Child of Fred Martin Clough and Sophia Olive Pancoast and husband of Ruth Ellison.

Married on June 15, 1916 in Tampico, Whiteside County, Illinois.

Occupation: Attorney

Children: Barbara and Ray


Obituary from the Mason City newspaper dated December 1956:

R. F. Clough, 70, Mason City attorney and former school board member, died Friday evening of cancer in a Mason City hospital. He served in Washington, D.C., during Worl War II on the legal staff of the Foreign Economic Administration.

He had lived through much of the industrial growth of Mason City. He came here in 1913 to start his legal career directly after graduation from the University of Iowa law school.

Mr. Clough was born May 10, 1886, at Sioux Rapids, son of Fred and Sophia (Pancoast) Clough. He was named Raphael Floyd Clough. He attended a country school in Buena Vista County and high school at Everly.

For three years he attended Iowa State Teachers' College at Cedar Falls and received his B.A. degree from the University of Iowa in 1911 and his L. L. B. in 1913. He also received a J. D. degree from the same school in 1925.

Mr. Clough started his law practice in Mason City in partnership with Hugh H. Shepard. On January 1, 1917, he became a member of the firm of Dunn, Bryant and Clough. In December 1925 he was invited to become a member of the law firm of Blythe, Markley and Rule, where he remained until September 1, 1928, when he entered law practice for himself.

For many years, he had been active in the politics of the county and state and for four years was chairman of the Cerro Gordo County Republican Central Committee. He had been active in all the party operations.

Many times he had been a delegate to the state convention and was alternate delegate to the 1928 national Republican convention in Kansas City, Missouri, and a delegate to the 1932 national convention in Chicago. He was a presidential elector at large in 1940.

He was elected to the school board in 1945 and served for six years.

He took an active part in launching the Mason City Social Welfare League, which he headed for a number of years. He also headed a number of civic and patriotic campaigns including the Red Cross War Fund campaign, as general chairman, in 1943.

His work with the Foreign Economic Administration in Washington, from June 1943 until August 1944, was concerned with "preclusive" strategy in the field of critical materials from neutral countries such as Turkey, Spain, Portugal and Sweden.

Mr. Clough served as president of the Iowa State Bar Association in 1953-1954. He also served a term as vice president of the association and on the board of directors.

He was a past president of the Cerro Gordo County Bar Association, a past director of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce, past exalted ruler of Elks Lodge 375 and a member of the Masonic Order, Mason City Country Club, Euchre and Cycle Club, Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity and Delta Sigma Rho debating fraternity. He was also a past trustee of the First Congregational Church.

He was a director of the Pioneer Federal Savings and Loans Association, a member of the Cerro Gordo County Bar Association, the 12th Judicial District Bar Association, the Iowa State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

He was married to Ruth Ellison, June 15, 1916, at Tampico, Illinois. Surviving are his wife, son Ray E. Clough, Mason City attorney, and daughter, Mrs. Robert (Barbara) Spargo, Mason City, and six grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the First Congregational Church. The Reverend Robert L. Stone will officiate. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery. The Major Funeral Home is in charge.




R. F. Clough Funeral Held

R. F. Clough was an outstanding civic leader, said the Reverend Robert L. Stone at the funeral services for the Mason City attorney. The Congregational pastor emphasized, however, that everyone is important in his own sphere and the important thing is an honest effort.

Mr. Clough, a Mason City attorney for 43 years, died Friday evening at a local hospital following a year's illness with cancer.

All the judges of the 12th judicial district, and, with few exceptions, all of the Cerro Gordo Bar Association, attended the services. Other groups attending included the directors of the Pioneer Federal Savings and Loan Associations, city officials and employees and members of the Elks Lodge.

Pallbearers were Tom Teas, M. L. Mason, Murry Finley, Robert H. Shepard, Warren DeVries and William Pappas. Two other members of the bar, James R. Brown and Robert S. Kinsey, were ushers.

Interment was in Elmwood Cemetery following the services in the First Congregational Church, Mrs. J. E. Stinehart was organist.

