William John Haddock was born February 28, 1832, at Toome Bridge, near Belfast, Ireland. His parents emigrated from Ireland to the United States in 1849, living first in Philadelphia, and then moving to Iowa in April 1856. He lived northeast of Iowa City, where he was introduced to and wrote about the Iowa prairie. He then lived briefly in Cedar Rapids, followed by Shueyville, where he worked at a saw mill. In 1859 he moved to Iowa City, where he entered the G.W. & Rush Clark law office as a student of law, learning about law from Mr. Clark, as no law schools existed west of the Mississippi in 1859. The University of Iowa Law School was established in 1868. Mr. Haddock and Mr. Clark became law partners in 1867. While learning law from Mr. Clark, he also attended the University of Iowa Normal Department for teacher training, and graduated in 1861. He met a Normal Department classmate, Mary Emily Humphrey of Tipton, Iowa, and they married in August 1865. Mrs. Haddock earned the Bachelor of Didactics (B.D.) degree in 1865, then attended University of Iowa Law Department courses and graduated June 29, 1875. According to John Springer's biographical sketch in The Iowa Alumnus, March 1906, Mary Haddock was the first woman to earn the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from the University of Iowa Law School, and the first woman to practice in the United States courts, appearing before Judge John F. Dillon at Des Moines. Mr. Haddock served as Johnson County (Iowa) Superintendent of Schools, 1863-1864. He was appointed circuit court judge from 1872 to 1873. He was elected secretary of the executive committee of the Board of Trustees (Regents) on June 28, 1864. Mr Haddock served as secretary until 1902, under eight University of Iowa presidents and four acting presidents. Taking on what later became the duties of a registrar, administrator of buildings and grounds, supervisor of employees, and lobbyist for University appropriations, Mr. Haddock had great influence within the University for nearly four decades. William J. Haddock died February 28, 1906.