PEEDAN, W. H.

PEEDAN, FOSTER

Posted By: Jennifer Gunderson (email)
Date: 3/13/2021 at 23:18:20

One of the progressive and popular business men of Mason City is W. H. Peedan, who is proprietor of the successful enterprise conducted under the title of the Mason City Rug Company. He has been a resident of this city since 1890 in which year he became chief clerk in the clothing store conducted by W. E. Ensign. With this concern he continued to be identified until the following year when distinctive mark of the stronghold he had gained upon the popular esteem in the community was given in his election to the office of county recorder in which he continued to serve for three consecutive terms. After his retirement from this office Mr. Peedan purchased the Daily Globe, and later purchased the plant and business of the Mason City Gazette and effected the consolidation of the two papers under the present title of the Globe-Gazette. S. A. Narine was finally admitted to partnership in the business and later Mr. Peedan sold his interests to the firm of Muse & Conroy. While thus actively identified with journalistic enterprises Mr. Peedan was also the owner of a half interest in the Mason City Steam Laundry with the operation of which he continued to be identified for a period of twelve years, disposing of his interest therein in the autumn of 1906. His aggressive business instincts and constructive ability have always found profitable exemplification and for the past decade he has been identified with the manufacturing of rugs to which he has given practically his undivided attention since the autumn of 1906. He has a well equipped establishment. The business is conducted under the title of the Mason City Rug Company, as is noted in the opening paragraph of this sketch. The finely equipped factory is located in what is known as the Mill building, which was purchased by Mr. Peedan a number of years ago, and here are utilized four floors, each thirty by sixty feet in dimensions, and two wings, of one story each and respectively twenty-four by thirty-six and twenty-four by twenty-two feet in dimensions. The annual transactions of the company have grown from two thousand dollars to the noteworthy aggregate average of twenty thousand dollars and the business is one of the important contributions to the commercial and industrial prestige of Mason City and Cerro Gordo county. The trade of the concern ramifies throughout Iowa and also extends into the states of Kansas, North and South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Minnesota. An efficient corps of traveling salesmen represent the company throughout its wide trade territory at special seasons. The mechanical equipment of the concern is of the most modern type and the factory is undoubtedly one of the best of its kind in the entire state. Mr. Peedan is a thoroughly practical, progressive and enterprising business man and he has shown a lively interest in supporting all measures and enterprises tending to advance the general welfare of the community. In politics he is a stanch Republican and he has rendered effective service in behalf of the party cause. As already noted he served six years as county recorder but he has never been a candidate for other public offices than this. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, Modern Woodmen of America and the Modern Brotherhood of America and is a member of the Christian church.

Mr. Peedan was born in Allamakee county, Iowa, on the 21st of October, 1860, and is a son of Capt. H. N. Peedan, who came to this state in the '50s and was numbered among the pioneers of the county mentioned. Captain Peedan was a captain in an Illinois regiment in the Civil war and for several years after the close of the same he continued his residence in Illinois. He finally removed to Arkansas where he had extensive lumber and mill interests. He is now living retired at Simpson, Texas, and is about seventy-five years of age at the time of this writing, in 1910. The subject of this sketch was fifteen years of age when he took up his residence in Cerro Gordo county and his success as a business man represents the diametrical results of his own efforts.

On the 12th of April, 1885, Mr. Peedan was united in marriage to Miss Hattie May Foster of Rockwell, Cerro Gordo county, where she was born and reared, being a member of one of the pioneer families of this county. She was summoned to the life eternal on the 22nd of March, 1906, and of the four children, two daughters, Bernice Estelle and Gail are deceased; Max, who is seventeen years of age (1910), is attending the public school of Mason City, as is also Lavinia, who is eleven years of age.

Source: WHEELER, J. H. History of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. Vol. II. Lewis Publ. Co. Chicago. 1910. Transcribed by Jennifer Gunderson (Mar 2021)