PERKINS, Royal A.

PERKINS, PICKSLEY, GINGRICH, HOFFER

Posted By: P. Bergmeier (email)
Date: 5/15/2005 at 16:25:09

Royal A. Perkins, president of the First National Bank of La Porte City, Iowa, a position he has held for the past 10 years, is one of the leading capitalists of Black Hawk County. He was born in Noble County, Ohio, September 11, 1840, and is a son of Edward and Cynthia(Picksley)Perkins.

Edward Perkins was born September 3, 1789, near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, his parents being natives of New Jersey, who went as pioneers to Ohio in 1806 when Edward was 17 years of age. There he led a quiet, agricultural life, becoming one of the substantial farmers of Noble County. Probably his most important adventure was the killing, in young manhood, alone and unaided, of a bear, which overtook him, when obeying the summons of a draft into the army for service in the War of 1812. On account of sickness, he took no active part in the military events of that period. Two years prior to his decease, he joined his son in Benton County, Iowa, where he died June 26, 1868, aged 79 years. Early in life a strong Whig, he afterward affiliated with the Republican party. For many years, he was one of the pillars of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife was Cythia Picksley, who was born May 10. 1800, in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and died September 10, 1875 in Benton County, Iowa. Of the 11 children born to Mr. and Mrs. Perkins, nine reached maturity, but the only survivors are Columbus, a resident of Washington County, Ohio, and Royal A., who was the youngest.

Royal A. Perkins was reared to agricultural pursuits in Noble and Washington counties, Ohio, and after settling in Benton County, Iowa, in 1866, he continued to farm until he removed to La Porte City, in 1892; since that year he has been interested in financial enterprises. For a long period he was a leading agriculturist of Benton County, and the beautiful farm which he developed from the prairie has scarcely an equal in cultivation or productiveness, in that section of the State.

In 1893, Mr. Perkins became president of the First National Bank of La Porte City, one of the leading financial institutions of Black Hawk County, which has a capital and surplus of $75,000. He directs the policy of the bank, with these able coadjutors: W.D. Wagoner, vice-president; F.E. Wettstein, 2nd vice-president; J.H. Lunemann, cashier; and G.E. Stebbins, assistant cashier. The board of directors is made up of solid, substantial, representative men, as follows: Royal A. Perkins; F.E. Wettstein; W.D. Wagoner; Robert Wagner; W.T. McQuilkin; A.F. Kline; H.B. Lizer; A.B. Elmer; C.E. Ashley and J.H. Lunemann.

On February 25, 1875, Mr. Perkins was married to Katherine Gingrich, who was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, June 1, 1840, and is a daughter of Daniel and Katherin(Hoffer)Gingrich, of that State. Mrs. Perkins is one of a family of eight children. Both she and her husband are active members of the Presbyterian Church. They have a beautiful home in La Porte City, which Mr. Perkins built some years since, and which is made attractive by many handsome articles gathered by Mr. Perkins in his frequent travels over the United States.

Mr. Perkins has always been identified with the Republican party, and has held a number of township offices. He has long been a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is a Master Mason in Lodge No. 216, A.F. & A.M., and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Although he has had varied and important business interests for many years, this financier is at heart, an agriculturist, and still recalls with pleasure the years of labor spent on his Benton County farm.

History of Black Hawk County and It's People
1915