Butter makers of Bremer County

In the first half of the twentieth century, Bremer County was celebrated as the Butter Capital of Iowa. There were over 30 creameries in the county and Bremer had a state-wide reputation for the production of quality butter. Each creamery was a co-op owned by the local farmers who hired butter makers to produce butter for sale. Many butter makers had an assistant to help with the daily morning deliveries of milk and other responsibilities. The butter makers all knew each other, and for a short period of time they and their wives even had regular social meetings. They also held an annual butter makers' picnic that was open to the public. One year in Denver--then a small town--3,000 people came to the picnic.

The farmers competed to hire and keep the best butter makers possible because the better the quality of the butter, the more money the co-op received. Butter makers moved frequently in order to make better wages. On the other hand, Iowa State University sponsored classes and state-wide competitions in order to encourage high quality butter. The competitions received front-page coverage in local newspapers, and if a creamery did not score well, the butter had to be sold more cheaply and the butter maker could lose his position.

The following excerpts from the Tripoli Leader illustrate the importance and value of the butter makers.

February 15, 1923

H.C. Ladage
E.M. Guiney, Tripoli
W.J. Spurbeck, Denver
W.H. Boevers, Readlyn
H.A. Griese, Readlyn
C.J. Meier, Waverly
R.J. Allenstein, Sumner
Charles F. George, Denver
E.H. Rhorsen, Waverly

Tripoli Leader - 5/28/24

The following is a list of buttermakers of Bremer county who scored 90 or above:

A.E. Zierath, Sumner, 92	Geo. Heine, Waverly, 91
E.M. Guiney, Tripoli, 94-1/2	C.F. George, Denver, 93-1/2
Alb. Kruse, Tripoli, 90-1/2	C.A. Day, Sumner, 92
J.F. Ambrose, Frederika, 93	Nate Tibbets, Sumner, 93
R.J. Allenstein, Sumner, 92-1/2	J.G. Nichols Sumner, 93
H.A. Griese, Readlyn, 93	H. Dettmer, Sumner, 91
H.C. Ladage, Tripoli, 92	C.L. Gamm, Waverly, 92-1/2
H.C. Koeneke, Readlyn, 92	C.J. Meier, Waverly, 92
R.W. Bremer, Sumner, 92	T.F. Slack, Bremer 93-1/2
E.H. Rohrssen, Waverly, 92-1/2	W.J. Spurbeck, Denver, 92

Tripoli Leader - 8/20/24

Ed Henning and Family will leave in a week or so to make their home at Buck Creek where Ed has accepted the position of manager of the Buck Creek creamery. Ed, who has been employed at the local creamery under the capable supervision of H.C Ladage, is now a full fledged buttermaker and is very deserving of the appointment he has just received.

Tripoli Leader - 2/25/25

W.H. Boevers - Knittle Creamery (placed 5th out of 52 in butter judging contest)
Theodore (T.F.) Slack - Richland Twp, Chickasaw County
Ransom Slack
?? Slack

Tripoli Leader - 3/4/25 (from the front page)

E.M. Guiney ranks high in state butter contest.

In the Iowa Educational Butter Scoring Contest for the year 1924, E.M. Guiney of Potter Siding Creamery received the highest average score of butter makers in Bremer county, with an average of 94.09 for the year. The highest state average was held by H. Stendel of Northwood, Iowa with an average score of 94.78.

Practically all of the butter makers received high enough scores to entitle them to use the Iowa State Brand Butter trademark, which requires an average score of 93 for the year. This brand of butter receives top prices on all markets and is nationally known as butter of the highest quality.

Tripoli Leader - 3/4/25

Albert Krause hired to fill vacancy at Potter Siding after Mr. Guiney resigned.

Tripoli Leader 5/26/25

H.C. Ladage won first prize in the Iowa Educational Butter scoring contest, held in Dyersville, with a score of 95.25.

Tripoli Leader 9/2/25

H.C. Ladage, manager and buttermaker of the local creamery, won first honors in the creamery butter judging contest at the state fair in competition with 70 tubs of butter - scored 96.

Tripoli Leader - 9/23/25

Iowa Buttermakers win National Contest Prize
The buttermakers in the fresh butter class who were responsible for Iowa winning the national banner were: Frank T. Shimpton, Alta Vista; F.H. Harms, Oelwein; Albert Harms, Westgate; F.P. Gernand, Volga City; Victor C. Anderson, Hanlontown; R.W. Chadwick, Waterloo; A.H. Bentz, Maynard, Frank Brunner, Colwell; E.A. Gudvangen, Hanlontown; H. C. Ladage, Tripoli; Phil J. Lusson, Festina; Paul Macauley, Burt; F.W. Nelson, Jerico and C.W. Rouse, Hopkinton.

