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Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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John and Charles R. Custer One
of the most popular and best known mercantile firms in Jasper County is that of
Custer Bros. & Wright, grocers, of Monroe, whose rapidly growing business
and large success has been due to the honesty, enterprise and foresight of the
managers, and they have long enjoyed the confidence and good will of their
hundreds of patrons from all over the County. Charles R. Custer was born in Monroe, Iowa,
May 23, 1870, and he is the son of Aaron and Hullena (White) Custer, the former
a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio; they were married in the last
named state. They came west in 1869, settling in Monroe, this County, where the
father engaged in his trade of carpenter and cabinet-maker.
He then formed a partnership and launched out in the furniture business.
This firm built the brick block now occupied by the O'Connor & Perrin
restaurant. Aaron Custer then sold
out and engaged in the general fire insurance business for a few years after
which he started a lumber yard in company with Messrs. Dixon and Runnels, which
business, in partnership, and later, individually, he continued eighteen years.
It was during this time that he was elected for two terms to the General
Assembly of Iowa, on the Republican ticket, and he made a brilliant record
there, winning the hearty approval of his constituents and the leaders of his
party. After disposing of his
lumber business he moved to Missouri, where he again resumed this line of
endeavor. He owned and operated a
big mill at Ash Hill, that state, for some time.
At the end of three years he returned to Monroe, where, the first year,
he built a number of dwelling houses. Later
he built the business rooms now occupied by the firm of Custer Bros. &
Wright, Mr. Custer up until his death, August 17, 1907, age sixty-three, being
connected with the firm, then known as Custer, Wright & Company.
In the passing away of this, one of the most prominent citizens of the
early days in Jasper County, the community lost a stalwart, brainy, influential
man. He probably did more for
Monroe than any other citizen and at all times its best interests were his.
He served as its mayor, as a councilman, upon its school board and also
served his Township in numerous capacities, always with credit to himself and to
the great satisfaction of the people. At
one time he organized a factory for the manufacture of wood novelties and to do
general woodwork, which factory was later moved to Missouri.
Of a decidedly inventive mind, Mr. Custer worked for years on a system of
dry separation for refractory ores, principally gold and silver, which work,
since his death, has been taken up by his sons who are at present perfecting the
system and the machine. Every
detail and element of the invention is covered by patent and the invention bids
fair to revolutionize mining in refractory ore regions.
At one time Aaron Custer did his utmost to interest capital in the
development of a mineral paint, the raw materials for which are in large
deposits not far from Monroe. He
partly succeeded, but matters over which he had no control prevented the success
of the enterprise. His widow still
lives in Monroe, also three children, Mary Wright, wife of C. B. Wright, Charles
and John Custer, who, with Mr. Wright, compose the present firm. On January 19, 1902, Charles Custer was
united in marriage with Millie Bond, the daughter of S. A. and Lydia Bond. In
politics both he and his brother are Republicans.
John W. Custer married Tennie Coffey, the daughter of William Coffey, who
resides in Monroe. The Past and Present
of Jasper County, Iowa, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-in-Chief, 1912, B. F.
Bowden & Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. |
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