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Milo B. Westervelt
Milo
B. Westervelt, a prominent banker of Greene county, was born in
Westerville, Franklin county, Ohio, December 8, 1856, which town was
named in honor of the grandfather, William, and his brother, Peter
Westervelt, who at an early day took up their abode there, cleared the
heavily timbered land and made it their home. The parents of our
subject were James and Catherine (Knox) Westervelt, the former also a
natbve of Westerville, Ohio, where he was born May 20, 1825. He was a
miller and farmer by trade and lived in the place of his nativity until
his demise, which occurred in 1892. In his family were three children,
as follows: Milo B., of this review; Laura B.; and Josephine B.
Milo B. Westervelt acquired his education in the schools of his native
town and remained there until he had reached the age of twenty four
years. In 1880 he came to Greene county, Iowa, and purchased six
hundred and forty acres of land on sections 2 and 3, Bristol township,
and on sections 29 and 30, Highland township, from his grandfather,
Titus Knox. He afterward disposed of half of this but still owns the
remaining three hundred and twenty acres, in Bristol township, which he
has brought under a high state of cultivation and improvement. He has
erected excellent buildings, has tiled the land and in fact has left
nothing undone that would enhance the attractiveness of his place, thus
making it one of the model farm properties of the county. In addition
to his agricultural interests he is also engaged in raising shorthorn
cattle and is an extensive feeder, having at the present time fifteen
hundred head of sheep on his farm in Dakota. In 1902, Mr. Westervelt
became connected with the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Churdan,
which in that year was purchased by the present owners. The institution
is now known as Head, Westervelt & Company, real estate and
banking, and is a private bank, with unlimited liability. It was
established ten years ago by E. M. Pentz, and the officers at its head
are: M. M. Head, president; M. B. Westervelt, cashier; and Mahlon Head,
vice president. Mr. Westervelt, in connection with his son, Bernard,
has entire charge of the bank, which is one of the strongest financial
institutions in the county. He is a man of keen discrimination and
sound judgment, and his executive ability and excellent management have
brought to the concern with which he is connected a large degree of
success. The safe conservative policy which he inaugurated commends
itself to judgment of all and has gained the bank its wide reputation
for reliability and sound financial standing.
On the 12th of September, 1883, Mr. Westervelt was united in marriage
to Miss [Margaret] Rosa Diemer, a native of Wayne county, Iowa. Six
children have graced this union, as follows: Alanson, now a student in
Brown University; Bernard; Belle, who is at home; Hazel, attending
school at Cedar Falls; Kate and Ralph, at home.
In his political afliliations Mr. Westervelt is a republican and his
religious views are indicated by his membership in the Baptist church -
a connection which shows him to be a man of high, manly principles and
genuine personal worth. He is recognized throughout the county as one
of its leading business men and upright citizens, having gained
prominence and influence by reason of his honorable and straightforward
business methods and in all his dealings with his fellowmen. He is
public-spirited to a marked degree, giving his co-operation to every
movement which tends
to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of the
community; and it is with pleasure that we present the record of his
career to our readers.
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