The full biographical sketch as printed, transcribed from the public-domain book. Spelling and wording are the original author’s; a few scanning errors may remain.
WALTER GORDON MESSINGER.
A\ alter Gordon ^lessinger was in 1901 an employe of the Iowa Skirt Manu- facturing Company and in 1909 became its president. His rise was rapid but his advancement was well merited, as is indicated by the fact that as chief execu- tive officer he has so directed the interests of the business as to make it one of the constantly growing enterprises of Waterloo. Black Hawk county numbers him as a native son, his birth having here occurred on the 30th of July, 1882. His father, Zachariah T. Messinger, w^as the first white child born in the county and was a son of Elias Messinger, who arrived here from Pennsylvania in early pioneer times. The family experienced the usual hardships and privations of pioneer life and contributed to the work of general development and improve- ment. Zachariah T. Messinger throughout his active business life followed agricultural pursuits, living on a farm in W^aterloo township, where for many years he made his home, his death there occurring in 1909.
Walter G. Messinger was reared to farm life, working in the fields from the time of the early spring planting until the crops were harvested in the late autumn. The public schools afforded him his educational privileges and when about eighteen years of age he became a wage earner as an employe of John Mason, a grocer of Waterloo, in whose service he remained for about a year On the expiration of that period he became identified with the Iowa Skirt Com- pany as an employe and in 1906 he acquired an interest in the business. His advancement was continuous and rapid. He was made vice president of the company and in 1909 was elected to the presidency, in which capacity he has since continued. Tlie factory turns out a large output in ladies' skirts and finds a ready market for the product in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas. Excellent workmanship and material are factors which promote the growing trade of the house and the business methods of the company are such as will bear the closest investigation and scrutiny.
On the 5th of June, 1907, Mr. Messinger was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary E. Schwanke, of Cedar Falls, and to them has been born a son, Walter Gordon, Jr. Mr. Messinger is a member of Helmet Lodge, No. 89, K. P., and he and his wife hold membership in St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church. They occupy an enviable position in social circles and warm-hearted hospitality is extended to them in many of the city's best homes. During the period of his residence in Waterloo Mr. Messinger has made continuous advancement in business circles and enjoys the goodwill and confidence of his business asso- ciates and contemporaries.
Source: History of Black Hawk County, Iowa. See the original pages at the Internet Archive.
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