USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume I > Part 28
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48
233
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Commonwealth and organized the Commonwealth Printing Company, which, while entirely separate as a business proposition, has yet been in the same build- ing and rooms of the job printing office of P. B. Haber. With the Commonwealth came the jobbing department of that office, at the time of the purchase practically asleep, and in these first twenty years the business has been remarkably success- ful. Mr. Haber has made a specialty of show printing and especially of dates, and owns the local bill posting business.
"Next came F. D. Edwards with the Trade Bulletin, a very moderate sheet at first, for advertising purposes, but W. E. Smith joined him and jobbing rooms were added. Like many other Fond du Lac enterprises, the business grew slowly but steadily. Now that the Daily Bulletin has been launched and domiciled in the same rooms, it also has a newspaper connection.
"During all of the more than forty years since 1862, the Reporter has been doing job printing but it was not until L. A. Lange became the owner that job printing was pushed, and especially after A. H. Tuttle took charge of that side of the Reporter's business did it have the reputation of being one of the best equipped offices here.
"The office of the Nordwestlicher Courier, since W. H. Weber has been pro- prietor, a period of about twenty years, has done considerable job printing, in English as well as German.
"Ripon, Brandon. Waupun, Campbellsport and Oakfield have jobbing depart- ments in connection with their local newspapers but there is little effort to com- pete with the larger city offices.
"When the Saturday Reporter was started in 1862, attention was first given to local matters. Up to that time it had been the aim of the papers to deal with news, state and national, and to handle politics. The Reporter was started for the express purpose of dealing with society. personal and general local news, and it was a success. Previous to this time, if a prominent person came or went, it might be noticed and it might not. Weddings were noted under the general head of 'Marriages,' but it needed to be a big event to secure local mention, and a write-up like those of the present day, was almost unknown. Clubs were far in the future and parties, except for dancing, were few and far between. Let any one look into the old newspaper files in the public library and note how different was the style of newspaper writing. The change came with J. J. Beeson and the Saturday Reporter. In personals it has now gone so far as to be ridiculed, and justly so, as all who come or go expect a notice. Social functions have so multiplied that the printer's space is monopolized. Fifty years ago all this was unknown.
"In this year of 1905 we have hardly completed the first year of the Linotype type-setting machine. A year ago we were yet picking up type just as the practice had come down to us from the days of Faust and Scheffer, in the sixteenth cen- tury. We distributed the loose type into the cases and picked it out again, one by one, very much as the hens pick up corn. The case would 'run out of sorts,' that is, there would come a shortage of certain letters and figures, but all the annoy- ances of the type case have passed with the coming of the machine. Such a thing as 'sorts' is unknown where it stands. If the old time printer set five to seven thousand 'ems' a day, it was a fair day's work, but the machine crops that number of 'ems' every hour in the day. The old time printer was often burdened with
234
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
'pi,' but nothing of the sort is known to the machine. The ingenious German Mergenthaler perfected this machine but a few years ago; now they are every- where. Fond du Lac at this date has seven of them. Little did the typesetter of even a year ago dream of what was coming.
"The old time printers were content to name the sizes of type, as Nonpareil, Brevier and Long Primer, and many others, and to speak of them as six point, eight point or ten point, would be Latin to him. One would have to go into an explanation to make him understand that it is a new system now universal; to overcome the difficulties he used to have in the use of type from different found- ries, is now happily gone forever. Use of the point system is a great improve- ment but the old time printer knew it not. The faces of the type now differ but the bodies are the same from all type foundries.
"The use of plate matter is another innovation on old time printing office methods. The old timer had to set all the matter he used in his paper ; now he may buy it in plate ready for use and in any department of newspaper literature. There is even a daily news service from the many concerns devoted to the making of plate matter. The cost to the printer is much less, and the quality is often much improved. Thirty years ago plate matter was almost unknown to news- paper men.
"If the young printer of today were given the old beveled side and foot sticks, together with wood quoins, shooting-stick and mallet, what sort of work would he make in trying to lock a form, and what would the old time printer have done with the mechanical quoins now in general use? How would the present day printer like it to 'pull' a few 'tokens' on a hand press or 'kick off' a few thousand impressions on a jobber? How would he enjoy cutting paper with a shoe knife or column rule? How would he like it to make his own rollers or put a business card or ball ticket to press on a big hand press? He would probably not enjoy it much, but these and other like things had to be done here in Fond du Lac in the past and it was not much more than fifty years ago either. Some of them much less than that.
