MOUW, PETER B. AND FLORENCE MABEL (BALKEMA)
Now I better get to Mom and me. I was born in the big square house on the old homestead on April 17, 1895. Sister Johanna tells me that the first inkling they had of something out of the ordinary was that when they got home from school there was no lunch on the kitchen table, ready for them to eat. Mother always had a lunch ready for them. Then Mrs. Dykstra came out of the bedroom, and told them they had a baby brother. Mrs. Dykstra was the mother of Mrs. Anthony Te Paske and acted as midwife. Tante Tryntje, Mrs. Willem Duistermars, was also there. There was no doctor in Sioux Center at that time so in those cases the midwife delivered the baby and did a good job.
I started school when I was five years old, and Mrs. Anthony Te Paske, then Agnes Dykstra was my first teacher. Our schoolhouse was just a small frame building with a large wood stove in one corner.
When I was about six or seven years old, I already had to take my turn at herding cattle after school and on Saturdays, and during summer vacations.
I rode many different horses but when Jewel got to be two or three years old, she became my main riding horse. At that time we bought a long black whip called a black snake. It was called that because it looked like a black snake. The whip was about 12 to 14 feet long, had a hard handle about an inch and a half thick and about two feet long. Then it slowly simmered down to just a very thin strip on the end of it. We would take the hard handle, swing the whip over our heads like you do a lasso, and then snap it back. When that thin end hit the cattle they would really move, and when they got used to it even the crack of the whip would make them go. You would not have to hit them. Old dog, Jack and I also used that whip to catch cottontails. Jack would round up a cottontail rabbit and bring it down a corn row. I would put Jewel into high gear and chase it, and when I got close enough I would swing the whip around, crack it and hit the cottontail and it would kill it. We tried it on jackrabbits too, but they were to fast for us. I would sometimes have two or three cottontails hanging on the saddle when I got home. We would skin the cottontails, and mother would prepare them to eat, and they were delicious.
Peter B. and Florence Mabel (Balkema)
Mouw.
In May of 1909 I graduated from the eighth grade in the Christian School. In September of 1909 I started high school in the public school in Sioux Center. However, I could not take it. I had been sick with yellow jaundice during the summer months, so the doctor said I better stay home for a year until I got all new blood.
So in September 1910 I again started high school and was in the same class with Mom. I thought she was a pretty cute little jigger.
In March 1911 my parents retired from the farm and moved into Sioux Center. My brother Neal was cashier of the bank at that time. John Boeyink was assistant cashier and Fred Aue was bookkeeper. Fred also had to do all of the janitor work so brother Neal asked me to come down after school and on Saturdays to help Fred to do some cleaning. I did that and Fred Boon started showing me how to balance in the evening, and on Saturdays he would show me how to do some book work and make up customer's pass books. I really enjoyed this and got more and more interested in banking. I kept the bank real clean, polished the brass spittoons until you could use them for a mirror. Each Saturday I would get a $1.50 or $2.00, and that was nice spending money. I even saved some of it and put it on a savings account. Then on December 20, 1911 my brother Neal took seriously ill. Fred called me and asked if I would help out during Christmas vacation. When Christmas vacation was over Neal was still very sick, and we did not know what his illness was. So Fred asked me to skip school for a while and help him. I did that and then we found out that Neal had typhoid fever. Then we decided that I would just stay out of school that semester and start again the next fall. Neal never got out of the house until March, and did not come back to work until June. So I just kept on working and in the fall they had enough work for an extra man so I just continued and never went back to school. I have been here ever since. For the first three months of 1912, January, February, and March, I did not receive a salary, just a little hand out once in a while, because I was learning a business. Then on April 1, 1912 my salary was set at $10.00 per month. I continued as a bookkeeper, and then as a teller in the bank until May 1918, and then 1 went to the army in World War I.
I was sent to Camp Dodge near Des Moines, IA. In July word came that we were soon to depart for overseas duty. So, on July 30, 1918 Chaplain J.M. Vander Kieft went to Des Moines, got the marriage licenses for us and married Ed and Sue Bolluyt and Mom and I that evening in his small cottage on the camp grounds. In the very first part of September, I pulled out for France and Mom went back home. She got a country school teaching job, but it did not last long because she got the Spanish influenza and was a pretty sick girl for a while. When she got well again, she got a job as assistant primary teacher in the public school in town.
