Kass Brothers

KASS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann (email)
Date: 4/15/2005 at 10:17:06

IOWA
ITS HISTORY AND TRADITION
VOLUME III
1804-1926

W. J. KASS

Among those who stand as distinguished types of the world's workers is
William J. Kass, an able and honored attorney of Sioux City, where he has long
been numbered among the most successful members of the bar. As one of those who
have lent dignity and honor to his profession, and who have been eminently
public spirited in their efforts to advance the prosperity and welfare of the
community, it is most consonant that in this work there be entered a tribute
to his worth. mr. Kass was born in East Dubuque, Illinois, on November 2,
1875, and is a son of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Mich) Kass, both of whom were
born in the grand duchy of Luxembourg, and came in childhood to this country
with their respective families, the Kass family settling in Illinois and the
Mich family in Wisconsin. Their marriage occurred in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and
subsequently they moved to East Dubuque, Illinois, where the father engaged in
blacksmithing. During this period he made some of the iron work for the
noted Cooper wagons. In 1876 he went to Plymouth county, Iowa, where he bought a
farm, which contained but few improvements. The following year, 1877, the
grasshoppers completely ruined his crops and he again got out his anvil and
bellows and took up blacksmithing as a means of supporting the family. In 1885
he sold his farm to Plymouth county, to be used as the county poor farm, and
he then engaged in teh grain business for a short time in Le Mars, buying
for the Gehlen Milling Company. Later he turned his attention to the
agricultural implement business in partnership with a Mr. Priestly. About this time
he also, in company with his eldest son, established the mercantile business
of N. Kass & Son, at Remsen, Iowa, and in 1888 moved his family to that
place. He also engaged in the grain business there in partnership with a Mr.
Brucher, under the firm name of Brucher & Kass, a business with which he was
identified until his death. The mercantile firm of N. Kass & Son had undergone
several changes in ownership, always remaining in the family. Nicholas Kass
transferred his interest in the business to his two sons, Nicholas and George,
who conducted it under the name of Kass Brothers for a number of years.
Later George sold his interest to Nicholas, under whose name it was continued
for some years. About 1918 the business was incorporated as the Nicholas Kass
Company, he having taken his sons into partnership and practically turned the
management of the store over to them. He then founded other stores at Marcus
and at Sanborn, Iowa, and holds a controlling interest in the three stores.
To Nicholas and Elizabeth Kass were born eight children, six sons and two
daughters, of whom four sons and a daughter survive, namely: Nicholas J., of
Remsen, in the organization of which city he was one of the important
factors, and who served many years on the school board of that place; George, a
retired merchant of Fort Dodge, Iowa; Lewis J., a merchant at Tyndall, South
Dakota; Emma, who lives in Los Angeles, California; and William J.

The last named attended the district schools of Plymouth county, the
parochial schools of Le Mars and Remsen and the high school at the latter place. In
1894, at the age of eighteen years, he accepted the position of cashier of
the Bank of Remsen, where he remained three years, resigning in the fall of
1898 to enter the law school of the University of Michigan, where he studied
law and political science. He was graduated, with the degree of Bachelor of
Laws, in 1901, and then returned to Remsen and entered into a law partnership
with his brother, Jacob F., under the firm name of Kass Brothers. At the same
time the firm opened a law office in the Toy building, in Sioux City, Jacob
F. Kass looking after the Sioux City office for about thirteen years, William
J. Kass remaining in the Remsen office. In 1914 he removed to Sioux City,
the Remsen office being turned over to Frank A. Sievers, who had been admitted
to the firm under the name of Kass Brothers & Cievers. In 1919 Albert G.
Kass, who was born September 9, 1890, the son of Nicholas, Jr., and Margaret
(Hoffman) Kass, entered the firm. Albert G. Kass had just returned from France,
where he had served sixteen months as a lieutenant in the Eight Hundred and
Ninth Pioneer Infantry. In 1906, William J. and Jacob F. Kass and others
organized the First National Bank of Remsen, of which William J. Kass was made
president, which position he still fills.

Albert G. Kass attended Iowa State University, where he was graduated in
1911, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, was admitted to the bar in 1916 and
then completed his course in the law school of the same university in 1917. He
was married to Miss Ruth Drews, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in February, 1920,
and they have a son, Robert D., born May 25, 1921. He is a member of Sioux
City Lodge, No. 112, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and of the Knights of
Columbus.

Jacob F. Kass was born in East Dubuque, Illinois, January 31, 1873, and
secured his education in the public and parochial schools at Le Mars. After
clerking in his father's store a year, he studied law in the office of F. M.
Roseberry, at Le Mars, and in the following year entered the law school of the
University of Michigan, where he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of
Laws in 1895. He then formed a partnership with his former preceptor, becoming
a member of the firm of Zink & Roseberry, which in a short time became Zink,
Roseberry & Kass. In 1897 he opened an office of his own in Remsen, being
alone until his brother, William J., became associated with him in 1901. He
then moved to Sioux City, from which time he was actively identified with
legal business here until his death, September 7, 1925. He was a democrat in
politics and was twice a delegate to national conventions of that party. He was
a communicant of the Epiphany Cathedral Roman Catholic parish at Sioux City
and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He belonged to Sioux City
Lodge, No. 112, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Sioux City Country Club,
the Germania Club and the University of Michigan Alumni Association. He was
a director of the First National Bank of Remsen and of the Le Mars Savings
BAnk.

William J. Kass was married in 1907 to Miss Catherine Hiegel, of Tipton,
Iowa, and to their union were born two children, namely: Florence, who is a
student in Sacred Heart College, Lake Forrest, Illinois; and William Jacob, who
is in the grade schools. Mr. Kass is a member of Sioux City Lodge, No. 112,
B. P. O. E., and the Knights of Columbus, and also belongs to the Sioux City
Boat Club, the Sioux City Country Club and the University of Michigan Alumni
Association. He is a communicant of the Roman Catholic church. As a lawyer
Mr. Kass is the peer of any of his colleagues of the Woodbury county bar and
during the years of his identification with the practice of law here he has
always enjoyed the fullest measure of confidence and respect.