USA > Iowa > Dickinson County > History of Emmet County and Dickinson County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 17
USA > Iowa > Emmet County > History of Emmet County and Dickinson County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 17
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
The Provident Savings Bank was incorporated on January 4, 1902, by E. B. Soper, Webb Vincent, John P. Kirby, M. K. Whelan, E. I. Sondrol, 0. Neville and H. G. Graaf. E. B. Soper was elected president; Webb Vin- cent, vice president; and John P. Kirby, cashier. The Provident Savings is operated by the same officers and in the same building as the First National Bank. The capital stock is $25,000, and on January 1, 1917, the bank reported surplus and undivided profits amounting to $10,000, and deposits of $500,000.
ARMSTRONG BANKS
On August 20, 1892, the firm of Robinson & Stuart opened a private bank in Armstrong. A little later Mr. Stuart sold his interest to John Dows. The business was continued by Robinson & Dows as a private bank until July 1, 1900, when it was incorporated under the national banking laws as the First National Bank of Armstrong, with B. F. Robinson as president; John Dows, vice president; L. P. Gjermo, cashier. At the close of the year 1916 this bank reported a capital stock of $50,000; surplus and undivided profits of $16,000, and deposits of $250,000. It occupies a build- ing erected by the bank in 1892, a short time before the completion of the railroad. The present officers of the bank are: John Dows, president; William Stuart, vice president; B. F. Robinson, cashier; F. S. Robinson, assistant cashier.
The State Bank of Armstrong was incorporated on July 9, 1892, with a capital stock of $50,000, but it did not open for business till some weeks later. The provisional board of directors, named in the articles of incor- poration, was composed of S. L. Dows, E. B. Soper, F. E. Allen, Webb Vincent and S. T. Meservey. They were to serve until the first regular election of officers in July, 1893. The Bankers' Directory for July, 1916, gives the capital stock of this bank as $25,000; surplus and undivided profits, $6,000; deposits, $100,000. At that time John P. Kirby was presi- dent of the bank; Matthew Richmond, vice president; S. C. Hays, cashier.
The Emmet County Bank, located at Armstrong, began business about the time the railroad was built through the town as a private bank, con- ducted by the firm of Graves, Breen & Company. It is still running as a private bank, under the management of T. W. Doughty, but no statistics regarding its capital, surplus or deposits are available.
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DOLLIVER BANKS
Dolliver has two banks. On October 21, 1899, the Farmers State Bank filed articles of incorporation with the recorder of Emmet County, showing an authorized capital stock of $25,000, which was required to be fully paid up before the institution opened for business. The first election of officers was held on July 20, 1900. Until that time W. H. Woods, of Iowa Falls, was to be president, W. R. Flemming, of Dolliver, vice president; J. A. Reagan, of Dolliver, cashier. These three officers and the following con- stituted the first board of directors: Charles Birdsall, of Alden; J. D. Newcomer, of Eldora; E. S. Ellsworth and J. A. Carleton, of Iowa Falls.
This bank is given in the Bankers' Directory above mentioned as the "Dolliver Savings Bank," with J. P. Kirby, president; E. I. Sondrol, vice president; L. P. Stillman, cashier. The capital stock, according to the directory, is $20,000; surplus and undivided profits, $9,000; deposits, $186,000.
The Farmers Savings Bank of Dolliver was incorporated on January 10, 1912, with a capital stock of $10,000. In July, 1916, its officers were: E. M. Evans, president; J. A. Hyer, vice president; B. L. Clark, cashier; but the Bankers Directory gives no figures to show the amount of surplus and undivided profits or the deposits.
RINGSTED BANKS
On April 13, 1899, five days after the plat of the Town of Ringsted was filed in the county recorder's office, the Ringsted State Bank was in- corporated with a capital stock of $25,000, all of which was to be paid up by June 1, 1899, when the bank began business. In the articles were named seven directors, who were to serve until the annual meeting in 1900. They were R. N. Bruer, Thomas Sherman and J. B. Johnson, of Bancroft; A. D. Clarke and B. F. Crose, of Algona; George E. Boyle and J. M. Farley, of Whittemore. Tom Sherman was elected president; George E. Boyle, vice president ; B. F. Crose, cashier.
