USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Memoirs of the Miami valley > Part 74
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The Piqua Savings Bank Company, organized October, 1901, occupies handsome quarters in the Plaza block. On the first board of directors were: W. P. Orr, Henry Flesh, L. M. Flesh, A. M. Orr, George Benkert, W. A. Snyder, J. L. Boyer, Stanhope Boal, J. H. Frantz, S. K. Statler and J. W. Brown. The first president was W. P. Orr and L. M. Flesh was vice-president; from October, 1901, until March, 1902, John Fouts acted as cashier, and was then suc- ceeded by John L. Prugh, who has been the cashier ever since. Wm. B. DuBois, who has been with the company since its organization, first as bookkeeper, is the assistant cashier. The first capitalization was $100,000 with $50,000 paid up. Present officers are H. D. Hart- ley, president ; W. A. Snyder and George Benkert, vice-presidents ; directors, L. M. Flesh, chairman ; W. A. Snyder, Geo. Benkert, J. L. Boyer, J. W. Brown, Wm. M. Boyer, H. D. Hartley, George H. Stat- ler, Morrison B. Orr. The present capital stock is $100,000 paid up, $100,000 surplus and $35,000 undivided profits. Assets, $1,237,000. The president of this bank, H. D. Hartley, was chairman of the Ex- ecutive Committee of the Miami County War Chest.
The Third Building & Loan Company was organized in Sep- tember, 1884. Its list of incorporators were: Clarence Langdon, A. W. Alexander, L. C. Cron, R. M. Murray, Harvey Clark, John U. Patterson, C. L. Wood, Francis Gray, H. H. Bassett, Richard Lee, Leopold Kiefer, Homer C. Nellis, Wm. C. Johnston, W. Scott Johnston. Originally the capital stock authorized was $500,000, in- creased to $10,000,000. The original office was in George Brook's law offices. In 1892 they moved to what was known as Music Hall block on Ash and Wayne streets. For sixteen years they occupied
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quarters in The Piqua National Bank building, and in 1909 changed their name to The Third Savings & Loan company. This company is now occupying their own handsome modern, marble-front building on Wayne street which they erected in 1916. It is a model for institu- tions of this character. Present officers are: A. M. Leonard, presi- dent; George M. Peffer, vice-president; Mrs. F. E. Purcell, second vice-president ; J. H. Clark, treasurer and Louis G. Peffer, secretary.
Border City Building and Loan Association is the oldest build- ing and loan association in Miami county and one of the oldest in the State, having been incorporated June 6, 1871. The original capitalization was $100,000 and the directors were: Francis Gray, H. H. Smiley, J. W. Shipley, R. P. Spiker, William McWilliams, William Turk, A. A. Blinn and S. N. Todd. The first active secre- tary was S. N. Todd from 1871 to 1884. Later J. H. Hatch, who became secretary in 1885, conducted the affairs of the company for sixteen years in the Council house and old Postoffice buildings. In May, 1901, the business was moved to its present location in the Parker block on North Main street. Seth McColloch became the active secretary of the company June 24, 1901, and has continued in office to date. During his incumbency of eighteen years the assets of this institution have increased from $154,000 to $600,000. Henry Flesh, who was president for over forty years until he died, May 29, 1919, was the company's financial adviser and had always watched the conduct of its affairs with close personal interest. The present officers are: Vice-president, P. I. Hedges; treasurer, F. P. Irvin ; secretary, Seth McColloch ; assistant secretary, Mary Hughes ; directors, P. I. Hedges, F. P. Irvin, Otto Von Bargen, John Zollinger, Alfred Flesh, W. D. Jones and W. H. Flach. Present capitalization is $2,000,000.
The Piqua Club, organized December, 1901, is composed of the most prominent business and professional men of the city. The original membership was sixty-five and the club house was the pres- ent residence of William K. Leonard on Wayne street. A handsome new club house of brick and stucco was erected at the southeast corner of Wayne and Greene streets in 1908, built on a high terrace, three stories and basement, with every convenience for club pur- poses. This $50,000 property is unusual for a club of this character in a city of its size. The first officers were: President, William P. Orr; vice-president, J. L. Boyer; secretary, F. B. Roe; treasurer, W. J. Kelley. The membership has increased to 110 resident mem- bers and 65 non-resident. The present officers are: President, J. L. Black; vice-president, W. K. Leonard; secretary and treasurer, Logan A. Frazier.
