Albert Roecker

Capt. Albert Roecker. With the death of Capt. Albert Roecker on May 11, 1911, the City of Oregon and the County of Holt lost one of its oldest and most distinguished citizens. Captain Roecker was for many years identified with Oregon in banking, came to Holt County a short time before the war, won his title by faithful and able service with a Missouri regiment of cavalry during the Civil war, afterwards was repeatedly honored with county offices, but his chief work and the capacity in which he was best known to the citizens of Holt County was as a banker.

Albert Roecker was born at Leonberg, Wuertemberg, Germany, November 9, 1840, and was in his seventy-first year when he died. He was a son of Frederick and Catherine Roecker, both natives of Wuertemberg. Captain Roecker lived in his native land until eighteen years of age, acquired the usual training of German youth of that period, learned the printer's trade, and in July, 1858, came to America, landing at New

York on September 18th. He found work at his trade as printer in New York City until July, 1860, then came West, locating at Forest City in Holt County. There he was associated with his brother-in-law in conducting a brewery until February, 1862. At that date he enlisted as a private in Company B of the Fourth Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, and was in a number of engagements and campaigns through Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas, particularly in the campaign which finally drove Price out of Missouri. He fought in the battles of California, Brownsville, Little Blue, all in Missouri, and Marais des Cygne in Kansas. He rose from a private in the ranks to captain of his company, filling each successive grade with the exception of second lieutenant. His company was mustered out in March, 1865, but he was retained in command of Company A. all the staff officers having been mustered out, and he was finally discharged from service in July, 1865. At the battle of Little Blue, Captain Roecker was acting adjutant under Major Kelly, his real rank being first lieutenant under Captain Blair, who was killed in that battle.

Coming home with an honorable military record, Captain Roecker was for a time engaged in business with his brother-in-law at Forest City, but in the fall of 1866 was elected sheriff and collector of Holt County, and reelected in 1868. In 1870 he was elected county clerk, serving one term of four years. While serving as collector, it is related that he received the first money order on the Oregon postoffice, the order being for the sum of $3.75, which was paid July 11, 1869. The office had been made a money order office May 14, 1869, and was the first money order postoffice in Holt County. In 1875, leaving the office of county clerk, Captain Roecker returned to Germany and spent about a year in his native land. He then returned to Holt County and located at Oregon. In the fall of 1876 the republicans of this senatorial district unanimously named him as candidate for state senator, but he declined the nomination.

Captain Roecker began his banking career in January, 1877, when he became associated with Robert Montgomery, having purchased the M. S. Norman interest in the old Montgomery and Norman bank. This was the first bank of Holt County, having been organized in October, 1866, by Levi Zook and James Scott. The firm of Montgomery & Roecker continued until 1896, at which time Mr. Montgomery sold his interest to C. D. Zook, a son of Levi Zook just mentioned, and after that the title of the bank was Zook & Roecker Banking Company, which still continues, Mrs. Roecker retaining Mr. Roecker 's interests. This bank under its various changes has for nearly half a century been recognized as one of the solid financial institutions of Northwest Missouri.

Captain Roecker also served on the school board of Oregon, and had long been identified with the Masonic order, having served as secretary of the Forest City lodge in 1865, and was also a member of Keystone Chapter No. 46, R. A. M., at Mound City. He was an active member of Meyer Post of the Grand Army at Oregon, and his old comrades drew up resolutions of respect and also attended Ids funeral in a body.

Captain Roecker was married February 7, 1867, to Miss Elizabeth Weber, who then lived in Atchison County, but was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, a daughter of A. Weber. Their marriage was blessed with seven children, and these children, together with seven grandchildren, and the widowed mother survived Captain Roecker, one grandchild George Albert Cummins, having died in 1904. The children at the time of Captain Roecker's death lived as follows: Mrs. E. M. Austin of St Joseph, Missouri; Emma, wife of Guy Cummins of Oregon; Anna wife of R. G. Ruley of Oregon; Fred, of Oregon; Charles A., of

Port Arthur, Texas; Frank L., of Broken Bow, Nebraska; and Mont A., of Omaha.

What the life of this man meant to his community can best be told in some of the direct expressions of esteem which were voiced when he died. It was said of him that he was a good man, a good citizen, a good husband, a considerate father, the soul of honor in his dealings with his fellowmen. He bore well his share in the material advancement of the social and commercial uplift of our county, he bore his share in this great work with the unsung heroism of noble obscurity, but lived to see the services he rendered appreciated at their full and to reap the rewards to which he was so justly entitled. No man, it is said, was better or more favorably known, and no one man was more highly esteemed, beloved, trusted and appreciated than Albert Roecker. In business he was the acme of honesty, in private life a man of the highest type of morality. He was earnest in politics, a faithful public officer, a loyal friend.

As to his career as a banker and business man, he was always looked upon by his colleagues as their guide and leader in all those matters that certain to the wise, safe, conservative banking interests of our county. He was declared to be the great balance wheel which has given to our county its strong banking equilibrium. When he entered banking in 1877 there were but two other banks in the county — the Heaton Bank at Craig and the Frazer & McDonald Bank at Forest City. The entire deposits of all the banks at that time were less than three hundred thousand dollars, while at the time of his death they aggregated about one million seven hundred thousand dollars. Captain Roecker was also influential in giving to Mound City its splendid flouring mill, in connection with his brother Gus and Levi Oren. In February, 1880, Captain Roecker with Robert Montgomery and Hugh Montgomery organized the Holt County Bank at Mound City, giving that city its first banking institution. Captain Roecker was not only a good business man, as his record testifies, but had the capacity for making loyal friends, and while strict and upright in conducting business affairs, he possessed and exhibited none of the qualities which create envy or hatred. Whether as a public official, as a banker, or in companionship with his associates in fraternity, on the street or in his home, he was always kindly and many, and endeared himself in the memory of all who knew him.

As printed in A history of northwest Missouri (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.