Theodore B. Stock
Theodore B. Stock, prominently identified with financial
interests in Waukon as president of the Peoples National Bank and
with business affairs as president of T.B. Stock & Company,
dealers in hardware, is one of the best known men in the city,
his varied interests connection him with practically every phase
of community life. He was born in Jefferson township, this
county, December 31, 1871, and is a son of William Stock a native
of Germany, where he remained until after he had reached
maturity. As a young man he crossed the Atlantic and come
directly to Allamakee county, where he purchased a farm in
Jefferson township. Here he afterward married Frederica Dravis,
also a native of Germany. Mr. Stock, father of the subject of
this review, continued to develop his fine property, adding to it
from time to time until he owned two hundred and sixty five acres
of land. Upon the homestead he raised his family and there spent
the last years of his life, dying about 1900. He wife survived
him for some time, passing away in 1911. In their family were
nine children? William, of Howard, South Dakota; Minnie, who
married Fred W. Steffen, of Diller, Nebraska; Henry, who resides
in Howard, South Dakota; Charles and August, farmers in Allamakee
county; Sophia, who makes her home in Waukon; Theodore B. of this
review; Louis, who is engaged in farming in this county; and
Edward, who resides in Oakes, North Dakota.
Theodore B. Stock was reared upon his father's farm in Jefferson
township and acquired his education in the public schools. When
he was a young man he came to Waukon and began his independent
career as a clerk in the employ of H. F. Opfer & Brother,
with whom he remained for six years, receiving a thorough and
practical business training, which has been invaluable to him in
his later career. When he resigned his first position he formed a
partnership with P.A. Anderson and for eight years engaged in the
boot and shoe business, selling out his interest at the end of
that time in order to organize the T. B. Stock & Company, who
for over twelve years have been prominently identified with
hardware interests here, controlling an important and growing
trade along this line. They have a large storeroom filled with a
well selected line of stove, shelf and heavy hardware and
building material and they do also a large plumbing business.
Much of the credit for the continued growth of the concern is due
to Mr. Stock's ability and business foresight and to the
excellent way in which his business affairs are managed. In
addition to this he is connected with the Peoples National Bank
and as its president is a central figure in financial circles
here. He was one of the promoters of the institution, which has a
capital stock of fifty thousand dollars and is one to the safest
and most conservative banks in the county. The officers are: T.
B. Stock, president, L. T. Hermanson, vice president; and P. E.
O'Donnell, cashier, and the bank occupies a modern and commodious
building, finished in 1912. A general banking business is
transacted and a progressive policy maintained, tempered,
however, by a safe conservatism and a constant regard for the
best interests of the depositors. Mr. Stock devotes his entire
time to the affairs of the institution and in his position a
president his organizing and executive ability have been called
forth and he has labored earnestly and intelligently to make the
concern one of the substantial moneyed institutions of the
community.
Mr. Stock married in Waukon, on June 11, 1896, Miss Katherine
Bieber, a daughter of Peter Bieber, a pioneer in Allamakee
county. Mrs. Stock was born and reared in Waukon and here
acquired her education. She and her husband have on daughter,
Dorothea, who is now a student in the Waukon public schools.
Politically Mr. Stock is identified with the democratic party and
has served as a member of the city council for a number of years.
He was mayor of Waukon and by giving to the people a
straightforward, constructive and efficient administration did
much to promote the advancement and growth of the city. He is
well known in fraternal circles, holding membership in the
Knights of Pythias, in which he has been through all the chairs
and is past chancellor. He represented his lodge in the grand
lodge of Iowa. Always an active religious worker, Mr. Stock has
done a great deal for the advancement of the German Reformed
church in this county and a secretary and treasurer of the
building committee was one of the leaders in securing the new
church building, which is one of the finest of its kind in
Waukon. He has also been a liberal contributor to the building
funds of the other Waukon churches and his life has been upright
and worthy in all respects. A successful businessman, a
far-sighted financier, a public-spirited citizen, he has for many
years labored earnestly and intelligently in the best interests
of the city and has today reached a position of prominence and
achieved a degree of success which places him among the men of
substantial worth and marked ability.
-transcribed by Jan Miller
Return to Bio index