BLOSSOM, C. H.

BLOSSOM, GIFFIN, THOMPSON

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 5/24/2004 at 13:42:47

Biography reproduced from page 400 of the History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa published in 1884:

Blossom Bros. began business in Algona in May, 1878, in the line of buying and shipping all kinds of produce, butter, eggs, poultry, etc. They are also proprietors of a creamery at East Algona, and occupy two store rooms, 22x60 feet, and the upper stories of the same building also. They manufacture during the proper season about 3,000 pounds of butter daily, and handle three car loads of poultry, and 200,000 pounds of dairy butter per year.

C. H. Blossom, of the firm of Blossom Bros., produce merchants, was born in Cook Co., Ill., Aug. 19, 1853. He came to Waverly, Iowa, in 1861, and has been in the produce business since 1872. He located in Algona in 1878. The firm is doing a large business in dairy butter, poultry, eggs, and the manufacture of creamery butter.
-----------------------------

Biography reproduced from page 546 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

C. H. Blossom is numbered among the pioneer resident of Kossuth county, Iowa, and has been prominent in business circles in Burt since 1897. He holds a high place in the banking world and has achieved success by the soundness of his financial methods and his conservative but always progressive views. Mr. Blossom was born in Cook county, near Chicago, Illinois, on August 9, 1853. His father, C. H. Blossom, was a native of Maine and received his education in the public schools of that state. He later went to Pennsylvania, where he married Miss Elizabeth Giffin, a native of that state. He was engaged in many lines of business and moved from Pennsylvania to Illinois, where he located in Cook county and maintained his residence there for a number of years. In 1861 he came to Iowa and located in Bremer county, where he spent the last years of his life. He died at the advanced age of ninety-two years and survived his wife for only six months, her death having occurred in her eighty-sixth year.

C. H. Blossom was educated in the public schools of Bremer county and had fair advantages along this line. Since reaching maturity he has carried on his studies by himself and has added to his knowledge by personal experience. He came to Algona, Iowa, in 1878, and in partnership with his brother carried on a butter, egg and creamery business for some years. Their enterprise developed rapidly and for a long time they were owners of the largest establishment of this kind in the state. Mr. Blossom later sold out his holdings in order to accept a position as cashier of the Burt Bank, which was later organized as the Burt National Bank, with Mr. Blossom as cashier and manager. The institution with which he is connected is one of the strongest financial enterprises in Kossuth county and owes much of its expansion and development to the sound business principles and the financial integrity of Cyrus Blossom. Mr. Blossom is interested in improving farms near Burt and is owner of city property.

On January 1, 1884, Mr. Blossom was united in marriage in Algona, Iowa, to Miss Carrie N. Thompson, who was born and reared near that city and who is a daughter of Joseph Thompson, one of the pioneer settlers of Iowa, who came to this state from Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Blossom have one daughter, Nina May.

In his political views Mr. Blossom is a republican and is now serving as mayor of his city with ability and efficiency. His political life is distinguished by broad and liberal views and by constructive work in the interests of good legislation. He has been a member of the city council and in this capacity has done much toward improving the streets and walks of Burt. Fraternally he served through all the chairs and is past master of Kossuth Lodge, No. 540, A. F. & A. M., and is also a member of Algona chapter. He and his wife belong to the Order of the Eastern Star and are prominent figures in that organization. In banking circles Mr. Blossom is looked upon as a conscientious, honorable and high-minded man, whose career along lines of organization and expansion has been one of the great individual forces in the city’s upbuilding.