NORTHWESTERN IOWA ITS HISTORY AND TRADITION VOLUME II 1804-1926 W. P. MANLEY During the obsequies following the passing of the late Wilbur Porter Manley, veteran banker and philanthropist of Sioux City, his pastor, the Rev. Edwin F. Rippey of the First Presbyterian church observed that "the city counts his going as a loss and mourns." And it was even so. "There are men in every community whose privilege it is to serve," continued the clergyman. "Certain ones accept the opportunities presented. Only those who forget self and discount personal welfare successfully serve. Such men give their life, their best. So it has been with W. P. Manley." In further comment along this line the clergyman observed that "we did not mark his presence except in the good that he did. He went his quiet way, retiring and dignified. Only was his presence felt when he gave to the need of the community or the individual. But keen as the loss may be, there is great reason for rejoicing in the heritage of memories that he leaves us, of his faith in the future of this city, of his belief in the men who made the city, of his love for and loyalty to the city and its institutions, of his friendliness and his interest in his acquaintances, of his devotion and loyalty to his church, of his service to men in the effectual paths of religion and of his loving care and keen and intense devotion to his family." Many similar tributes emphasized the above. Resolutions passed by the Sioux City Chamber of Commerce referred to Mr. Manley as one of the city's most valued residents, "an upright and far-seeing business man, always ready to assist any worthy enterprise; a man who in the midst of his business activities was always a leader in the educational, religious and philanthropic life of the city, giving abundantly of his time and his means; a man to whom those in distress instinctively turned for comfort, advice and help." These resolutions gratefully acknowledged the Chamber's deep obligation of memory "to our departed friend whose life is an example and an inspiration to the citizens of the city to which he came as a young man and to whose growth and betterment he has contributed by his ability, his integrity and his humanity." In like fashion the Sioux City Grain Exchange recognized "the great loss the community and surrounding territory sustains in the passing of this good man who was always foremost in work for civic welfare, in philanthropic generosity and in private giving of his means and advice to all worthy causes." At a joint meeting of the directors of the two banks which Mr. Manley established and of which he was for years the head the resolutions there adopted set out with reference to the deceased that "the phrase, 'a gentleman of the old school,' best describes his suave and gracious manner. It was always a delight to meet him." Continuing, these resolutions declared concerning this veteran financier that "as a banker he was conservative, yet he had vision to see growth and once he backed an honest, capable man in a new business he stood by him through thick and thin. Because he was prudent and his judgment was sound he has built in these banks monuments to his memory........He was a philanthropist in the broad sense, was always ready to give liberal aid to a deserving charity or to help an unfortunate individual. He was unostentatious in his benefactions, yet he was the formost giver in the community. He regarded his wealth as a trust to be used in part for the help of those less fortunate than he.....His career has been a vital part of the life of Sioux City for forty years. He has left his impress upon the community and has built a monument to his sturdy manhood." The newspaper carried similar tributes in their editorial columns and published many expressions of regard and esteem for the memory of the deceased. The president of the Chamber of Commerce expressed the opinion that "the standards of banking in this whole territory are higher because of Mr. Manley's conduct of his own bank and because of his influence. His ability as a banker was recognized in the great banking centers and more than once he was invited to accept a connection with one of the large institutions in the cities. However, he loved Sioux City and believed in its future. . . I never knew anyone more generous. The public has known of his large gifts to worthy institutions. He also gave constantly and liberally where only the recipient and himself knew of the gifts. The gift of his time was an important as the gifts of his money." Another friend observed that "he was a true and consistent friend, a judicious and intelligent banker whose friends in the middle west and in the banking centers of this country will join with his friends in Sioux City in sincerely mourning the loss of a good citizen and a generous man." Another had it that "apart from his great ability as a banker his outstanding characteristic was his wonderful generosity - he simply could not turn down any worthy plea for assistance and always signed up for more than might reasonably be expected. His giving was one of the real satisfactions of his life. He had unbounded faith in men. If convinced that a man was honest and doing his best he would go to the limit with him." By another it was observed that "his characteristics were a high standard of ethics, strict integrity, intelligent and helpful interest in the city's growth - materially and spiritually - an open generosity in all matters that appealed to him as worthy, an unswerving loyalty to his friends and an abiding interest in the welfare of younger men who were starting out on life's career from as small beginnings as his own." There were many such expressions, for the whole community seemed to feel a sense of personal bereavement in the passing of this good man whose personal services had meant so much in the general development of that community from the days that might be regarded as belonging to the pioneer period of that development. Wilbur P. Manley, who died at his