William Leui
Banking interests of Postville are ably and well represented
by William Leui one of the prominent and progressive citizens of
that community and the president of the Postville State Bank.
Forceful, active and aggressive, he is giving large interests, of
which he is the head, the strictest and most careful attention. A
native of the neighboring county of Clayton, Mr. Leui was born in
Grand Shadow, September 5, 1856, and is a son of Jacob and Susan
(Shield) Leui, well known and highly respected pioneers of
Clayton county, where he was reared on his father’s farm. In
the acquirement of his education he attended the schools of the
neighborhood and in his leisure hours and vacations helped his
father with the work of the farm until he was nearly grown to
manhood. However, there was in him a desire for better things
and, always wishing for a better education than the locality
afforded, he realized his ambition when he spent one year at
Fayette College taking a business and commercial course, from
which he graduated, and also spending six months at the State
University at Iowa City. Better prepared for life’s battle,
he returned to Postville, where he embarked for four years in the
general store owned by J. W. Roberts, and then armed a
partnership with Frank Orr, engaging in the hardware and
implement business. He was so engage for a number of years,
during which time the firm prospered, and created for himself a
splendid reputation among the people of the community. It was
during this time that he bought his first farm of one hundred and
thirty-seven acres constituting part of the old home farm in
Grand Shadow upon which he was born. His means {expanding and
expanding}, he purchased two years later an additional one
hundred and fifteen acres and the management of these farms and
his other business interests kept him busily and successfully
engaged until January 1, 1912, when be became president of the
Postville State Bank. Upon his able supervision the institution
has continued to prosper and expand in a remarkable degree and in
May 1912, one of the best business locations in the city was
purchased and the ground broken for a fine two-story brick bank
building to take care of the increased business of the
institution. The building is now occupied by the Postville State
Bank and gives it the very best quarters in the city besides
adding greatly to the improvement and appearance of the
community. An outlay of fifteen thousand dollars was necessitated
for the completion of the new building, which stands as evidence
of the stability of the institution, the bank being one of the
strongest in this section and deservedly popular with the people,
who have every confidence in it and its officers. It has a
capital of fifty thousand ollars, and an undivided surplus of an
even amount makes it one of the responsible financial enterprises
of this part of the state. Its deposits now exceed four hundred
and twenty-five thousand dollars and are rapidly approaching the
half million mark.
Mr. Leui was married in 1886 to Miss Jennie Orr, a daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. James Orr, highly respected pioneers, who came to
Allamakee county in 1855 and who are now residents of Postville.
To Mr. and Mrs. Leui two daughters have been born. Hattie S. and
Helen M. Their home is one of the handsome residences of the city
and there they often meet their extensive circle of charming
friends, who delight to partake of their hospitality. In his
political affiliations. Mr. Leui is a progressive republican and
although he is not active in politics, takes the interest in the
affairs of the government that should be demanded of every right
minded citizen and is an ardent champion of all movements and
measures undertaken in the interests of Allamakee county, his
locality, and his city. Although he is progressive in politics he
is progressive in business, although he lets not one interfere
with the other. The rapid advancement and development of
Allamakee county is largely due to the individual efforts of such
aggressive men as Mr. Leui, who by their efforts have made this
one of the most prosperous sections in the country-a locality
which not only excels for material wealth but which also carries
high the banner of moral and intellectual advancement.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
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