THE PRINTER EDITOR
"When he came to Wisconsin in 1850, from Ohio, A. T. Glaze had already served time as a printing office apprentice. He was skilled in any and all depart- ments of printing office work. A severe run of scarlet fever compelled him to abandon the course at Heidelburg after two and one-half of the four years, and thus equipped mentally and mechanically, he came to Fond du Lac and entered the office of the Journal, established by Henning & Hooker, in 1846, but now owned by Edward Beeson. The early day work, editorial as well as mechanical, of Mr. Glaze, may be seen in the files of the old Journal in the rooms of the public library. At this time competent printers were not numerous and material could not be obtained as now, so the services of Mr. Glaze were often in demand in the region round about, in starting newspapers. He was called even to Oshkosh more than once to make rollers, cover tympon frames of hand presses, cutting rules and leads for first forms and adjusting them, and by no means a pleasant job, as we had no rule or lead cutter, the former being cut with a file and the latter with a knife. It may be of interest to many to state the fact that the
235
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
present Oshkosh Northwestern was started as a weekly by the Messenger boys, and Mr. Glaze made the rollers and helped them to adjust the forms. He made two or three sets of rollers for the old Oshkosh Courier, owned by Reed & Nevitt. He went to Berlin once, overland, to assist in putting the Marquette Mercury afloat. There was no Green Lake county then-it was part of Mar- quette county. After this he went there to help Uri Carruth with the Spectator, and made the trip on the steamboat 'Badger State,' Captain W. A. Knapp. Early in 1862 he made rollers and assisted A. P. Mapes in launching a paper that not long after was thrown into the street, by some of the men of Ed. Daniel's First Wisconsin Cavalry, for alleged disloyalty. He was sent for to assist in putting afloat a paper at Kingston, but sent Walworth Chapel to do the work. The well known early day country lawyer, Rufus P. Eaton, by some means got hold of the idea that there ought to be a paper at Pequot Village, near what is now Win- nebago Park, got his old press from Edwards, at Oshkosh, and maybe half enough type, and sent for Mr. Glaze to help him out. But before getting things in shape to start his foolish enterprise, he sold the outfit to Flavius Josephus Mills, and it went to Sheboygan and into the office of the Lake Shore Journal. In 1852, Mr. Beeson sold the Journal to M. J. Thomas, son-in-law of John B. Macy, and resulted in the change of name to Fond du Lac Union, to aid in the election of Mr. Macy to congress. The Journal was dormant for a while but was put afloat again by Kingman Flint, son of Judge Flint, and S. D. Stanchfield, uncle of the present S. B. Stanchfield. But its light went out again after a year or two, as did that of the Union, all of which was in the interest of Smead's Democratic Press. But the old Journal could not rest in peace, and was revived by Tim Strong, Jr., one of the best educated men Fond du Lac ever had. It drifted into the hands of James Russell and thence to Edward Beeson again. In his old age Mr. Beeson sold it to Jake Bloom and last of all it was absorbed by the Reporter, where it still rests. With many, indeed most of these changes, Mr. Glaze had much to do, editorially and mechanically, but the difficulties encountered were far less than those of the early days. The Fond du Lac Com- monwealth, resulting from the consolidation of the Western Freeman and Fountain City Herald, in the hands of J. A. Smith, in 1854, the Saturday Reporter started in 1862 by J. J. Beeson, son of Edward Beeson, and the Ripon Commonwealth, founded upon the ruins of the Prairie City Record in 1864, by A. T. Glaze, all successful newspapers of today, each in their infancy had their clothing adjusted by Mr. Glaze.