Tripoli Leader - 12/30/25

John Schroeder has resigned as buttermaker at the local creamery and has accepted a position as buttermaker at a creamery near Westgate. Mr. Spurbeck will be the new buttermaker and Otto Schaefer will be Mr. Spurbeck's assistant.

Tripoli Leader 6/27/28

Paul Mauer - Garner C.R. Conway - Garner H.H. Jensen - Sioux City Cletus Boland - Waucoma Floyd Sires - Elgin Herman Jacobs - Boyden Elmer Anderson - Northwood John M. Hansen - Coulter Floyd Nefzeer - West Union J.A. Jensen - Ringstead H.E. Wolf - Villisca J.J. Boland - Waucoma W.A. Rizer - Randalia E.A. Gudvangen - Hanlantown A.G. Kruger - Lake Park Will Behrens - Waverly L.E. Nelson - Randall M.J. Mikkalson - Plymouth Elmer Primus - Arlington H.C. Stondal - Northwood Johannas Johnson - Audubon John H. Schroeder - Westgate G.C. Mittlestadt - Maynard H. Segebarth - Fairbank Paul P. Schroeder - Sumner F.H. Harms - Oelwein Albert Harms - Oelwein Carl Hovland - Lake Mills H.A. Fjelsteel - Calmar Reuben Larson - Osage L.C. Peterson - Story City J.P. Jensen - Exira C.H. Kolsrud - Decorah Victor Anderson - Waterville E.A. Cole - Shell Rock Phil Lussen - Alpha F.W. Hessel - Garnavillo Wayne Rizer - Randalia Paul Mauer - Garner C.R. Conway - Garner H.H. Jensen - Sioux City Cletus Boland - Waucoma Floyd Sires - Elgin Herman Jacobs - Boyden Elmer Anderson - Northwood John M. Hansen - Coulter Floyd Nefzeer - West Union J.A. Jensen - Ringstead H.E. Wolf - Villisca J.J. Boland - Waucoma W.A. Rizer - Randalia E.A. Gudvangen - Hanlantown A.G. Kruger - Lake Park Will Behrens - Waverly L.E. Nelson - Randall M.J. Mikkalson - Plymouth Elmer Primus - Arlington H.C. Stondal - Northwood Johannas Johnson - Audubon

John H. Schroeder - Westgate G.C. Mittlestadt - Maynard H. Segebarth - Fairbank Paul P. Schroeder - Sumner F.H. Harms - Oelwein Albert Harms - Oelwein Carl Hovland - Lake Mills H.A. Fjelsteel - Calmar Reuben Larson - Osage L.C. Peterson - Story City J.P. Jensen - Exira C.H. Kolsrud - Decorah Victor Anderson - Waterville E.A. Cole - Shell Rock Phil Lussen - Alpha F.W. Hessel - Garnavillo Wayne Rizer - Randalia W.H. Eischeid - Cresco Paul Engen - Fertile Julius Brunner - Osage W.F. Wargowsky - Boyden H.C. Ladage - Tripoli J.F. Lorenzen - Benson John Dodeward - Rock Valley R.E. Palmer - Rock Valley Paul H. Smith - Rockwell Geo. Heine - Waverly John Sadler - Farley W.K. Moats - Grand Junction Frank Brunner - Colwell Ralph Schmidt - Lamont Paul Wright - coggan Paul Macauley - Britt C. Christensen - Colwell C.W. Turner - Aurora Chas. T. Zierath - Chales City Ben A. Gulsvig - Luana O.J. Klook - Whitemore H.T. Hangardner - Clermont B.T. Scholes - Fern F.N. Nelson - New Hampton Harry Johnson - Center Junction D.N. Mohler - New Hampton W.J. Spurbeck - Denver Fred Kuker - Fenton Paul Moerman - Sheldon F.C. Bowdish - Hawkeye A.E. Mitchell - St. Lucas Chas. F. George - Denver W.H. Beevers - Readlyn A.W. Willander - Walker M.N. Larson - Decorah Ed Andreason - Manley F.P. Gernand - volga City O.F. Weger - Strawberry Point Andrew Coswell - Hull B. Schulten - Hull Don E. Schulh - Algona R.J. Allenstein - Sumner

~Contributed by Karlyn Armstrong