Child of Fred Martin Clough and Sophia Olive Pancoast and husband of Ruth Ellison.

Married on June 15, 1916 in Tampico, Whiteside County, Illinois.

Occupation: Attorney

Children: Barbara and Ray


Obituary from the Mason City newspaper dated December 1956:

R. F. Clough, 70, Mason City attorney and former school board member, died Friday evening of cancer in a Mason City hospital. He served in Washington, D.C., during Worl War II on the legal staff of the Foreign Economic Administration.

He had lived through much of the industrial growth of Mason City. He came here in 1913 to start his legal career directly after graduation from the University of Iowa law school.

Mr. Clough was born May 10, 1886, at Sioux Rapids, son of Fred and Sophia (Pancoast) Clough. He was named Raphael Floyd Clough. He attended a country school in Buena Vista County and high school at Everly.

For three years he attended Iowa State Teachers' College at Cedar Falls and received his B.A. degree from the University of Iowa in 1911 and his L. L. B. in 1913. He also received a J. D. degree from the same school in 1925.

Mr. Clough started his law practice in Mason City in partnership with Hugh H. Shepard. On January 1, 1917, he became a member of the firm of Dunn, Bryant and Clough. In December 1925 he was invited to become a member of the law firm of Blythe, Markley and Rule, where he remained until September 1, 1928, when he entered law practice for himself.

For many years, he had been active in the politics of the county and state and for four years was chairman of the Cerro Gordo County Republican Central Committee. He had been active in all the party operations.

Many times he had been a delegate to the state convention and was alternate delegate to the 1928 national Republican convention in Kansas City, Missouri, and a delegate to the 1932 national convention in Chicago. He was a presidential elector at large in 1940.

He was elected to the school board in 1945 and served for six years.

He took an active part in launching the Mason City Social Welfare League, which he headed for a number of years. He also headed a number of civic and patriotic campaigns including the Red Cross War Fund campaign, as general chairman, in 1943.

His work with the Foreign Economic Administration in Washington, from June 1943 until August 1944, was concerned with "preclusive" strategy in the field of critical materials from neutral countries such as Turkey, Spain, Portugal and Sweden.

Mr. Clough served as president of the Iowa State Bar Association in 1953-1954. He also served a term as vice president of the association and on the board of directors.

He was a past president of the Cerro Gordo County Bar Association, a past director of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce, past exalted ruler of Elks Lodge 375 and a member of the Masonic Order, Mason City Country Club, Euchre and Cycle Club, Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity and Delta Sigma Rho debating fraternity. He was also a past trustee of the First Congregational Church.

He was a director of the Pioneer Federal Savings and Loans Association, a member of the Cerro Gordo County Bar Association, the 12th Judicial District Bar Association, the Iowa State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

He was married to Ruth Ellison, June 15, 1916, at Tampico, Illinois. Surviving are his wife, son Ray E. Clough, Mason City attorney, and daughter, Mrs. Robert (Barbara) Spargo, Mason City, and six grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the First Congregational Church. The Reverend Robert L. Stone will officiate. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery. The Major Funeral Home is in charge.




R. F. Clough Funeral Held

R. F. Clough was an outstanding civic leader, said the Reverend Robert L. Stone at the funeral services for the Mason City attorney. The Congregational pastor emphasized, however, that everyone is important in his own sphere and the important thing is an honest effort.

Mr. Clough, a Mason City attorney for 43 years, died Friday evening at a local hospital following a year's illness with cancer.

All the judges of the 12th judicial district, and, with few exceptions, all of the Cerro Gordo Bar Association, attended the services. Other groups attending included the directors of the Pioneer Federal Savings and Loan Associations, city officials and employees and members of the Elks Lodge.

Pallbearers were Tom Teas, M. L. Mason, Murry Finley, Robert H. Shepard, Warren DeVries and William Pappas. Two other members of the bar, James R. Brown and Robert S. Kinsey, were ushers.

Interment was in Elmwood Cemetery following the services in the First Congregational Church, Mrs. J. E. Stinehart was organist.