Pierce, Thomas M. 1874 –

PIERCE

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 4/22/2015 at 15:40:41

THOMAS M. PIERCE.

The business ability of Thomas M. Pierce has played an important part in the development of Calmar, Iowa, in which town he owns a first-class hotel; conducted along modern and up-to-date lines. He was also instrumental in founding the Calmar Savings Bank and still serves as its vice president. Moreover, he has important real-estate interests here as well as in Canada and South Dakota.

Mr. Pierce is a direct descendant of John Pierce, who came over in the Mayflower, and he was born in Burlington, Pennsylvania, in April 1874, a son of Clarence and Morley Pierce, natives of that city. During his whole life their father was a commercial traveler, beginning his career in that capacity at the age of sixteen. His territory comprised the states of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and he followed that occupation until his death, which occurred in April 1891. The mother still survives and makes her home in Pennsylvania.

Until twelve years of age Thomas M. Pierce attended school in Burlington, Pennsylvania, and then made his home with an uncle, continuing his education until eighteen years of age, when he left his relative to come to Decorah, Iowa, where his brother was then located. In this city he found employment with Frank Adams, receiving his board and room for his work, but no pay for the first two weeks, but he finally succeeded in reaching an agreement with his employer which entitled him to eighteen dollars per month. He remained with Mr. Adams from 1892 until July, 1893, when he came to Calmar, becoming night clerk at the Eaton House at a salary of twenty-five dollars per month. In that capacity he remained until 1894, when he bought the lunch room adjoining the hotel, with which he was connected until 1907, He had, however, previous to that time taken charge of the Eaton House, September 10, 1898, and continued to conduct it until September 1, 1907, when his lease expired. In 1902 Mr. Pierce had also purchased the old Ferguson Hotel and used the same as an annex to the depot hotel, so that when his lease of the depot hotel gave out he moved into the annex and in 1907 remodeled the place and built an addition. This hotel is now modern in every way, elegantly and comfortably furnished, has steam heat throughout and is equipped with all modern conveniences. He has conducted the same ever since with continually increasing success. In 1907 Mr. Pierce made another addition and has now fifty rooms at the disposal of his guests, doing the foremost hotel business in the town. He seems to be a born hotelkeeper and the position he has attained is the more creditable as he started out in life empty-handed. On the 4th of June, 1913, he purchased the Wales Hotel of Dubuque, which is the best hotel in that city, being five stories in height and containing one hundred and forty rooms.

In February, 1911, when the Calmar Savings Bank was organized with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars, Mr. Pierce became one of its stockholders and has served as vice president since its organization. He also is an extensive dealer in real-estate and owns valuable tracts of land in South Dakota and Canada.

In his political affiliations Mr. Pierce is a republican, and although he has never cared for office keeps well informed upon all public questions, giving his eager support to all movements intended to upbuild and develop Calmar and surrounding territory. His faith is that of the Methodist church and fraternally he is affiliated with the Masonic order, belonging to the lodge in Calmar, and also to the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Pierce has come to be recognized as one of the substantial men of his community, in the development of which he has played no mean part. His career is but proof of the fact that industry and energy pave the way to success and that prosperity is but ambition's answer.

Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark Publishing Company 1913

Winneshiek Biographies maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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