MOUNTFORD, H. S.

MOUNTFORD, MILLS, VAN ALSTYNE

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 12/11/2003 at 13:48:55

Biography reproduced from page 495 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Among Algona’s wide-awake and popular young business men is H. S. Mountford, who, though only since the fall of 1911 an actual resident of this city, has already become well known and a material factor in its affairs. He was born in Whitewater, Wisconsin, February 13, 1880, being the first of two sons born to G. B. and Priscilla (Mills) Mountford. His brother is R. M. Mountford, a piano dealer in Rosweli, New Mexico. The parents moved to Clay county, Iowa, in 1887. The father, G. B. Mountford, has been a piano tuner all his life and is still active in that vocation. Both he and his wife reside in Clay county, Iowa.

It was in that county that H. S. Mountford was reared, receiving his education in the public schools, and grew to manhood. He learned piano tuning and for a number of years made that occupation his sole business. In 1907, however, he became a dealer in automobiles, his salesrooms and office being in Eagle Grove, Iowa. He achieved large success in that business and in September, 1911, came to Algona, where the copartnership of Seiler & Mountford was formed, the firm exclusively handling the Ford cars. Mr. Mountford’s five-year achievement in the automobile business is indeed an enviable one, as he has during that time sold, by actual record, over one thousand cars, which have been distributed over a large portion of the Hawkeye state. During the spring of 1912 the firm of Seiler & Mountford will build a brick garage of generous proportions and then enlarge their present fine business by becoming one of the four wholesale distributors of the Ford in Iowa, as well as continuing their present retail business. Mr. Mountford has disposed of his Eagle Grove property and has consolidated all his interests in Algona.

In 1901 Mr. Mountford was married to Miss Catherine Van Alstyne and to them has been born one son, Stanley F., whose natal year was 1910. In politics Mr. Mountford is a republican, although he often votes independently, following his own judgment in giving his support to candidates in accordance with their fitness for the office to which they aspire. He is a popular member in good standing of the Masonic order, belonging to the lodge and chapter in Eagle Grove, and both, he and his wife, are identified with the Order of the Eastern Star. A young man of good business promise, possessing all those qualities which go to make up the model business man, friend and neighbor, Mr. Mountford brings to Algona accomplishments needful and helpful to any true American community. Winning in manner, aggressive in business, sterling in integrity and broad in his view of life, he is one of those men without a mention of whom this history would be incomplete.