Schee, John F.

SCHEE

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 7/2/2021 at 20:36:53

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.532

JOHN FREMONT SCHEE
John Fremont Schee, president of the Indianola Banking Company and vice president of the Bank of Milo, also derives substantial income from large landed interests. He stands today as one of the most prominent business men of Warren County, honored and respected by all, not only by reason of the success he has achieved, but also owing to the straightforward business policy he has ever followed. His advancement has been made through consecutive stages, resulting from the recognition ad utilization of opportunity and he today enjoys the full trust of his colleagues and the admiration of his contemporaries.
Mr. Schee was born near Attica, Marion County, Iowa, on the 2d of August 1860. His father, Alexander Schee, was a native of Delaware and his ancestors, coming from Scotland in the seventeenth century, settled in that state. Alexander Schee was born March 3, 1817, and when he was but six months old his parents removed to a farm in the vicinity of Cadiz, Ohio, where they remained until 1849. That year witnessed the arrival of Alexander Schee in the newly created state of Iowa and he took up his abode in Winchester, Van Buren County, where he resided until 1852. He then became a resident of Marion County and was closely associated with its agricultural interests until 1866, when he came to Warren County, settling on a farm in Belmont Township. This property still remains in possession of his children.
The father, who was an enterprising farmer and progressive business man, and who made judicious investments, was seldom, if ever, at error in a matter of business judgment, and at the time of his death was probably the wealthiest man in his township. Moreover, he sustained an unassailable reputation for busi­ness probity and had the full confidence and esteem of his neighbors. His life was in harmony with the beneficent spirit of Masonry, of which he was a represen­tative, and at all times he would rather have suffered personal loss than to have injured another in any business or trade transaction. His political support was originally given the Whig party and upon its dissolution he joined the ranks of the Republican Party, continuing to vote its ticket until his death. He was recognized as one of its leaders and always represented it in its public deliberations. He served as township trustee for many years, yet he had no official aspiration, accepting the office only because his fellow townsmen insisted that he should thus represent them. Citizenship was to him no mere idle word. He fulfilled its duties and obligations and ever stood loyally in defense of what he believed to be right. He died May 28, 1893, honored by all who knew him.
His wife, who bore the maiden name of Alice Brindley, was born in Mary­land, September 1, 1821, and passed away September 6, 1902, at the age of eighty-one years. She was of English lineage and when she was about a year old was taken by her parents to Ohio, the family home being established upon a farm near Cadiz. There, on the 5th of March 1840, she gave her hand in marriage to Alexander Schee and they became the parents of seven children: Oliver, who was born May 18, 1841, and now living in Kansas City, Missouri, was for many years a prominent educator, but now devotes his attention to agricultural pursuits near Kansas City. At one time he served as superintendent of the schools at Newton, Iowa, and was also principal of the high school at Muscatine, this state. During the period of the Civil War he advocated the Union cause and became a member of Company A, Thirty-third Iowa infantry, when twenty years of age. He served throughout the greater period of hostilities and attained the rank of sergeant major. Eleanor, born October 29, 1842, is the wife of John B. Johnson, a retired farmer of Bussey, Iowa. James, born February 3, 1845, is now in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he is well known as a banker, being president of the Bank of College View, a suburb of Lincoln, Neb. He is also the owner of large property interests in Iowa and is interested in the Citizens bank of Milo; the Bank of Milo and the Indianola Banking Company and other financial institutions. He, too, has a creditable military record, having joined the army in 1863 as a member of Company I, Thirty-third Iowa Infantry, until the close of the war. Nathan Schee, born October 29, 1847, is also prominently connected with banking affairs in this state, being interested in banks in Indianola, Milo and other places. He has been the president of the Bank of Milo since its organization and also has large interests in the Oskaloosa Manufacturing Company and has made extensive investments in the lumber business and in landed interests in Texas. Lewis Schee, born April 15, 1853, is the vice president of the Indianola Banking Company, and has other business and invested interests in Warren County and elsewhere. Phebe, born April, 26, 1855, is the wife of John Downing, a farmer of Liberty Township. John F. is the next of the family.
The last named, brought to Warren County in his infancy, was reared upon the home farm in Belmont Twnship and attended the country schools until he entered the agricultural college at Ames. He afterward spent a year as a student in Simpson College and two years in Ames, and in the intervals between his collegiate courses he taught school for about three years. In 1882, when his brother, Nathan Schee, established the Bank of Milo, John F. Schee entered the institution as its cashier, taking up the duties on the 6th of March 1882. At that time there were only three banks in the county. Mr. Schee remained in active connection with the bank of Milo until 1894, when he went to Des Moines and entered the Drake Law School, being admitted to the bar in 1896. The same fall he came to Indianola and became vice president of the Indianola Banking Company. He has been one of its organizers in 1893 and in 1900 he became its president, since which time he has remained as its chief executive officer. He is also the vice president of the Bank of Milo and in addition has large landed interests. Prominent among the business men of the country, he has been closely identified with its interests as a representative of one of its most important business undertakings. He is a man of keen discrimination and sound judgment and his executive ability and excellent management have brought to the concerns with which he is connected a large degree of success. The safe, conservative policy which he inaugurated commends itself to the judgment of all and has secured to the company an extensive patronage.
On the 28th of August, 1884, Mr. Schee was married to Miss Martha E. Farlow, who was born in Clarinda, Iowa, March 2, 1865, her parents being Samuel and Arbelia (Ribble) Farlow. Her father, a minister of the Methodist Church, was connected with the Des Moines conference for more than sixty years and his influence was of no restricted order in the moral development of the state. He died in Indianola in November 1906, and his upright life made him honored by all who knew him.
Unto Mr. and Schee have been born two daughters, Jessie and Florence, who are now students in Simpson College. Mrs. Schee is a member of the Methodist Church and presides with gracious hospitality over her present home. Mr. Schee is a stalwart Republican and during his residence in Milo served for two terms as mayor and is now president of the Indianola school board. He has marked literary taste, has always been a student, and his home is a favorite resort of the people of the community whose interests are in har­mony with his along lines of thought and research. The circle of his friends is select rather than large and yet his business affairs have brought to him a wide acquaintance and his probity has made him honored and respected wherever known.