Harry G. Moore

As printed in 1909

HARRY G. MOORE.

Harry G. Moore, founder and promoter of the Wellman Savings Bank, and a prominent representative of financial interests in Washington county, has, in an active and useful life fraught with success, manifested much of the spirit of the initiative. He has quickly recognized opportunities and moreover, has displayed ability in coordinating forces whereby practical results have been achieved and business enterprise has been advanced.

Mr. Moore is a native of Leavenworth, Kansas, born October 28, 1860. His father, Ephraim Moore, was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, and was of German descent. He learned and followed the carpenter's trade, being thus identified with building interests in Iowa in early manhood. He had come to this state in his childhood days with a brother, settling in Burlmgton, and it was there that he acquainted himself with carpentering. He afterward spent ten years in the mines of California and was quite successful in his search for gold on the Pacific coast. Returning by way of New York he again made his way westward to Burlington, where he remained until 1858, when he went to Kansas, where he met and married Miss Margaret Gwin. For a number of years he continued a resident of the Sunflower state, but in 1875 returned to Burlington, where he spent his remaining days. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and an active worker for its growth and upbuilding. In his fraternal relations he was a Mason and in his political views was an earnest republican. He held minor civil offices and was a member of the border militia at Leavenworth at the time of the Civil war. His life was one of activity, and his enterprise and determination were the salient features in the success which he enjoyed. He died in Burlington in 1878, at the age of fifty years. His wife was born in Washington county, Iowa, in April, 1845, and is a daughter of Richard Gwin, a native of England, who came to the United States when a young man and first settled in \*virginia. Subsequently he became a resident of Tennessee. He married Miss Nancy Watkins, of English descent, who lived in Kentucky at the time of her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Gwin, removing to Iowa in 1840, settled in Washington county their home being in English River township. He entered a tract of land there from the government and although not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made thereon at the time, he transferred the wild land into productive fields and resided there for eighteen years. He then went to Kansas, where he spent his remaining days. He and his wife were among the earliest settlers of Washington county and of the state and were closely connected with the substantial development of southeastern Iowa. Their daughter Margaret became the wife of Ephraim Moore, and they traveled life's journey together until separated by his death in 1878. There were two children of that marriage: Harry G.; and Isabel, now the wife of R. W. Barger, one of Chicago's prominent attorneys. Since the death of her first husband, Mrs. Moore has become the wife of Dr. B. F. Parker, to whom she gave her hand in 1892. They now reside in Independence, Missouri.

In the public schools of Olathe, Kansas, Harry G. Moore acquired his early education and continued his studies in the public schools and in the business college in Burlington. He afterward spent two years in the State University and for one year engaged in teaching school. During the periods of vacation he learned and followed the upholsterer's trade in Burlington, working in that line for some time in Burlington and in Des Moines. In 1885, however, he entered into active relations with the banking business, becoming connected with the Merchants National Bank of Des Moines in the capacity of clerk. His close application and the ability with which he discharged his duties won him promotion from time to time until he became assistant cashier of that institution. On the ist of April, 1888, he arrived in Wellman, where he established a private bank, which was designated as the Wellman Bank, and which had a continuous existence until September, 1889. He has organized a savings bank, with a capital of ten thousand dollars and is still engaged in the banking business as cashier of the Wellman Savings Bank. He has had almost a quarter of a century's experience in this field of labor and ranks with the leading financiers of the county, having intimate and comprehensive knowledge of the best methods of carrying on the business and supervising the interests of the depositors, while at the same time he wins success for the stockholders. In addition to his other business interests he is connected with the Wellman Telephone Exchange, of which he is the president and he also owns three hundred acres of valuable land in Lime Creek township.

On November 20, 1888, Mr. Moore was united in marriage to Miss Minnie B. Kerr, who was born in English River township, Washington county, in 1864. She is a daughter of W. E. and Violet (Bush) Kerr. Her father, well known as Squire Kerr, is one of Washington's most prominent citizens. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Moore has been born one child. Myrtle, whose birth occurred in September, 1890. She is a graduate of the Wellman high school of the class of 1907, and afterward pursued a year's course in St. Katherine's School for Young Ladies, at Davenport, while for the past year she has been a student in Oberlin College of Ohio. She has decided talent for music, which she is cultivating.

In his fraternal relations, Mr. Moore is a Knight of Pythias, while politically he is connected with the republican party and religiously with the Baptist church, being one of the trustees of the last named organization. His interest in community affairs has been far-reaching and beneficial. For about twenty years he has been president of the school board and the cause of education has found in him a stalwart champion. He was mayor of Wellman for several terms, during which period his championship of various measures proved of decided benefit to the city. He is a strong advocate of reform and progress, at all times exerting his official prerogatives for the public good, and he is now a member of the town council. He has always taken a deep interest in political affairs and in everything relative to the city's upbuilding and is now chairman of the finance and water commissions. He was chairman of the county republican committee for some years and in that connection displayed excellent powers as a manager. He is president of the Wellman Commercial Club and in social relations his position is an enviable one. Energetic, prompt and notably reliable, he has placed his dependence upon the substantial qualities of unfaltering industry and determination in the acquirement of success and in control of public affairs. Faultless in honor, fearless in conduct and stainless in reputation, his record is one which reflects credit upon the history of his adopted county.

As printed in History of Washington County, Iowa from the first white settlements to 1908. Also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county (1909). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.