LeRoy Scott "Roy" FELT - FELT & Son Meat Market, Mason City

FELT, DECKER, ARMOUR, BRADLEY, TURCKER, GRUPP

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 3/31/2011 at 19:22:36

Biography ~ LeRoy "Roy" Scott Felt

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
date unknown

Roy S. FELT, Proprietor and manager, Felt and Son, meat market. Mr. FELT was born Oct. 20, 1891, at Portland, Iowa, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. FELT. He was an only son but there were three sisters. He attended Mason City high school and Hamilton's business college. His first job was with Jacob E. DECKER and Sons, followed by a period of wheat farming in Canada and cattle ranching in the Black Hills of South Dakota. He has considered Mason city home for forty-one years. Mr. FELT was wedded in 1915 to Allene TAYLOR and Phyllis Marie is their only daughter. Mr. FELT is Baptist, Mason and Elk. Raising Buff Orpington chickens and Chesapeake Bay dogs are his hobbies.

~ ~ ~ ~

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
September 28, 1936

Owner Is Descendant of Line of Butchers From New York State
Many Products Are Specialities of Shop.

Felt and Son meat market, 409 North Federal avenue, stands out in Mason City as the market of quality meats. This reputation has been made through years and years of service here in establishing the market as the ideal of a family of meat dealers.

Back in the ancestry of the present owner of the market, is the history of the making of the meat industry in America. All of the ancestors of Roy FELT, present owner, were meat dealers. In the earliest days of Iowa, Mr. FELT'S ancestors bought and sold meat back in New York State.

Ancestors Bought Cattle.

Each spring some of them set out for the west, which was then Indiana and Illinois, with gold in their money bags for the purchase of beef cattle. The whole summer was spent in purchasing this cattle and driving it back to New York state for slaughter. The meat was packed in huge ice chests and in this manner was kept until sold to customers.

Later the grandfather of Mr. FELT settled at Portland, at one time the stock center of this section. J. Ogden ARMOUR was a personal friend of the elders Mr. FELT, and visited him often at Portland. Mr. FELT'S father, Frank S. FELT, grew to manhood as a butcher. He was asssociated with BRADLEY and TUCKER in the early day here and later was in partnership as FELT and GRUPP at 213 North Federal avenue.

Frank FELT and his son, Roy, started FELT and Son market at the present location of the store in a building constructed by Mr. FELT in 1913. The same high policy of that store has continued since that time and although many modern improvements have been added to equipment, the same high grade of workmanship is maintained that Mr. FELT learned from these early butchers of meat.

Equipment Replaced.

Three cutting machines have been worn out in nearly a quarter of century the market has been established here. Artificial refrigeration has replaced the older methods of the early shop, but the owner has still kept in mind that meat, which is the principle item of the American dinner, must be of the highest quality of all foods.

During the past few years Mr. FELT has added a line of high quality groceries that he finds the housewives desire delivered with the meats. A full line of these products in the near future is being contemplated at the present time.

Poultry Featured.

Another feature of the FELT and Son market is the poultry and egg produce for which it has become well established among its list of customers demanding selected products. Mr. FELT raises much of the poultry sold through this market on his own estate north of Mason City. Poultry is dressed at the market, allowing a special selection of stock at all times.

With the high grade workmanship for which this market is noted, it also makes from 25 to 30 items of sausage not to be found in any other market of the type. This is all made at the FELT market. Whether the shopper is seeking a fancy roast, barbecued ribs or link sausage, specials in all lines are to be found there.

Mr. FELT has come to know the meat business through a lifetime devoted to the study of meats from all angles. The veal and lamb sold in his market is the product of animals fed on his own estate. The beef is the prime selections of the coolers. And he has not deviated from the policy of high quality throughout the depression.

Mr. FELT believes that customers desire the top quality in products and has conducted his market as such. He is proud of the cleanliness of his shop, which customers have complimented him on time and again.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2011

LeRoy Scott "Roy" FELT - FELT & Son Meat Market, Mason City
 

Cerro Gordo Biographies maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen