Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 549
GEORGE H. KIBLER

George H. KIBLER, the senior member of the firm KIBLER Bros., general dealers, at Woodbine, through his long residence and successful business career, will form the subject of the subjoined biographical notice. He was born in Portage County, Ohio, March 27, 1848, and was the second child of his father's family, the names of the children being, Sylvester B., born July 22, 1846; George H., March 27, 1848; Lydia, who died in infancy; and O. F., born May 26, 1856, and now deceased.

The KIBLER family came to Harrison County May 19, 1854, coming from Portage County by rail to Wellsville, Ohio, and from there on the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to Council Bluffs, being four weeks on the road.

Our subject was reared on a farm and received his early education in the old Hawkeye State, and started in a general store at Woodbine March 4, 1870, having been in a drug store at that point from July, 1869. As first established, the firm name of these general dealers was DAVIS & KIBLER (I. J. DAVIS & G. H. KIBLER). This firm continued one year when Mr. DAVIS sold his interest to W. H. MCHENRY, who retained his interest until April 19, 1873, when the firm was changed to KIBLER Bros., Sylvester B. KIBLER being admitted to that firm at that time. When they first opened up they were in a building now occupied as a wareroom on lot No. 1 and block 52, the same being built by HERMAN Bros., of Blair, in 1866. There was no change in the firm until August 16, 1881, when it became KIBLER Bros., & WINTER, which co-partnership continued until January 1, 1884, at which time Mr. WINTER withdrew, and the firm again took the name of KIBLER Bros. In July, 1877, they commenced building their present business house, which is 28x100 feet in one department and 22x100 feet in the other. It is a brick structure, situated on lots 11 and 12, in block 50, and is looked upon as the best store building in the county. Its cost was $12,000.

The average stock amounts to $20,000, made up of general merchandise and clothing.

In a business point of view there is no better business man than our subject, whose integrity, prudence and careful management, together with the assistance of his brother, has brought him through the panics and hard times co-incident with this country.

Our subject was married January 14, 1872, to Lucella WINTER, a native of Greene County, N. Y., who was the fourth child in a family of six children; her father Matthew WINTER was a tanner by trade, but followed farming in this county.

Mr. and Mrs. KIBLER's home has been blessed with four children--Ora B., born October 25, 1874; Carrie E., January 12, 1876, and died March 9, 1878; Harry F., born February 25, 1883; and Millie F., August 5, 1884.

Politically Mr. KIBLER believes in the principles as laid down by the Republican party. In religious matters he and his estimable wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been an official member for many years.

While our subject is a business man and usually absorbed in business matters, yet he finds time to attend to many outside matters, including business pertaining to schools and churches, and he has been a member of the public school board for many years. His life is an example of what ambition and painstaking industry, may accomplish for a man of good business qualifications, guided by honor and integrity.

Besides Mr. KIBLER's other business interests in Woodbine, he is largely interested in the Woodbine Savings Bank which was incorporated May 1, 1891, with a capital of $30,00, with George H. KIBLER, President, E. H. BUCKNAM, of Sioux City, Vice-President and Servis HAAS, Cashier. Commenced business in VANSCOY's furniture building in which they remained until moving into their new bank building, erected in the summer of 1891 at a cost of $6,000, which is a two-story brick structure 25 x 50 feet.

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