The Piqua Golf Club occupies the old Kelly grove, two and a half miles northeast of town, consisting of thirty-four acres, the property of Mrs. Augusta I. Boal. It was organized in 1898 by Nathaniel Neill, William P. Rice, William Lauder, J. W. Flesh, J. Frank Gray and Henry Kampf.
The course is one of the most beautiful spots around Piqua, Rush creek running through gives a natural hazard. At present there is a 2,300-yard course. Donald Ross, the eminent golf archi- tect, is about to reconstruct same, making it a nine-hole, 3,300-yard
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course, when it will be one of the best nine-hole courses in the State. Plans are also under advisement for a $25,000 club house to be built next spring. At present there is a membership of one hundred and the officers are: President, J. L. Black; vice president, Alfred Flesh ; secretary and treasurer, C. C. Jelleff.
Women's Clubs of Piqua
In Piqua the women's clubs, federated or unfederated-all are literary clubs organized for intellectual growth-worked magnifi- ciently to further every interest of the United States and her Allies in the World war. And this can undoubtedly be said of all in Miami county. All Piqua club women invested liberally in Liberty bonds and sold thousands of dollars worth of them, at first as clubs and later uniting with all women of the city.
Almost every club in Piqua paid the expenses of at least one French or Belgian war orphan, and most of them are also contribut- ing to the Loan Scholarship Fund. They never failed to fill their quota of anything given them to do during the war. The club women also filled the part of "four-minute" speakers during the war, proving themselves thoroughly competent. Progressive and quick to initiate or assist any movement for city or world improvement, there is a saying: "When Piqua club women take hold of anything, it is sure to succeed."
The Fortnightly Club, organized in 1889, is the oldest women's club in Piqua, and has always been a literary club of the highest attainments. This club has fifty members and meets once each fort- night. Its first president was Mrs. Emily Pyncheon Reed, and the - present occupant of the chair is Mrs. Grace Albers French.
Daughters of the American Revolution. The Piqua chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolu- tion was organized on the day which we now set apart on which to especially honor the flag of our country, June 14, 1896, the charter members including Mesdames Martha Geyer, George W. Statler, Gertrude M. Irvin, Wm. P. Hall, Louise Wood Mckinney, Elizabeth G. Royer, Elizabeth R. Slauson, and the Misses Martha H. Wood, Nellie E. Wood (now Mrs. George Taylor), Daisy Mary Smith, Mary E. Hall, and Adeline E. Gross. Mrs. Augusta I. Boal was the first regent, and the regent today is Mrs. Helen Widney Walker, the membership numbering twenty-two. The Piqua Daughters erected a stone at Upper Piqua, in front of the old Colonel Johnston Indian Agency House (now the Morris Farm), to commemorate the last battle of the French and Indian war, which was fought there. They also placed a tablet on the Indian Agency House, and have marked the graves of Revolutionary soldiers who are buried in the county. They have also contributed to Memorial Continental Hall at Wash- ington, and to the various calls of the National Society for funds connected with the World war, and furnished comfort kits for Company C, Piqua's first company of soldiers to leave for service in that war ; doing war work also with the Red Cross and other local organizations. The Piqua Chapter's national number is 275, which shows that it was one of the earlier ones organized.
The Columbian Club. Another which has accomplished results
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is the Columbian club, organized in 1892 as the Sommerset club, with literary improvement as its object, and eight charter members, and the following year the name was changed to the Columbian club. Two years later it was federated. From this small beginning, the present club of fifty members has grown. Purely a literary club from the first, it has never-the-less been active in assistance rendered in many other fields, and has the honor of starting the City Federa- tion. Mrs. Binney M. Sweezey was its first president; Mrs. Allen L. Marshall was president in 1919.
The History Club was organized in 1895 by Miss Mary Hall as a little study club for a group of young teachers who were obliged to pass special examinations, and Mrs. Louise Wood Mckinney taught them. The club was federated in March, 1897, the study hav- ing brought so much of pleasure and profit, that the members de- cided to continue as a club. There are now twenty-five active and one honorary members.
Helen Hunt Circle. Intellectual and social culture is the aim of the Helen Hunt Circle, organized in 1894 and federated in 1897. Its first president was Mrs. Libbie B. Robison, and Mrs. Minna B. Hunter is the present incumbent. The number of members is lim- ited to twenty-five, and there are at present five non-active charter members. The programs have dealt principally with history, litera- ture, civics and related subjects and the world today.