In December, 1911, the Ringsted State Bank absorbed the Danish- American Savings Bank of Ringsted, which had been started in May, 1899, by B. F. Robinson, John Dows and others, and the capital stock was thus increased to $40,000. Several changes have been made in the officers and board of directors, but at the close of the year 1916 A. Jacobson was presi- dent; H. W. Jensen, vice president; J. S. Peterson, cashier. At that time the bank's capital stock was $40,000; surplus and undivided profits $10,000; deposits, $350,000. This bank owns and occupies a building erected for the purpose and is well equipped in every respect.
The Farmers Savings Bank of Ringsted was incorporated on Decem-
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ber 12, 1914, and commenced business on February 1, 1915, in a building erected expressly for banking purposes. Andrew Larsen was chosen pres- ident; J. M. Resh and J. A. Mathieson, vice presidents; R. M. Butler, cashier. These officers still held their respective positions at the beginning of the year 1917, when the bank reported a capital stock of $15,000 and deposits of $75,000.
MISCELLANEOUS BANKS
In addition to the banks above enumerated, Emmet County has three others, located at Huntington, Wallingford and Gruver. The Huntington Savings Bank was incorporated on September 4, 1899, with a capital stock of $10,000. E. B. Soper, of Emmetsburg, was the first president; E. I. Sondrol, of Estherville, vice president; Samuel Reamy, of Estherville, cashier. The first board of directors was composed of these three officers, M. K. Whelan and J. P. Kirby, both of Estherville. At the close of the year 1916 the bank reported a surplus and undivided profit fund of $4,000 and deposits of $140,000. The officers at that time were: J. P. Kirby, president; E. I. Sondrol, vice president ; George A. Ports, cashier.
The Farmers Savings Bank of Wallingford was incorporated on June 11, 1902, with a capital stock of $15,000. The nine directors named in the articles of incorporation, to serve until the annual meeting on the second Tuesday in January, 1903, were as follows: P. G. Miller, L. R. Woods, Frank P. Woods, H. K. Groth, James Refsell, Peter Larson, T. O. Sando, P. S. Anderson and S. Sevatson. In the organization of the board James Refsell was elected president; P. G. Miller, vice president; O. O. Anderson, cashier. Mr. Refsell and Mr. Anderson have held their offices contin- uously since the bank's organization, but at the close of the year 1916 the name of M. J. Groves appears as vice president. The surplus and undivided profits of the bank at that time amounted to $15,000, and the bank carried deposits of $160,000.
The Gruver Savings Bank was incorporated on December 23, 1902, with a capital stock of $10,000 and the stipulation that the bank should commence business on January 15, 1903. It opened at the appointed time with William Stuart, president; Brownell Jacobson, vice president; R. A. Palmeter, cashier. The three officers above named, with John Dows and Lemuel Irwin, constituted the first board of directors. The Bankers Direc- tory for July, 1916, gives the names of J. P. Kirby, president; E. I. Sondrol, vice president; F. R. Dowden, cashier, and reports surplus and undivided profits amounting to $5,000 and deposits of $110,000.
If bank deposits can be considered an index to a community's pros- perity, Emmet County is certainly to be congratulated. The fifteen banks of the county carry deposits of over five million dollars. Estimating the population at ten thousand, this is five hundred dollars for every man, woman and child resident within the county. And this has been accom-
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plished without the support of any large manufacturing or commercial enterprises, which in the large cities are usually heavy depositors. An- other source of congratulation is found in the fact that the banking insti- tutions have always been managed by men schooled in experience and conducted along safe and conservative lines. There has never been a bank failure in the county, hence the banks command the confidence of the general public.
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AGRICULTURE
Farming and stock raising have always been the chief occupations of the people of Emmet County. As a general rule statistics are dry and unin- teresting. There is neither poetry nor romance in figures, but the story of a community's progress can often be better told by statistics than in any other way. Adopting that method, then, as a means of showing the almost marvelous development of Emmet County during the three score years of its organized existence, let the reader compare the figures in the following tables. The first table has been compiled from a volume published by authority of the State of Iowa some years ago and shows the conditions of the agricultural interests of the county in 1860, one year after the county was organized and the first year in which any report was made:
Population
105
Bushels of corn raised.
3,420
Bushels of wheat
915
Bushels of oats
760
Bushels of potatoes
844
Tons of hay harvested
372
The figures in the second table, which has been compiled from the re- ports on the various crops as given in the Iowa Year Book for 1914, shows the number of acres planted to each crop as well as the total yield. In the meantime the population had increased from 105 in 1860 to 9,816 in 1910.