"The job printers really had more difficulties than the newspaper printers. The latter, when they had the forms once adjusted, had only to distribute the used type and make up with that newly set, lock the forms and go to press, but the job printer was constantly encountering something new, and being short of type he often had to cut lines of wood type, use home made borders, patch rules, cut rules with a file, and leads with a knife ; use a piece of plank to distribute the ink on the rollers, make a paper cutter of a shoe knife and coarse stone, and many similar things in all parts of the work, and though a very good printer, he may be horrified to find a hideous job the result of his best efforts. All these troubles might come every day but the newspaper man faced them but weekly. Yet how many of the printers of today would care to face either task? But fifty years ago it had to be done in Fond du Lac or not have a newspaper or printing
236
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
office at all. It is not needful to face these troubles now, no matter how near the printer may go to the pioneer border. Conditions are different. Material is more plentiful, easier obtained, in greater variety and cheaper. The printer of the long ago was expected to be competent for every part of the work; today they are mostly pressmen, machine men, make-up men and general utility men. Type-setting is mostly done on machines, except headings and display, and it is daily becoming more general. Editors in the old times wrote up everything that came their way, no matter on what subject. Now they are divided into general local news, society, sporting, financial, etc. The old time fellow was expected to be up in all these. This is written, not to criticise present methods but to show the difference between old times and the present. Under conditions as they now exist, old methods would doubtless be impractical."
--
HENRY BOYLE
CHAPTER XIII
FINANCIAL
BANKING OF GREAT ANTIQUITY-FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY -THE EXCHANGE BANK OF DARLING & COMPANY-MEN ENGAGED IN THE BUSI- NESS OF RECTITUDE AND OF HIGH STANDING.
The business of banking is of great antiquity and in its simpler forms no doubt was understood and practiced by the Assyrians, Babylonians and Athenians. As the taking of interest for money lies at the root of all banking and furnishes the chief motive for it, wherever a people were sufficiently advanced to loan money for hire there would naturally spring up many of the practices and meth- ods of modern banking. The transfer of credits was undoubtedly known among the ancients. They used checks and bills of exchange, but for all that they were very far from having the confidence in credit business that has since been fostered by modern banking methods. They used gold and silver coin and other com- modities then in use as standards of value and media of exchange and had not invented representative money. It is more fanciful than correct to ascribe to the Romans the invention of modern banking. The business carried on by their money lenders and dealers was similar to that of the Jews of the middle ages and the Lombards.
When gold and silver were deposited, it was more in the nature of a special deposit to be kept until called for. There have always been money lenders but banks for lending money are of comparatively modern origin. The bank of Venice, which originated in 1171, may be pronounced the forerunner of modern banking. It was followed by the Bank of Genoa, 1320; Bank of Amsterdam, 1609; Bank of England, 1694; Bank of France, 1716; and others at later dates. In the United States there have been private banks and chartered banks and of the latter some have derived their powers from state legislatures and some from the Federal congress.
The National Bank Act, which became a law early in 1863, was modelled largely after the free banking laws of New York, Ohio and other states; and the distinctive principles which underlie it are government supervision of the oper- ations of the banks and a circulation based directly upon the securities and guar- antee of the government. The original act has undergone many modifications, some of them of considerable importance and while in its operations it has proved of great value to the commerce of the country it is undoubtedly capable of im- provement and further changes may be expected in it in the not distant future.
Financial institutions of Fond du Lac have been managed from the beginning . with marked ability and integrity. Mistakes have been made and at times care-
237
238
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
lessness cropped out, but the instances of the human weaknesses have been so few as to make them almost a negligible quantity in the solution of the subject of local ' banking. The Farmers & Mechanics Bank was conducted many years under the supervision of Robert A. Baker and John S. Burrows, and successfully. The bank finally went into forced liquidation by reason of the laxity of its managers in scrutinizing collateral accepted for loans. The Exchange Bank of Darling & Company failed for various causes and these two institutions mark the extent of bad banking in this community.
THE EXCHANGE BANK OF DARLING & COMPANY
The Exchange bank received its financial strength from Dr. M. C. Darling and was under the management of his son, Keyes A. Darling, and a son-in-law, John A. Eastman. It was the first concern of its kind established in Fond du Lac, having been organized in 1850 by K. A. Darling, who was its president, Dr. T. S. Wright, vice president, and C. W. Whinfield, cashier. The business was con- ducted in a stone building erected for the purpose, at the southeast corner of Main and First streets, which was later occupied by the Wells' bank.