The Book Club, a delightfully informal one, organized in 1900. Mrs. Fred Johnston, now Mrs. Albert Barber, was its first president, and Mrs. A. A. Hall, who has held the chair for several years, this year is still its official head. To familiarize themselves with the best of modern fiction, and current events, are the aims of the Book club, which has met continuously for nineteen years.
The Non-de-Script is another club which developed from a lit- tle study class, eight or nine girls meeting together to study Shake- speare under Mr. J. W. Fisher, and in 1901, it was organized into a club with Professor Moffet, a teacher in the high school, as leader. Miscellaneous study is now its aim, and the membership limit is twenty-five.
Reading Circle. The year 1904 saw the organization of a little group of women into the Reading Circle, a club of twelve members, congenial souls, who have found much pleasure in the meetings. It has never been federated, but its aim has been literary profit and social intercourse-purely a reading circle, as the name indicates. Mrs. Rebecca Ludlow was the first president, and Mrs. William Fleming presided over the Circle in 1919.
The Story Tellers' League, organized by Miss Jessie Masden, now Mrs. Harold K. Harvey, of Greenville, has brought joy to all those fortunate enough to be numbered among its members, for it has a particular charm all its own. Miss Masden suggested, and carried out, her desire for a league in 1911, and made it a branch of the National Story Tellers' league from the beginning. She was the first president, and Mrs. Helen Reymiller is its president today. Its aim is to revive the lost art of story telling, and to familiarize its members with the great stories of literature; and its programs have been some of the best given in Piqua.
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City Federation of Women's Clubs. To unite for cooperative work all the women's clubs of Piqua is the aim of the City Federa- tion, and it has been a powerful factor in the life of the community, for by organization the clubs have been able to accomplish much that would have been wholly impossible if attempted individually. In 1897-98 there had been a Miami County Federation, but this had long since been abandoned.
It was early in November, 1909 that the organization was com- pleted, Mrs. Todd being elected president. The clubs represented, and their presidents, were: Fortnightly, Mrs. William Cook Rogers; Columbian, Mrs. E. A. Todd; Helen Hunt, Mrs. E. H. Butterfield; History, Miss Effie Angle; Reading, Mrs. Frances Nel- son; Book Club, Mrs. A. A. Hall; Non-de-Script, Mrs. George Berry; Reading Circle, Mrs. Louis Koester; American University, Mrs. R. P. Sprague. The Federation has executive, philanthropic, club extention, educational, art, civics, health, and Florence Critten- den committees, and each by enthusiastic work has accomplished splendid results.
It is impossible for lack of space to enumerate the many good works, but during Mrs. Todd's incumbency, the Parent-Teachers' Association, and "Clean-Up Days" were established; Miss Belle Boyer, the second president, initiated and established the Scholar- ship Fund and took one girl through the high school; Mrs. A. A. Hall's term of office saw the initial move taken for the Y. W. C. A., with $1,000 earned for it and the Research club organized; during Mrs. William Cook Rogers' term, 1915-17, the City Federation, with the help of the Piqua Welfare association, brought the Public Health Nurse to Piqua. During Mrs. W. C. Kerns' tenure of office, 1917-19, the Convention of the Middle West District was brought to Piqua-the first time in twenty years-and the Young Women's Christian association was organized. Several girls have also been educated, or partially educated, during the various years, each year the Health committee managed the selling of large numbers of Red Cross Christmas Stamps to aid in the fight against tuberculosis.
Mrs. Meyer Louis was elected to the presidency in the fall of 1919, and in her hands the same high standards will be maintained.
The Research Club. A new club, organized through the club extension committee of the City federation, in 1915, and federated the same year, is the Research, whose members are especially en- thusiastic in all club work. Miss Almont Stewart was their first president, and Mrs. J. C. Cron was elected in 1919. Social and in- tellectual culture, and the promotion, so far as may be practical, of measures for the good of the community, are its aims.
Piqua Branch Child Conservation League of America. This, the youngest of Piqua's clubs, was born of the child welfare move- ment in 1918. Its president is Mrs. E. H. Allen, and monthly meet- ings are held.
The Round Table. September, 1878, at the home of Dr. Dor- sey, Mrs. George Nelson, Mrs. J. F. Mckinney, Mrs. G. Volney, and Mrs. Charlotte Goode, discussed the possibility of forming a literary club in Piqua and in October the club was organized, "the object of which should be the social and intellectual improvement
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of those who should be connected with it." This club continued to meet every Monday evening for thirty-two years. Two reasons for its long life, and unusual loyalty of members may be discovered in article 3, which says: "The presiding officer shall preside at one meeting and appoint his successor for the next," and article 9: "It shall be considered a point of honor with the members not to criti- cise or discuss the exercises in the presence of persons who are not members."
