William L. Huggins, lawyer and resident of Emporia, was born in Highland county, Ohio, May 14, 1865, son of Milton H. and Elizabeth (DiBoll) Huggins. His father was born in Highland county, Ohio, and his mother in Adams county, that state. The Huggins family is of Scotch lineage, but has had its home in Ireland for many generations. Robert I. Huggins, grandfather of William L. Huggins, was born in Ireland, whence he emigrated to America, first settling in North Carolina, removing to Ohio about 1816 and settling in Highland county, where, as a farmer and wagon maker, he spent the rest of his life. He opposed with vigor the then prevalent use of liquor, and because he refused to furnish whiskey at his own log-rollings, then the custom of the day, he and his sons were compelled to roll their own logs in clearing the land of its dense forest for cultivation. In Highland county, Ohio, Milton H. Huggins spent his days, following the pursuit of farming. He was opposed to slavery and was active in assisting fugitive slaves to escape. His proudest boast was that no fugitive slave who once reached the Huggins neighborhood was ever returned to his master. He died there in 1897, at the age of seventy-eight years. On the old homestead his wife continued to reside after his death until she died, in 1902, aged sixty-eight years. She bore her husband seven children, two of whom died in infancy. Those who grew to maturity were: Jennie DiBoll, William L., Owen R., Robert V., and Richard O. The mother was a daughter of Robert DiBoll, a native of New York, of French origin. He became a physician and successfully practiced his profession in Ohio for years, and in later years became associated with the American Bible Society, in the organization of Bible classes and Sunday schools and distributing Bibles in Ohio. He was a Presbyterian in church faith.

William L. Huggins was reared on the farm, and being the oldest son of the family was compelled to assist his father on the farm, much to the neglect of his education in youth. He attended the public schools up to the age of about twelve years, and then quit school to aid his father with the farm work. He came to Kansas in 1885, and for some time worked as a farm hand in Sumner and Sedgwick counties. He taught school one year and then entered the State Normal School, where he spent one and a half years. He became principal of one of the ward schools of Emporia, and in 1892 was elected county superintendent of schools in Lyon county, to which office he was reëlected in 1894. In this position he served with credit two terms. Meanwhile, Mr. Huggins found time from his every-day duties to study law, with Judge L. B. Kellogg as his preceptor, and was admitted to the bar in 1897, at the close of his second term as county superintendent. He began the practice of law with the late I. E. Lambert, with whom he remained until a short time before Mr. Lambert's death. He then formed a partnership with his former preceptor, Judge L. B. Kellogg. Later, this partnership was dissolved and another formed with H. E. Ganse, and still later Humbert Riddle was admitted to the firm, at present constituting the prominent law firm of Huggins, Ganse & Riddle. Mr. Huggins has enjoyed a constantly increasing and remunerative practice in the law. He has prospered in his chosen profession and has accumulated a fair estate. He owns and resides in one of the best and most attractive residences in the city of Emporia, and has a large private library. In politics he has always been an ardent Republican. He has taken an active part in politics and is well and favorably known.

In 1898 Mr. Huggins married Miss Emma E. Spohr, daughter of Gustav Spohr, a well known horticulturist, of near Manhattan, Kan. Mr. Spohr was born in the Province of Hanover, Germany, and came to America prior to the Civil war, in which he rendered valiant service in the defense of the Union, serving in a German company from New York state. Three times he was wounded, being captured the last time and placed in Libby prison, where he was retained six months. After the war he merchandised for a time in St. Louis, and then came to Kansas, locating near Manhattan, where he engaged in horticulture, planting a large apple orchard, which was reckoned as a model orchard and used as such for the students in horticulture at the Kansas State Agricultural College. Mr. and Mrs. Huggins have three children: William L., Mary E., and Margaret E. Mr. Huggins has taken prominence in Masonic fraternal relations, having held all of the chairs in the Blue Lodge, and having attained the Knights Templar and Scottish Rite degrees. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.