FARMERS & MECHANICS BANK
Henry O. and Robert A. Baker, who had conducted a grocers' business under the firm name of Baker Brothers, early in 1852 closed up the partnership affair and Henry O. Baker returned to New York. Robert A. Baker, remaining, opened a broker's office and, in 1856, in connection with S. B. Amory and others, organ- ized the Farmers & Mechanics Bank under the banking laws of the state of Wis- consin. S. B. Amory was made president and Robert A. Baker, cashier. In a few years' time Mr. Amory withdrew and Baker succeeded him as president, John S. Burrows taking the position of cashier. For many years this was a strong finan- cial concern, but the panic of 1873, together with land speculations, crippled it to such an extent that its doors were closed by the authorities. John S. Burrows soon thereafter died at Marquette, Michigan, and Mr. Baker died in Chicago.
BANK OF THE NORTHWEST ( NOW FIRST NATIONAL BANK)
The Bank of the Northwest was organized by Edward Pier, B. F. Moore, A. G. Ruggles and S. E. Lefferts, in January, 1853, with B. F. Moore, president, and A. G. Ruggles, cashier. Its authority for doing business was under the state bank law. In 1865 the name was changed to the First National Bank of Fond du Lac, and Edward Pier was made president under the reorganization, B. F. Moore, vice president, A. G. Ruggles, cashier. The directors were Edward Pier, B. F. Moore, A. G. Ruggles, John H. Martin and Orrin Hatch. In 1866 J. B. Perry assumed the duties of cashier and conducted them faithfully and honorably for a space of thirty-five years. A. G. Ruggles was the president of the First National from 1875 until his death in 1887, when E. A. Carey succeeded him and remained in office until 1903, when J. B. Perry was elected by the board as president, and his son, Ernest J. Perry, cashier. Others who served on the directorate may be mentioned, H. D. Hitt, a member for over fifty years; C. A. Heth, now deceased ; Major E. R. Herren, B. Wild and G. W. Earl. .
239
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
The first headquarters of the Bank of the Northwest were on the south side of West First street in the rear of a store. In 1857 a new home was found for the bank on the' corner of Main and Forest streets, where it is at the present day. The building was erected in 1873 and while it is modest in its appearance, still answers the purpose for which it was intended. The First National is one of the strongest financial institutions in Fond du Lac county. Its present officials are : J. B. Perry, president ; E. A. Carey, vice president ; E. R. Herren, vice president ; Ernest J. Perry, cashier; Charles J. Breitzman, assistant cashier.
COMMERCIAL NATIONAL BANK
The Commercial National Bank is the successor to an old banking house opened in 1870 by William H. Wells, at the southeast corner of Main and East First streets. Mr. Wells managed the business until his death, which occurred in 1888, and his brother, John C. Wells, remained in charge of the institution until 1898, when he died and was succeeded by M. T. Simmons, who with others, in 1901 reorganized the bank under the national banking laws, assuming for the insti- tution the title of the Commercial National Bank. Those associated with Mr. Simmons at the time were Henry Boyle, John T. Boyle, H. R. Potter, Frank B. Hoskins, George Giddings, F. E. Hoyt, E. D. Sutherland and A. G. Bechaud. The new corporation bought the property at the northeast corner of Main and East First streets, and in 1902 erected the present beautiful stone building, which in the summer of 1912 was remodeled at a cost of $25,000.
The officials of this strong institution are: H. R. Potter, president; Henry Boyle, vice president; A. G. Bechaud, second vice president; M. T. Simmons, cashier ; F. A. Boyd, assistant cashier. Directors : H. R. Potter, Henry Boyle, A. G. Bechaud, M. T. Simmons, John T. Boyle, F. E. Hoyt, D. D. Sutherland, F. M. Givens and William Nast. The capital stock is $125,000; surplus and undivided profits, $103,600 ; deposits, $1,553,000.
FOND DU LAC NATIONAL BANK
The above named financial concern was organized June 1, 1887, with a capital stock of $100,000. By 1903 the business had grown to such an extent that the capital stock was increased to $200,000, which has enabled the bank to render better service to its patrons and afford depositors a greater margin of safety. With its capital, surplus, undivided profits and additional stockholders' liability, the bank now has a fund of over a half million dollars standing between the depositor and possible loss.