The original membership was twenty-five, afterward extended to thirty. The name adopted was The Round Table, and a pleasant conceit was inaugurated, giving to each member a club name from "The Idyls of the King." The charter members were Dr. and Mrs. G. Volney Dorsey, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Mckinney, Captain and Mrs. George Nelson, Mr. Richard Slauson, Miss S. M. Scott, Miss A. L. Frye, Mr. James Johnston, Miss Adeline E. Gross, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Gross, Miss Margaret Johnston, Mrs. Charlotte Goode, and Miss Callie Pettitt. This club became very dear to its mem- bers, and when, at the end of thirty-two years it was decided to dis- continue the meetings, it was done with great regret.
Community Club, Springcreek Township. District number one, of Springcreek Township, has a flourishing organization in the Community club, which came into existence in June, 1915, and was federated in the spring of 1919. Its object is to provide better coun- try schools and to benefit the community, and it has accomplished much good for its district. The members did splendid work for the Piqua Chapter of the Red Cross and for Child Welfare, Mrs. Blaine Statler being the efficient chairman of the latter. They always gave the quota asked for in war work. There are about 60 members, and they meet every two weeks, twice a year having open meetings. Mrs. George Doss was the first president, and was again in the chair in 1919.
The Schmidlapp Free School Library. Thru the generosity of Jacob G. Schmidlapp, now a prominent financier of Cincinnati and New York, a public library was given to Piqua that has been a source of enjoyment since its inception in 1890. Mr. Schmidlapp, who was born and lived here until manhood, when a boy attended the Piqua schools, to whose Board of Education in later years he proffered the use of his property on North Main street for a library. The offer was accepted and the old building reconstructed. The first librarian was Miss Sue Hetherington who filled the position for years. The city funds support the existence of the library, which is under the supervision of the Board of Education.
During the flood of 1913 the library was badly damaged, the waters rising in the lower floor to a height of five feet, destroying so many books that an appeal was made to Carnegie who responded with $10,000 to buy new books. Mr. Schmidlapp attended to re- pairing the building. A bronze tablet on the wall pays tribute to the untiring efforts of Miss Jessie Masden, Miss Sue Hetherington and Miss Gertrude L. Irvin who saved many books that would other- wise have been lost. The physical equipment of the library now consists of the main library building, 511 North Main street, and three school deposit stations. During the last year its circulation
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was 70,013 volumes. In response to an appeal for books for the cantonments many hundreds of books were collected at the library and the Schmidlapp library was headquarters for the War Savings Stamp Campaign of the School Sammies during the summer months. The present librarian is Miss Gertrude L. Irvin.
Lodges and Societies. The Odd Fellows were the first to es- tablish a lodge in Piqua, April 29, 1839; Masons instituted Warren lodge October 21, 1841; Alexander Mitchell Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, October 27, 1866. Piqua lodge 533 of the Benevolent Order of Elks, November 9, 1899; the Amokee Tribe of the I. O. Red Men, May 7, 1908; Willow Camp, Woodmen of the World, April 11, 1906; Miami lodge, M. B. of A., May 25, 1897; Knights of Pythias, February 12, 1882; Piqua Aerie 614, Fraternal Order of Eagles, February 12, 1903; Piqua lodge No. 1067 of the Loyal Order of Moose, July 23, 1912; Theatrical Mechanical asso- ciation, August 7, 1907 ; Order of the Eastern Star, October 21, 1909. Minerva lodge, No. 16, Order of Rebekah, December 16, 1916; Order of Maccabees, Border City Tent, No. 72, October 21, 1889; Women's Benefit Association of the Maccabees, May 6, 1894.
The Young Women's Christian Association of Piqua (the only one in Miami county), has the best record of any Association in Ohio and West Virginia, yet it has been in existence but seven months. The City Federation of Women's clubs had long carried the thought of a place where the self-supporting women of the city might meet for recreation and pleasure, very near its heart, and when Mrs. A. Acton Hall held the president's chair, the initial move was taken, and during her regime $1,000 was made for this very worthy purpose.