Our outfit had their orders to go to the front lines on November 11, 1918. But on that day the Armistice was signed so we did not have to go. In the latter part of January or the first part of February 1919, we were to proceed to Bordeaux, France, to Camp Genicart, the embarkation camp, where we would be loaded on ship to go home.
About two weeks after I got home I started working in the bank again. I started then at $125.00 per month salary and we got along just fine. I bought my first ten shares of bank stock in November 1926.
The Peter B. Mouw Family.
Mom and I had three children, Vernon Peter of Sioux Center, born on February 5, 1920; Muriel Clarice (Mrs. Glen Bell) of Storm Lake, born on September 19, 1921; and Eva Elaine (Mrs. Gary Hulst) of LeMars, born on October 24, 1935. Kenneth Van Roekel joined our family in 1934 at the age of 7 after the death of his parents. He continued to live with us until after his service in World War II.
I did not get any more shares of stock in the bank until 1945 when my brother Neal died. Then Fred Aue and I took over most of his shares. Fred Aue was then elected president and I was elected vice president. So then I became one of the bosses. In 1955 Fred Aue retired and I was elected chairman of the Board of Directors and president. I have been in the bank 55 years last December 20, 1966. My record is: Bookkeeper and Janitor, 1911; Teller, 1914; Assistant Cashier, 1918; Cashier and Vice President, 1945; President and Chairman of the Board, 1955.
Peter B. Mouw continued to serve the First National Bank as President until 1977 and as Chairman of the Board until his death in 1980. He had served the bank and his community in a multitude of positions for 69 years.
He taught Sunday School in Central Reformed Church for 37 years; was one of the original organizers of the James Doornink Post of the American Legion; served on the Sioux Center Independent School Board for 21 years and as President of the Board for 14 years; City Clerk for 4 years; WW II Regional Bond Chairman for 5 years; active in Boy Scout activities for 20 years, recipient of the Silver Beaver A ward; served on the Board of Trustees of the Sioux Center Library and the Sioux Center Hospital, and was chairman of the 50th and 75th Anniversary Celebrations in Sioux Center.
Florence is now 93 years old and still caring for herself in their home. She remembers playing in the sand box on the big yard of their home at 42 Third Street S.W., now the Marvin Wierda residence. They also played in the large wooden boxes that contained the clothing shipped to her father's (Nick Balkema) general merchandise store. She recalls visits to Hospers which required taking the Great Northern train to Maurice, take the Northwestern train from Maurice to Alton, and then a third train from Alton to Hospers. This took almost an entire day.
Florence was one of the original organizers of the American Legion Auxiliary in Sioux Center and has held many offices in the Ladies Auxiliary and the Missionary Circle of Centra! Reformed Church.
Written by Peter B. Mouw in August 1967 and updated by Vernon P. Mouw in 1989.
by Peter B. Mouwand Vemon P. Mouw
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SIOUX CENTER
In January 1892, the Farmers Savings Bank was organized by W. G. Bolser and M. H. Finney of Le Mars, John Vande Berg, W. F. Nieland, Teunis Prins, and Peter Egan, Jr. of Sioux Center, Arie Vander Meide of Orange City, and G. W. Pitts of Alton. Peter Egan, Jr. was appointed cashier and Harry Braithway was appointed assistant cashier. The bank was not successful and in 1892 G. W. Pitts and a Mr. Kassey from Alton assumed the management. Teunis Prins was appointed cashier. Evidently this arrangement proved no more. successful than the first and in 1894 the bank was liquidated.
Citizen State Bank Established
In June, 1894, a group of local people organized the Citizens State Bank. Its shareholders and directors were Ben Mouw, Sr., G. H. Schoep, L. E. Day, Evert Vermeer, and W. F. Nieland. A. M. Day was appointed cashier. He was replaced in 1896 by Jerry Kendrik. In 1897 Neal Mouw, the son of Ben Mouw, Sr. became assistant cashier. In 1900 Jerry Kendrik became involved in financial difficulties and was dismissed. Teunis Prins was appointed to replace him.
In 1900 the controlling interest in the Citizens State Bank was sold to O. P. Miller, J. P. Thompson, E. Huntington, and A. M. Cox, all of Rock Rapids, IA. Three local men, Charles Creglow, Teunis Prins, and George F. Hillmer remained with the bank. Teunis Prins remained as cashier and Neal Mouw was assistant cashier. In 1902 Neal Mouw became cashier upon the resignation of Teunis Prins. The deposits of the bank at that time totaled $57,576.23.
