Officer, Thomas (1822-1900)

OFFICER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/15/2019 at 00:20:35

Thomas Officer
Dec 28, 1822 - Sep 12, 1900

[From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.495]
THOMAS OFFICER, of the banking house of Officer & Pusey, Council Bluffs, the oldest and one of the most solid banking firms in Iowa, was born in Washington, Washington Co., Pennsylvania, Dec 28, 1822. He is descended from those hardy Scotch-Irish Presbyterians so prominent in the history of Pennsylvania and the United States. His grandfather, THOMAS OFFICER, was born in Chester Co., Pennsylvania; was a man of more than ordinary ability and intelligence, and held various offices of trust in his county. His great-grandfather, with a brother, came from the north of Ireland to Pennsylvania soon after the Revolution, one settling near Knoxville, Tennessee, and the other in Chester Co., Pennsylvania, from whom have descended about all now in America who inherit the family name. Our subject's father, ROBERT OFFICER, was born in Chester Co., and when two years of age moved with his parents to Washington Co., Pennsylvania. In early life he engaged in merchandising at Washington and Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and died in 1874 at age 79 years. He was united in marriage to Miss MARGARET SCOTT, daughter of JOHN and JANE (PATTERSON) SCOTT. Mr. and Mrs. ROBERT OFFICER were Presbyterians, and were the parents of 11 children, 4 of whom are living, viz.: Thomas, our subject; Rebecca, wife of NEAL G. BLAINE, a brother of the Hon. JAMES G. BLAINE (she is now a widow and resides in Council Bluffs); S. Ellen, wife of the Hon. WM. H.M. PUSEY, a banker of this city; Robert, also of this city, engaged in the real estate and insurance business. THOMAS OFFICER, our subject, graduated at Washington (Pennsylvania) College in 1840 and went at once to Columbus, Ohio, where he was employed as an instructor in the Ohio State Institution for the Deaf and Dumb for five years. He was then called to Jacksonville, Illinois where he organized, laid out the grounds, and built the Illinois State Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, and remained as principal and superintendent for ten years. He then resigned this position and came to Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1856 he formed his present partnership with Mr. Pusey, purchasing the same ground on which their present bank building now stands, and in the spring of 1857 opened their present bank, then as now a private bank. This is one of the solid firms in the county and is worthy of record, as it is one of the few that passed through the panics of 1857-71-73. Out of 17 banking institutions in Council Bluffs, this is the only one that survived the panic of 1857. Mr. OFFICER was united in marriage August 8, 1848, to Miss ELIZABETH M. PUSEY, who was born in Washington Co., Pennsylvania, and is the sister of Hon. WILLIAM H. M. PUSEY, whose sketch appears in this work. Mr. and Mrs. OFFICER rank among the very best people of Council Bluffs and also of Iowa and are universally admired and respected for their sterling worth. They are members of the First Presbyterian Church of which he has been a ruling elder ever since its organization in 1856. They are the parents of three children: Charles T., teller in the bank with his father and uncle, and married to Miss BOYLE of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Julia E., a talented musician and a graduate of the Petercilia School of Music of Boston, Mass., and also of the Rockford (Illinois) Female Seminary; and William P., an assistant with his father and uncle in the bank. Mr. OFFICER has never sought office but yet has held various local offices of trust, such as Councilman and a member and president of the School Board. His known personal experience and prominence in connection with institutions for the deaf and dumb in other States was an important factor in securing the locations of the Iowa State Institution at Council Bluffs. In conjunction with Hon. CALEB BALDWIN and Major-General GRENVILLE M. DODGE, he was appointed as commissioner in behalf of the State to select the site, purchase the grounds, decide upon the plans and erect the buildings, all of which was done under their management. He afterward served under appointment by the state, as a member of the Board of Directors for a number of years and part of the time as president of the board. He enjoys the confidence and respect of all, and is a gentleman of the strictest integrity.