Acres
Bushels
Corn
55,100
1,983,000
Oats
45,000
1,485,000
Wheat
945
11,470
Barley
5,000
130,000
Rye
200
2,200
Flaxseed
750
6,750
Potatoes
780
60,840
Tame hay (tons)
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
12,000
14,400
Alfalfa (tons)
15
40
Pasture
46,700
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
13,000
19,500
Wild hay (tons)
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1
1
1
1
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In 1860 the number of bushels of corn raised for each inhabitant was less than thirty-five. In 1914, estimating the population at ten thousand, it was nearly two hundred bushels. The total number of acres in the county is 260,120, of which 179,490 are accounted for in the above table. From this it will be seen that nearly 70 per cent. of the area of the county is under cultivation or used for pasture, leaving 30 per cent. for city and town lots, right of way of railroads, lawns and gardens about the farm houses, in orchards, etc. There is not much waste land in the county, and most of that which can be classed as waste land lies along the Des Moines River, where the timber yields some return.
LIVE STOCK
The Year Book for 1914 gives no statistics regarding the live stock interests for that year, but that of 1913 gives the number of head of each species of domestic animals, etc., as shown by the following table :
Horses
8,149
Mules
166
Hogs
44,296
Dairy cows
6,815
All other cattle
15,244
Sheep
1,654
Poultry (all kinds)
172,517
Pounds of wool clipped
9,515
Dozens of eggs marketed
514,413
I
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
E
I
Since the publication of that Year Book the number of domestic ani- mals has not decreased, and it is probable that the quantity of wool and poultry products has increased over that reported in 1913. From the figures given above it can be seen that the "Great American Hen" is very much in evidence as a producer of wealth in Emmet County.
THE DAIRY INDUSTRY
Within recent years the dairy industry has become one of the im- portant factors in the commercial affairs of Emmet County. The first creamery of which any record can be obtained is the "Emmet County Creamery Association," which was located at Swan Lake, and for which articles of incorporation were filed with the county recorder on July 25, 1881, though the concern had commenced business a week before. The objects of the association were "to manufacture butter and carry on a general business in the creamery line." Swan Lake was at that time the county seat. The association started off with the modest capital stock of
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$600; Matthew Richmond, president; John Griggs, vice president; L. R. Bingham, secretary and treasurer. The creamery did a fairly good busi- ness for a few years, but the lack of railroad facilities at that time, and the removal of the county seat to Estherville in 1882, brought adverse conditions and the business was wound up without financial loss.
In 1889 L. W. Mitchell established a cheese factory at Estherville, the first in the county. He made a specialty of English Cheddar cheese and bought considerable quantities of milk from the farmers, but, being for removed from market centers, the business proved to be unprofitable and the factory was closed.
The Farmers' Cooperative Creamery Association of Estherville was incorporated on June 6, 1894, with an authorized capital stock of $5,000. The corporate life of the association began on April 21, 1894, and was to continue for twenty years. The articles of incorporation were signed by H. W. Woods, W. J. Weir, M. W. Atwood, C. L. Bartlett and L. S. Westcott. Long before the expiration of the twenty years for which the association was chartered it was dissolved by the mutual consent of the stockholders.
The Forsyth Butter and Cheese Association was organized by a num- ber of farmers living in the southeastern part of the county in the fall of 1893, and articles of incorporation were filed with the recorder on the 7th of December. In the articles it was stated that the purpose of the organization was "to operate a butter and cheese factory in Denmark Township, Emmet County, Iowa." The capital stock was fixed at $3,000 and the first board of directors was composed of D. A. Beck, H. A. Gaarde, E. T. Sorum, John J. Peterson and H. J. Huskamp.
On April 10, 1895, articles of incorporation of the Farmers' Creamery Company of Armstrong were filed with the county recorder. These articles set forth that the capital stock of the company was $10,000, and the scope of the organization was "to manufacture and sell butter and cheese and handle poultry and eggs." The articles were signed by W. C. Richmond, George B. Canon, John Fox, George Stewart, Jr., and C. B. Mathews. This has been one of the most successful creameries in the county. When first organized it was incorporated for twenty years. That period expired on April 8, 1915. Two days before that time a meeting of the stockholders was held, at which it was decided to continue in business, and on April 9, 1915, new articles of incorporation were filed for another twenty years. They were signed by S. C. Hays, Andy Mitchell, C. A. Erickson, S. B. Knudson, T. R. Johnson, O. Opsal and John Fox. It will be noticed that John Fox is the only one of the original incorporators of the association.