home in Sioux City on February 2, 1924, was born at Rutland, Vermont, July 25, 1858, and was thus in his sixty-fifth year at the time of his passing, forty years of which time had been spent in Sioux City. He was a son of Judge James Edwin Manley and Electa (Porter) Manley, both members of old colonial families in that section of New England, and the former for years occupied the bench of the circuit court in the Rutland district. Reared amid an excellent social environment, W. P. Manley received good schooling and as a young man was employed as a clerk in a local bank at Rutland and in rapid course was advanced to the position of cashier, there laying the foundation for his later eminent position in the banking world. While thus engaged he became interested in the establishment of the first telephone exchange in that city and presently bought the same, developed it and carried on the business for three years. In 1883, when twenty-five years of age, he became so attracted to the possibilities then so apparent to easterners in this section of Iowa that he disposed of his Rutland interests and started west with a view to becoming a banker in a growing community. His first location was at LeMars, where in that year he established the American Trust and Savings Bank. He presently became convinced that the then rival town of Sioux City offered better opportunities for expansion of the banking business than were apparent in LeMars and before the year was out he had determined to change his base of operations to the town down the river at the mouth of the Floyd. He found no lack of enterprising backers at Sioux City and it was thus that on February 1, 1884, there was founded, under his effective organization, the Security National Bank, now the oldest continuing banking institution in the city and regarded as on of the soundest in the northwest. This bank, which now has a paid up capital of a quarter of a million dollars, was organized with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars and is the oldest "Security" national bank in the country, Mr. Manley having coined the name which is now used in many cities throughout the United States. The growth of this institution is revealed in a late statement which shows it to have resources aggregating about six million dollars, with deposits of about five million dollars and with a surplus of nearly half a million. The original incorporators of this bank were Frank H. Peavey, grain dealer; Nicholas Tiedeman, grocer; Graig L. Wright, lawyer; Miles C. Davis, miller; Frank B. Goss, realtor; Allen C. Hoskins, realtor; Eri Richardson, realtor, and Mr. Manley. All are now deceased. Mr. Peavey was elected president, Mr. Davis the vice president and Mr. Manley the cashier, the latter furnishing his practical experience as a banker. In April, 1885, James A. Spaulding was elected president and he was succeeded, on June 1, 1891, by Mr. Manley, who continued as executive head of the institution until his retirement, at his own urgent request, in the fall of 1923, when he was made chairman of the board of directors and so continued until his death in the following February. The original bank was located at the northeast corner of Fourth and Nebraska streets, but its location was presently changed to a more desirable site on Fourth street, there continuing until its present building was erected in 1893. For many years Mr. Manley also was the president of the Woodbury County Savings Bank and he occupied a position of real prominence in banking circles throughout the northwest. Mr. Manley had no secret society affiliations and his only "club" connections were those he held through membership in the Sioux City Chamber of Commerce, the Country Club and the Boat Club, in these latter finding pleasant outdoor diversion. But for many years he had found his home to be his best and most comfortable "club" and it was there that his fondest interests ever centered. As has been so clearly indicated above, Mr. Manley's philanthropies afforded his much pleasure and to these he devoted thoughtful and intelligent attention, his donations being liberal in behalf of schools and welfare work, particularly the schools organized in behalf of the backward population of the south and in the work of the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations. He was one of the chief organizers of teh local branch of the Young Men's Christian Association at Sioux City and a member of the advisory committee of the Young Women's Christian Association. During the time of this country's participation in the World war he served as president of the Woodbury county chapter of the American Red Cross and was a constantly stimulating factor in the beneficent operations of that humanitarian agency here. For many years an office holder in the First Presbyterian church, he took an active and earnest interest in general church work, was a liberal contributing member of the American Bible Society and was a member of the board of trustees of Morningside College, Buena Vista College and Yankton College. On December 10, 1884, the year in which he began his banking operations at Sioux City, W. P. Manley was united in marriage to Miss Eva Richardson of this city, daughter of Eroi Richardson, mentioned above as one of the incorporators of the Security National Bank. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Manley has continued to make her home at Sioux City, in which her interests have centered since the days of her girlhood, residing at 2323 Nebraska street, where she is very pleasantly situated. Mr. Manley also is survived by a son, Leonard R. Manley, cashier of the Security National Bank, and two daughters, the Misses Margaret T. Manley and Louise E. Manley. Debbie Clough Gerischer Iowa Gen Web, Assistant CC, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ IAGENWEB: Special History Project: http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm Gerischer Family Web Site: http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/