During the years 1916-17, when Mrs. William Cook Rogers was president, this sum was added to by part of the proceeds of her opera which was given in Piqua, and by the business women of the city headed by Miss Albertine Christ, who showed their inter- est by giving an unusually successful lawn fete on the grounds of the Piqua Handle & Manufacturing company, which netted several hundred dollars more for the cause. But in 1917 saw the entrance of America into the World war, and the patriotic women put the money they had earned for the Y. W. C. A. into Liberty Bonds, to await a more favorable season for the carrying out of their dreams. An endowment of $6,000 had been bequeathed in his will by Mr. Robert Patterson, which in time would be available for a permanent home, on condition that a Y. W. C. A. be organized. So after an enthusiastic. rally on February 24, 1919, the establishment of the association was certain. Because of payments to the War Chest, and the Victory Liberty Loan to be held in April, it was decided to begin in a small way in rooms over the Piqua Daily Call office on North Wayne street. Committees were announced for a three day's "budget campaign" to obtain funds to finance the organization for two years. Leading business men, the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary club pledged their support, the newspapers adding their valuable quota, and instead of the $10,000 asked for, $17,500 was raised by untiring efforts of practically every woman and girl in Piqua, and it was decided to put the surplus of $7,500 into the building fund.
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March 22, an organization meeting was held when directors and officers were elected as follows :
President, Miss Lucy Patterson; vice-president, Mrs. L. M. Flesh; recording-secretary, Miss Marjorie Whitlock ; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Scott Watterson; treasurer, Mrs. Helen Reymiller. Messrs. L. M. Flesh, J. L. Black, Logan Frazier, Mrs. W. C. Kerns and Mrs. Rebecca Ludlow were elected trustees, Miss Alice M. Bartlett, of Maine, general secretary, and Miss Elsie Cox, of Piqua, office secretary.
Thus was the Young Women's Christian Association of Piqua most auspiciously launched, and under the guidance of Miss Bart- lett, a young woman of magnetic personality, it has assumed re- markable proportions. The pretty and home-like suite of five rooms, including secretaries' offices and club rooms on Wayne street be- tween High and Ash, were formally opened with a reception May 1, 1919, and on October 24, 1919, there were 1,320 names on the roll.
It was found necessary during the summer to add more rooms for the accommodation of this surprisingly large number of mem- bers and these were procured a square below on North Wayne street, above May's Opera house. They include a large recreation hall, reception room, kitchen and store room. In September of the same year the serious need of another secretary arose, and Miss Susan Jane Boone, of Dayton, was happily secured. Piqua is said to have 1,800 self-supporting women and girls, and many of these hold positions in the factories, a number coming from other places. And because of the absence of foreign element, and possibly be- cause of their favorable conditions, the factories here employ a higher class of girls than is generally the case.
There are six clubs and a Girls' Reserve within the folds of the Piqua Y. W. C. A., and they are not only intellectual, but very democratic, and every working woman in the city is invited to at- tend. All clubs meet monthly, and at the general federation supper given once a month, all come together, and in turn, each club pro- vides the entertainment for these evenings.
The Blue Triangle Welfare clubs include the "Fiwelco," (or first welfare club), from the Superior Underwear company; the "Twightwee," from the Atlas, the "Hiticlu" (high times club), Orr Felt & Blanket company, "Pikawillainy," Piqua Hosiery, and the "Swastika Smiles" from the Imperial Underwear company.
November 23, 1919, the Piqua Y. W. C. A. federated, and it is hoped that before very long a permanent home will be provided for this rapidly growing organization, whose beautiful influence is being realized more and more by the community at large.
Young Men's Christian Association
In dividends of manhood rather than money, the Y. M. C. A. is considered the best paying enterprise in the city of Piqua. Or- ganized in 1877, its value to the community cannot be estimated, for it has moulded the characters and developed the physique of thousands of boys and young men, its aim always for their uplift and development mentally, morally, physically and spiritually. The membership is open to all boys and men over ten vears, without
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regard to religious beliefs, yet working in close co-operation with the churches, and in its daily contact with men and young boys, the institution endeavors to identify them with the life of some branch of the organized church.
The building at High and Downing streets was thrown open to the public in 1894, and has been constantly in use ever since, a center always of recreation, uplift and help. During the terrible flood of 1913, it was put at the disposal of the relief committee, and hundreds of people who entered its doors dejected and discouraged with the loss of all, or nearly all, of their possessions, went out comforted and materially assisted. It has now a fine gymnasium, with modern apparatus, where "Busy Men" and business men, as well as high school boys and juniors have their special classes; its dormitories built in 1913, provide comfortable quarters for from twenty-five to thirty men, while cafeteria dining rooms, in charge of Japanese caterers, serve a large number of women as well as men daily.
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