The Hoprig Farmers' Creamery Company was organized in the fall of 1897 and articles of incorporation were filed on the first day of December. The capital stock of this company was $3,500 and its business was man- aged by a board of five directors. The first board was made up of W. H.
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Crumrine, A. E. Bigelow, John Monitt and George Lorimer, one place being vacant at the time of the incorporation.
The Raleigh Creamery Company was incorporated on December 22, 1899, and was one of the largest organized in the county up to that time. Its capital stock was $4,000 "to be paid at such times and in such manner as the board of directors may direct; but before this. corporation shall commence business, at least 20 per cent. of said stock must be subscribed and paid for." The company was organized as a cooperative concern and the articles of incorporation were signed by twenty-three stockholders, to wit: M. Bendixen, J. B. Brown, O. J. Brown, H. G. Coleman, Joseph H. Conner, R. DeWall, C. E. Hite, L. L. Jacobson, Peter Klein, C. H. Koburnus, Val Kuhns, J. H. Martin, W. B. Peterson, J. H. Randolph, Charles Reed, James Refsell, P. P. Solberg, G. Spoor, Charles E. Stickney, Andrew Swan- son, F. S. Trapp, Charles Weckel and F. B. Yule.
On June 9, 1900, the Farmers' Creamery Company of Halfa was in- corporated with a capital stock of $6,000 and the following board of direc- tors: J. C. Hotchkiss, W. E. Brooks, Peter Tornell, P. A. Gaarde and V. E. Yessler. The Chicago & Northwestern Railroad had just been com- pleted through that part of the county and it was not long until a second creamery company was organized. This was the Halfa Cooperative Cream- ery Company, which was incorporated on July 28, 1900. In organizing this company an effort was made to extend its operations over as wide a territory as possible. The members were: Daniel Booth and A. L. Ruth, of Jack Creek Township; Irvin H. Keim and G. W. Hohnes, of Denmark ; O. K. Berven, of Swan Lake; Herbert Moore and J. C. Hotchkiss, of Arm- strong Grove. The capital stock was fixed at $4,000 and in the organiza- tion of the company Daniel Booth was elected president; Irvin H. Keim, vice president ; John C. Hotchkiss, secretary, and Herbert Moore, treasurer.
The Farmers' Cooperative Creamery of Gruver was incorporated on August 8, 1901, for the purpose of "purchasing or constructing and main- taining one or more creameries, the manufacture and sale of dairy products, and the purchase and sale of all property required to operate successfully a creamery." The capital stock authorized was $5,000. Lemuel Irwin was elected president; E. Dawson, vice president; C. E. Fuller, secretary ; Archie Pierce, treasurer. These officers and the following gentlemen con- stituted the first board of directors: U. A. Andrews, F. H. Lathrop and G. W. Inman.
The Dolliver Creamery Association, established for the "manufacture and sale of butter, cheese and dairy products," was organized on a slightly different plan from any of the others in the county. The articles of incor- poration provided for a capital stock of $4,000, a certain part of which was to be paid in before the association began business and the remainder was to be paid from a sinking fund formed by setting aside "five cents
.
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per 100 pounds from all milk bought by or delivered to the association." The first board of directors of this association was composed of S. B. Reed, A. R. Butler, W. O. Dowden, M. J. Iverson, L. J. Bigelow, J. B. Mitchell and L. P. Stillman.
On June 15, 1910, articles of incorporation were filed with the county recorder by the officers of the Farmers' Creamery Company of Walling- ford. The capital stock was fixed at $10,000 and the company was char- tered for twenty years, "unless sooner dissolved by law or by a vote of the stockholders at a stockholders' meeting representing not less than two- thirds of the capital stock." The first officers were: J. P. Kennedy, pres- ident; William Schacherrer, vice president; O. O. Refsell, secretary and treasurer. These three officers and T. O. Sando, Andrew Anderson and G. E. Moore constituted the first board of directors.
The Ringsted Cooperative Creamery Company was incorporated on March 27, 1915, with a capital stock of $6,000; H. C. Christiansen, presi- dent; Robert N. Kyhl, vice president ; A. C. C. Ries, secretary, and R. M. Butler, treasurer. A building was erected and equipped with modern butter making machinery and the company has been doing a good business since its organization.
