Everett W. Pierce
It is doubtful whether any other man in Denison stands higher in the respect of the community than Everett W. Pierce whose name introduces this review. For twenty years he has been identified with the First National Bank of this city, of which he is bookkeeper, and previous to that time he gained an honorable position both as a school teacher and as a business man.
He was born at Sterling, Illinois, December 10, 1853, a son of Ezekiel and Hannah (Mills) Pierce, the former of whom was a native of New York and the latter of New Jersey. The father was a carpenter in early manhood but later became a farmer. He removed to Sterling in 1845 and later to a farm near Fulton, but passed away at Morrison, Illinois, in 1907, at the age of eighty five years. The mother is still living and is seventy-eight years of age. She is a Universalist in religious faith, as was also her husband.
Perry Pierce, the paternal grandfather of our subject, learned the carpenter's trade, but later devoted his attention to farming. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and was twice married, being the father of two children, Ezekiel and Mary, by his first marriage, and five by his second, Lucy, Gordon, Elvira, David and Diana.
Stacy Mills, the grandfather on the maternal side, was of English Quaker stock and was born in New Jersey. He was a weaver by trade and his father was a soldier of the Revolutionary war and also of the French and Indian war,. He died at the age of fifty-four years and was the father of three children, Peter, Hannah and Elizabeth.
There were ten children in the family of Ezekiel and Hannah Pierce, eight of whom grew to maturity, namely: William H., now of Butte, Montana; Everett W., the subject of this review; Anna L., now the widow of Anson Baker, of Morrison, Illinois; Fred and Frank, twins, the former of whom is deceased, while the latter makes his home near Spokane, Washington; Mary, deceased; Clarence, who is living near Fulton, Illinois, on the old homestead; and Carrie, who passed away soon after reaching womanhood.
Everett W. Pierce was reared under the favoring conditions of country life and received his preliminary education in the district schools, later attending college at Fulton for five terms, the institution then being known as the Northern Illinois College. He began his business career as a school teacher and was engaged for two terms in the locality where he was reared and for three years in Crawford county, Iowa, also becoming principal of the Dow City public schools, which position he filled most creditably for two years. However, he came to the conclusion that business life offered more favorable inducements than the schoolroom and he entered the hardware business at Dow City, in which he continued for twelve years and attained a gratifying measure of success. Since 1890 he has been connected with the First National Bank of this city and, possessing natural ability, discernment and practical experience, he has shown himself to be eminently qualified for the position he occupies.
On the 17th of July, 1878, Mr. Pierce was united in marriage to Miss Lydia Gibson, who was born in Huron county, Ontario, Canada, a daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Shillington) Gibson, the former of whom was born in Canada and the latter in the north of Ireland, being a member of a Protestant family. They came to Crawford county, Iowa, and took up their residence near Dow City, where the mother passed away in 1878. The father survived his faithful companion for thirty-one years, departing this life in 1909. There were three children in their family: Robert H.; Margaret, the wife of Frank McHenry; and Lydia.
Two children came to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Pierce: Faith E., who married William Rhodenbaugh and died March 26, 1904; and Foster H., who married Annie M. Reynolds and is now a veterinary surgeon and state deputy at Faulkton, South Dakota.
Mr. Pierce is a man of genial traits and pleasing personality and in the discharge of his business responsibilities has shown a fidelity that meets the hearty approval of the officers and patrons of the bank. As a citizen he is patriotic and ever willing to lend a hand in forwarding any worthy object. He and his estimable wife are both active workers in the Methodist church, of which he is steward and class leader.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.