was a native of Virginia, and of English lineage. The mother of Charles S. Huffman bore the maiden name of Mary Williamson, and was born at Vincennes, Ind. Her father was a soldier in the Mexican war, in which conflict he was killed. William P. Huffman removed from Indiana to Kansas in 1882, and settled at Hallowell, Cherokee county, where he has since resided, being now seventy-seven years of age. Farming has been his life pursuit.

Charles S. Huff man was reared in Indiana, on a farm, and his early scholastic training was received in the district schools of his native state. He then attended the high school at Bruceville, Ind., and at the same place supplemented a fair common school education with several terms in a normal school. He came to Kansas in 1883, joining his parents in Cherokee county, where they had settled the previous year. There he taught school until he entered the medical department of the University of Missouri, at St. Louis, in which he graduated in 1890. He began the practice of medicine at Columbus, Kan., where he has continued to reside since entering upon his professional career. He rose rapidly in his profession, taking rank among the leading physicians and surgeons of Kansas, and in 1895 took a post-graduate course at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York City. He holds membership in the Cherokee County Medical Society, in the Kansas State Medical Society, and in the American Medical Association. Since 1904 he has been secretary of the Kansas State Medical Society.

From an early period in life Dr. Huffman has been an active Republican in politics. In 1895 he was elected county coroner of his county, and in 1904 was elected state senator from Cherokee county. In 1908 he was reëlected to the state senate to succeed himself, and in that position has rendered service that has met the most sanguine hopes of his friends and constituents. With distinction and honor he has served on the Ways and Means Committee of the state senate, of which committee he was chairman during the last two sessions of the legislature. Senator Huffman is the author of several important bills that were enacted into law, among them being the 1907 pure food law, laws effecting mines and miners, and labor and labor organizations, and the present workmen's compensation act.

When the Spanish-American war came on Dr. Huffman became assistant surgeon in the Twentieth Kansas United States volunteers. He served on the staff of General Funston, in the Philippines, and when he was mustered out of the service he was a staff officer, with the rank of captain. In March, 1911, he was appointed and commissioned brigadier-general of the Kansas National Guards, a rank he now holds.

For several years Senator Huffman has been connected with and interested in, as a stockholder and director, the Columbus State Bank, and in July, 1909, was chosen president of this institution, which position he now holds, to discharge the duties of which, as well as that of state senator, he has practically retired from the practice of medicine.

In 1893 Dr. Huffman was united in marriage with Miss Minnie Cowley, and unto this union a daughter was born—Mona Clara, by name. Fraternally Dr. Huffman is a Royal Arch Mason, and a member of the Knights of Pythias, and in religious faith he is a member of the Christian church.