Stewart O. Espe

ESPE

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 10/2/2005 at 21:52:09

Stewart O. Espe is the manager of the Independent Grain & Lumber Company of Hanlontown and is thus actively identified with progressive business interests of Worth county, He is a native son of Iowa, his birth having occurred near Jewell Junction, in Hamilton county, in 1877. His father, Ole O. Espe, was a native of Norway and in young manhood left the land of the midnight sun to seek a home in the new world. He first established his residence near Lee, Illinois, and in that locality was united in marriage to Miss Anna Thompson, also a native of Norway. After following farming- for a time be removed in 1887 to Humboldt county, Iowa, after selling his property near Jewell. He took up his abode in Thor and was there manager of the Farmers' Cooperative Coal & Lumber Company for seven years. He afterward removed to Eagle Grove. Iowa, where he became identified with F. A. Scott, a grain merchant, in whose employ he remained for five years. He was next with the Northwestern Railway Company, Eagle Grove, Iowa, and remained in active business for some time but is now living retired at Iowa Falls, Iowa, at the age of sixty-five years. His wife passed away at Eagle Grove in 1899. They were both consistent members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and Mr. Espe has always given his political support to the republican party.

Stewart 0. Espe spent his boyhood days upon the home farm in Hamilton county, Iowa, and later accompanied his parents on their removal to Thor. He next located at Eagle Grove and became associated with his father and Mr. Scott in the elevator business. He afterward took up carpenter work there and in 1903 he became connected with the Independent Grain & Lumber Company at Scarville, Iowa,. where he occupied the position of manager. He was afterward transferred to Imogene, Minnesota, in the capacity of manager and in 1903 he came to Hanlontown, where he is also served as manager for the Independent Grain & Lumber Company. He is thoroughly familiar with every phase of the grain and lumber trade and his intelligent direction of the activities under his control is constituting a substantial element in the attainment of success.

In 1906 Mr. Espe was united in marriage to Miss Rose Struck, a daughter of Carl Struck. She was born in Binghamton, New York, while her parents were natives of Berlin, Germany. Coming to the new world, they settled in Syracuse. New York, where the father followed the baking business, which he learned in his native country. He died in Binghamton, New York, while his wife, removing westward, spent her last days in Blu Earth, Minnesota. To Mr. and Mrs. Espe has been born but one child, Phyllis.

The parents are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and Mr. Espe votes with the republican party, to which he has given stalwart allegiance since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He has served as a member of the city council but he is not a politician in the se ' rise of office seeking. In addition to carrying on the grain and lumber business in his present connection he is engaged in raising fancy chickens, in which be is much interested. Throughout his business career he has been actuated by a laudable ambition that has ever prompted him to take a forward step when the way was opened and he is today numbered among the alert. energetic and wide-awake grain merchants of Worth county conducting a growing business as a representative of the Independent Grain & Lumber Company.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, page 434.