Battern, Algy Ross, 1890-1938

BATTERN, BURGER, BERGER, LINHART, LENHART

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:36

From the Rock Valley Bee, June 24, 1938:

Was Former Rock Valley Resident
A. R. Battern Died at His Home in Sioux City Thursday Night

A. R. Battern, who several years ago was employed by the Iowa Public Service Company in Rock Valley, died at his home in Sioux City last Thursday night, June 16. He suffered a heart attack a few months ago and had not been well since.

Mr. Battern was well known in Rock Valley, having lived here for some time while working for the light company. He went from here to Fort Dodge where he was employed by the same company. He was later transferred to Sioux City, and held the position of assistant engineer for the Iowa Public Service Co. for several years, and was still serving this company when he was taken sick.

Mr. Battern was born near Storm Lake, Iowa, November 13, 1890. He attended the Storm Lake public school and later graduated from the engineering department of the Hiland Park college in Des Moines. After completing his engineering course he began work for the Public Service Co., and was advanced steadily until he became assistant engineer, a very responsible position.

Funeral services were held in Sioux City Monday afternoon. Mr. Battern is survived by his widow and four brothers, John Battern, of Chicago; Jesse Battern, of St. Paul, Minn.; Basil Battern, of Sioux City; and C. K. Battern of Storm Lake.

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From the Alton Democrat, June 24, 1938:

Attend Funeral of A. R. Battern

Walter Hynes, Harvey Caroll, Pater Kalsbeck, John Reese, all of Rock Valley. O. L. Luhring of Alton, and R. H. Hillmers of Sioux Center attended the funeral of Algy Ross Battern, assistant general manager of the Iowa Public Service Company, Monday afternoon in Sioux City.

The services were held at two o’clock in the Masonic Temple with the Rev. George W. Dunn, pastor of the First Methodist church officiating. Burial was in Logan Park cemetery with the Masonic Lodge directing graveside ceremonies.

Mr. Battern, who had been assistant general manager of the Iowa Public Service Company in Sioux City since 1922, died last Thursday, June 16, after a long illness. Prior to 1918 Mr. Battern was located in Sioux Center, Rock Valley and Le Mars as manager of the old Iowa Heat, Light and Power Company.

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From the Sioux Center News, June 23, 1938:

A. R. Battern, Service Company Man, Heart Ailment Victim

Sioux City Journal – Algy Ross Battern, 47, assistant general manager of the Iowa Public Service company since 1932, died late Thursday night in his home, 3240 Jackson street, after a sickness of several months of a heart ailment.

Mr. Battern came to Sioux City in 1928 from Fort Dodge where he was chief engineer for the utility firm. The sickness that resulted in his death followed a heart attack suffered several months ago.

Mr. Battern rapidly gained recognition as a successful engineer and plant manager and in 1918 was employed by the Iowa Light, Heat and Power Co. He held jobs with the company first at Sioux Center, Rock Valley and Le Mars. From 1919 to 1926 he was stationed at Carroll. Later he was made chief engineer of the Iowa Light, Heat and Power company and also the Central Iowa Power and Light Company. When the Iowa Public Service company was organized in 1927 he joined that firm.

[Survivors as listed above.]

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From the Alton Democrat, June 24, 1938 – “Seems To Us” [editor’s column]

Algy Battern, assistant general manager of the I. P. S., who died at his home in Sioux City last Thursday night, was a typical example of the self-made man in America. He rose through the ranks, through sheer ability and native common sense and was a keen judge of human nature.

It was this column’s good fortune to learn to know Mr. Battern for what he was—a real friend—frank, kindly and just—loyal to his company to the core, indefatigable in looking after every detail of his work, comprehending every phase of a problem that was put up to him for solution.

Remarkable was the fact that just a day before his death, the franchise for which he had fought for several years was granted by the voters of Storm Lake, a problem with which he had spent many sleepless nights for many months. The franchise fight was victorious, but the victory was not worth Algy Battern’s life—though he, himself, would not say so.

He came from Storm Lake to Sioux County at the time the old Iowa Light, Heat & Power Co. was organizing high lines here and trying to give service in spite of inadequate financial backing, a hopeless struggle to get coal, and many other difficulties. He often told of the all-night job he had the day he arrived at Orange City, trying to figure out why the old steam engine wouldn’t work. Finally, he noticed an iron pin on the floor. It was inserted where it belonged and power flowed into the Orange City transmission lines. Mr. Battern was also at Sioux Center for a time. He knew from his intimate acquaintance with conditions in the country how to serve country interests. He was a remarkable man….

His men in the field had a very real attachment for Algy Battern. While he was the “big boss,” there wasn’t a man, however lowly his capacity in the company’s employ, who couldn’t walk into his office and talk to him as he would to anyone else. That’s partly the reason why the loyalty of I. P. S. employees has developed into such a wonderful spirit in this section of the state….

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RESEARCH NOTES

His death certificate adds his wife, Clara Battern; parents John Battern, born in Storm Lake, and Ida Burger, born in Marshaltown, Iowa; a public service company employee for 25 years; died at 12:30 a.m. June 17, 1938; cause, coronary occlusion; contributory cause, coronary heart disease, confirmed via an electrocardiogram.

His World War I draft registration card gives his name as Alge Ross Battern (he signs it A. R. Battern); manager Iowa Light Heat & Power Co. in Rock Valley, single, tall, slender, blue eyes, light brown hair.

The Woodbury County marriage register for 1922 has groom Algy Ross Battern, age 32, resident of Carroll, an electrical engineer, born in Storm Lake, parents John Battern and Ida Berger; bride Claire Marie Linhart, R.N., age 27, a resident of Sioux City, born in Howard, S.D., father E. D. Linhart, mother’s name not given; married in Sioux City August 18, 1922.

(Birth and census records on Ancestry.com give his wife’s birth name as Lenhart.)