At the time of the organization of the Fond du Lac National Bank seven directors were selected: C. A. Galloway, J. A. Merryman, John Hughes, Judge N. S. Gilson, Frederick Rueping, Charles Schreiber and E. P. Sawyer. The first officials were : President, C. A. Galloway ; vice president, Frederick Rueping ; cashier. G. A. Knapp ; assistant cashier, L. Muenter. Mr. Galloway is still serving as president and Mr. Knapp retains the position tendered him when the bank was first opened for business. J. A. Merryman is vice president and T. C. Ebernau, assistant cashier.
240
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
In 1912 the capital stock of this bank was $200,000; surplus and undivided profits, $105,000 ; deposits, $1.380.734.
COLE SAVINGS BANK
The first savings bank opened in Fond du Lac was in 1866, organized by Edward Pier and E. H. Galloway, in a building at the southeast corner of Forest avenue and Macy street. The first president was Edward Pier; E. H. Galloway, vice president ; Edward Colman, treasurer. Eventually Mrs. M. H. Galloway became president ; C. K. Pier, vice president ; and G. A. Knapp, treasurer. Mem- bers of the concern desiring to direct their attention to other affairs, closed up the business of the savings bank in 1886.
Another savings bank was organized in 1878 by C. L. Encking, which was known as the German Savings Bank. It flourished but a short time and then went out of existence. In 1878 William E. Cole started the Cole Savings Bank, which has been one of the successful financial institutions of Fond du Lac county. The bank was incorporated in 1890 under the state banking laws as the Cole Savings Bank, and in 1899, having purchased a part of the Amory block, a room was fitted up for the use of the bank. This is the present headquarters of the institution. Mr. Cole died in April, 1909, and since then his wife, Mrs. Annie E. Cole, has been president, and William I. Cole, cashier of the Cole Sav- ings Bank.
A savings institution was organized in 1867 by R. Ebert and J. C. Perry and named the German American Savings Bank. Mr. Perry retired from the concern after a few years' membership, and in 1883 the affairs of the institution were wound up. Its headquarters were in a building erected for the purpose on Main street.
CITIZENS STATE BANK
The Citizens State Bank is the newest institution for banking organized in Fond du Lac. It came into being May 22, 1911, and was organized with one hundred and fourteen stockholders. It began business at No. 104 South Main street, and probably by the time this volume is printed the Citizens Bank will be in a magnificent new home of its own, which it commenced building after tear- ing down the south half of the old Peoples Christian Association Hall. This new building is constructed of Bedford stone and the entrance to the main count- ing room is a very stately one indeed. The interior is modern in make-up and finish, and the furniture, vaults and safes are of the latest manufacture. The building has a frontage of twenty-five feet and cost about $25,000.
The Citizens State Bank is capitalized at $100,000 and has a deposit of $90,000. The officials are : President, E. A. Custer ; first vice president, F. J. Wolff ; second vice president, A. J. Pullen ; cashier, John P. Kalt.
NORTH FOND DU LAC FIRST WISCONSIN BANK
The First Wisconsin Bank of North Fond du Lac is of comparatively recent date, but in the suburban town is an institution that meets the needs and desires
FOND DU LAC NATIONAL BANK
BANK
FOND DU LAC NATIONAL BANK
241
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
of the citizens. It is capitalized at $27,500. S. D. Wyatt is president ; Dr. D. J. Pullen, vice president ; Fred Givens, cashier.
BANKS OF RIPON FIRST NATIONAL BANK
The First National Bank was organized in 1864. with E. P. Brockway as presi- dent, and George L. Field as cashier. The birth of this bank, however, should be dated back to 1856, when the Bank of Ripon was organized by H. H. Mead, who became president, and E. P. Brockway the cashier. It was in 1864 that the Bank of Ripon discontinued the business to become part and parcel of the present First National Bank.
In 1890 H. H. Mead was elected president of the First National and in 1902 retired and George L. Field took charge of the position. The cashiership made vacant by the promotion of Mr. Field, was taken charge of by F. Spratt. A fine building had been erected but in 1882 was destroyed by fire. About the year 1909 on property secured at the southeast corner of the public square, the pres- ent handsome bank building was erected and the interior arrangements with equipments are modern and artistic, and were installed both with an idea to the safety of the funds of depositors and with an effort to please the eye.
In 1912 the capital stock is $100,000; surplus and undivided profits, $40,000; deposits, $915,000. The officials are: George L. Field, president; Gard. Miller, vice president ; F. Spratt. cashier ; W. R. Dysart, assistant cashier.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.