Some of the creameries in the above list are no longer in existence. A few came to an untimely end through lack of efficient management, the business of making butter requiring careful attention which the companies were not prepared to give. But the fact that they were organized is evi- dence that the people of Emmet County are interested in dairying, and are fully awake to the possibilities of that line of business activity.
FARM IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
In the winter of 1915-16 some of the progressive farmers of the county got together and organized the Emmet County Farm Improvement Association. J. H. Horswell was elected president; R. S. Harris, vice pres- ident; A. J. Case, secretary ; William Green, treasurer. These officers and M. L. Soeth constituted the executive committee.
On Thursday, January 4, 1917, the second annual meeting of the asso- ciation was held at Armstrong. After a sumptuous dinner a business session was held in the opera house, at which all the old officers were reelected and a board of directors, consisting of one member from each township, was chosen to serve for the ensuing year, to wit: Armstrong Grove, R. S. Harris; Center, William Green; Denmark, J. M. Resh; Ells- worth, Joseph Timmons; Emmet, Charles Logue; Estherville, J. R. Hors- well; High Lake, no election; Iowa Lake, Lambert Locker; Jack Creek, James Welsh; Lincoin, William Prull; Swan Lake, J. G. Mckean; Twelve Mile Lake, M. L. Soeth.
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The objects of the association are to hold meetings for the discussion of better methods of farming; disseminate information that will lead to farm improvement along all lines, and improve the breed of live stock. To that end John C. Eldredge, the county agricultural agent, has arranged a department for the registering of pure bred stock. Mr. Eldredge is devot- ing a considerable portion of his time to the organization of boys' clubs for corn and stock judging, the object being to keep the boys interested in agricultural pursuits. The association also keeps an eye on legislation in behalf of the farmers' interests, or injurious to agriculture, and is consid- ering the cooperative methods of selling the products of their farms and buying implements, etc.
SHORT COURSES
The Legislature of 1907 passed an act providing that: "When forty or more farmers of a county organize a farmers' institute, with a pres- ident, secretary, treasurer and an executive committee of not less than three outside of such officers and hold an institute, remaining in session not less than two days in each year, which institute may be adjourned from time to time and from place to place in said county, the secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, upon the filing with him a report of such institute and an itemized statement under oath showing that the same has been organized and held and for what purposes the money expended has been used, shall certify the same to the auditor of state, which state audi- tor shall remit to the county treasurer of such county his warrant for the amount so expended, not to exceed seventy-five dollars," etc.
The law further provided that no officer of a county institute should receive pay for his services, and that all reports must be in the hands of the secretary of the State Board of Agriculture by the first day of June in each year; otherwise the institute would receive no state aid for that year. Under the benign influence of this act and supplementary legisla- tion, the agricultural interests of the state have undergone a transforma- tion. During the year ending on June 30, 1914, seven sessions of the Emmet County institute were held at different places. The attendance at all the sessions was 2,800. The $75.00 of state aid was received, the county appropriated a similar amount, and from miscellaneous sources was received enough to bring the total up to $261.29, of which $192.20 was expended for instructors and in advertising. Since then the institutes have taken the form of short courses in agriculture and home economics, con- ducted by some member of the faculty of the Agricultural College, or some other well known authority. Prizes are awarded for the best exhibit of farm products, bread, butter, etc. These short courses are bringing the farmers together for their mutual advancement and the result is a friendly
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rivalry that is sure to establish corn as king in Emmet County for years to come.
MANUFACTURING
Emmet has never been a manufacturing county to any great extent. One of the first manufacturing concerns was the old mill of Ridley & Jenkins, which was established about the time the county was organized. In the first issue of the Northern Vindicator (December 14, 1868), is an advertisement of the mill, which was then operated by Adolphus & B. J. Jenkins. They announced in that advertisement that "the mills are now in running order and successful operation, and customers will be served with promptness and in a manner that cannot fail to give general satis- faction." The proprietors also announced that the rate of toll was one- sixth, and that the saw mill was prepared to saw logs to order or on the shares. A little later J. A. Hagadorn became associated with the Jen- kinses. The mill was patronized by settlers in Kossuth, Palo Alto, Clay, Buena Vista and Dickinson counties in Iowa, and Jackson and Martin counties in Minnesota.
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