Becomes First National Bank
In August 1904 the application for a national charter was approved and Citizens State Bank became the First National Bank of Sioux Center. George D. Siemen was added to the staff as assistant cashier. The following year Fred C. Aue was appointed bookkeeper.
In 1910 The First National Bank was sold to Neal Mouw, Anthony Te Paske, H. K. Eggink, John Boeyink, Jacob De Ruyter, Herman Te Paske, Fred C. Aue, all of Sioux Center, and A. Vander Meide of Orange City, the father-in-law of Neal Mouw. At this time Arie Vander Meide was president, Neal Mouw was cashier, and F. C. Aue was assistant cashier. In December 1911 Peter B. Mouw was appointed bookkeeper.
In 1918 Neal Mouw became president of the bank, a position he held for twenty-seven years until his death in 1945. F. C. Aue was cashier and P. B. Mouw was assistant cashier.
First National Bank of Sioux Center L-R: F.C.
Aue, and Peter B. Mouw
The location of the bank changed several times during its early years. The Citizens State Bank was originally located in a small building on the present site of the L. W. Achterhof real estate office. A few years later the bank built a brick building across the street on lot 19, block 7, (the north half of the Sioux Center State Bank building). The main floor of this building was high and bank customers had to climb seven steps to reach the front door. Some years later a new bank building was erected on lot 2, block 26 of North Sioux Center. This building was later used as the U.S. Post Office and Dr. B.N. Mouw's dental office. The present bank building was constructed in 1921.
In 1946 Fred C. Aue was named President of the bank. He retired in 1955. Peter B. Mouw succeeded him and served as President until 1977. Mr. Mouw continued as Chairman of the Board until his death in 1980. He had served the First National Bank for 69 years. Vernon P. Mouw succeeded his father as President in 1977 and continued in that capacity until April, 1985. James E. Stachour assumed the Presidency for a short period in 1985 and was then succeeded by Lawrence W. Jones who continues in that capacity at present. Members of the Board of Directors are Dan De Ruyter, William L. Mouw, Lauren M. Kaemingk, Marie Mouw, Roger Evans, Vernon P. Mouw and Lawrence W. Jones. Vernon P. Mouw bas served as Chairman of the Board since 1980.
Through the years The First National Bank has experienced several building, expansion and remodeling programs. In 1963 the interior of the bank was remodeled extensively - new teller counters, new offices, a lowered ceiling, and new floor coverings. A walk-in, drive-in service was added to the south side of the bank and parking areas were developed to the south and east of the building. As the bank grew, the need for additional offices became critical in 1971, and a 16 foot strip of offices was added to the south and east. By 1979 customer traffic through the drive-up banking facility had increased to the point that the waiting line was backed up onto Main Street - busy Highway 75. This created a dangerous situation and the Board of Directors approved the construction of additional banking facilities. The John Kroon homestead on the north west corner of "Kroons Corner" - the stoplight at the intersection of 7th Street and Main Avenue, was selected as a desirable location. We wanted to build a structure with some significance for Sioux Center. The location of the Great Northern Railroad depot and the associated grain elevators and livestock yards prompted the move of the Sioux Center business district from North Sioux Center - the intersection of Main Avenue and North Ninth Street, to the present location. Since the railroad influence had been significant we asked Great Northern for authentic plans of an old time depot. They complied and our "Depot Office" is an authentic replica of a Great Northern Railway depot. Railroad memorabilia and old railroad pictures provide an interesting interior decor. The Railway Express cart and a section of "iron rails" add interest to the exterior. In 1982 the bank purchased lot 2, block 26 immediately north of the main bank location. This building had housed the First National Bank prior to construction of its present facility in 1921. The old building was gutted, extended and rebuilt. Our agricultural department, bookkeeping, data processing function, and automatic teller machine are located in this addition.
Paralleling the expansion and improvement of our physical facilities, our Heritage Club for senior citizens, First National Bank Credit Card and First Sioux Financial Services enhance our ability to provide "full service banking" for our customers.
The First National Bank of Sioux Center, first as a state bank and later as a national bank, has provided this community with uninterrupted banking services since 1894.
By Vernon P. Mouw