The Lamoni Chronicle
November 18, 1909

FORMER LAMONI CITIZEN HONORED

J. B. RODGER Receives Present From Fellow Workmen.

Friday October 22, at the close of business, the employees of the Challenge company, including the office force, assembled in the new building erected for the wood working department, and hither was summoned Supt. J. B. RODGER, and as he would soon remove to Kansas City, his fellow workmen for eleven years decided to make the occasion one of pleasure and remembrance. Mr. RODGER was greatly surprised to received a handsome solid gold twenty-one jewel Elgin watch from the men of the manufacturing departments, while the office force not to be outdone, gave him a beautiful solid gold chain to keep company with the watch. - Fox River Star.

The person above names is a Lamoni raised boy. Many will remember him back in the '80s. It is thirteen years ago, with his family, since he left Lamoni. In what is now the Lamoni mill he learned the blacksmith trade with Peter HARRIS.

"Joe" as he was familiarly called, was of an inventive turn of mind and put it to good purpose. He made decided improvements on a gasoline engine, and while yet here he made two gasoline engines. He also manufactured quite a number of cistern pumps, which were quite good, and may be seen in use in town yet.

In looking round for a larger sphere of labor he first tried Macon Mo., where he remained but a short while. At Batavia, Illinois, he interested a manufacturing company in his engine, and has been with them for the past eleven years manufacturing gasoline engines built after his designs.

Copied by Stacey McDowell Dietiker
June 3, 2003