The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-12-30
From Saturdays Daily.
Will Observe Golden Wedding.

hover of st. Peter will celebrate
their golden wedding anniversary on
Sunday. Fifty years ago, on Christ
mas day, the couple were joined in
| marriage. The ceremony was per-
formed at the Magner homestead,
west of st. Peter. The officiating
clergyman was Rev. Edward Liver
more, for twenty-three years rector
of the Episcopal church at st. Peter.
Mr.. Donahower is eighty years old
and Mrs. Donahower sixty-eight.
| Mr.. Donahower, who enjoys the
distinction of being Minnesota's old
est active banker, received his edu-
cation in the schools of Reading, Pa,
and at the age seventeen entered a
store in that city as a clerk. In
1852 he went to Indianapolis, Ind.
where he was employed in a mer-
camille establishment owned by A.
and j. c. S. Harrison, distant rela-
tives of President Harrison. A year
later he located at st. Paul and was
engaged by Charles II. Parker to
draw up the first set of abstracts
ever used in Ramsey county, later
being employed by Mr.. Parker as
teller in the EATERS bank. In 1856
he took the same position in Macu-
bin & Edgertop's bank, holding it
/ two years.
During the winter of 1856 Mr. Don
ahower went to Mankato and bought
! fifty acres, of land near that city.
| His close acquaintance with the of.
! ficers Of the st. Peter company in.
! duced him to change, however, and
in May, 1867, accompanied by Mr.
Edgerton and Alvah Smith, came to
this city and founded private bank
under the firm name of Edgerton
! DOnahOwer & Co. Their bank was
established when the agitation in ia.
vOr of moving the capital to st. Pc.
ter was at its height, and was con
tinued until 1860, when the firm
name was changed to Edgerton G.
DOnahoWer
A year after coming to ST. Peter
Mr.. Donahower and II. M. Ketchum
bought stock of merchandise and
ran a general store for three and
a half years, when Mr.. ketchum sold
out and went to Chicago. After his
retirement J. N. Treadwell was as
ISOLATED in business with Mr. Dona.
hover for time, but in 1887 the
latter sold out to c. Amundson, who
has been his partner for thirteen
years.
The banking firm Of Edgerton &
! Donahower continued until 1871
when it was dissolved and the First
| National bank organized with Will
lam Schimmel as president; B. F.
Paul, vice president, and Mr.. Dona
hover, cashier. This position was re-
tanned by Mr.. Donahower until 1899
when he was elected president, an
office he still holds.
In banking circles throughout the
states Mr.. DOnahower is regard
ed as an able, conservative financier
and he has weathered three periods
of panic and business depression
those of 1867, 1873 and 1898, as the
head of the same institution. Mr.
DOnahower was chairman of the
board of county commissioners when
the present court house was erected
and for years served as a member
of the board of education, but aside
from these positions, he could never
be induced to run for public office.
During his long career Mr.. Dona
hover has been identified with many
enterprises that have contributed tc
the upbuilding of st. Peter, and fol
fifty years he has been one of the
city's foremost business men. AS
they approach the sunset of tbeil
lives. Mr.. and Mrs. Donahower FIND
themselves with many near and warm
friends, and it is the wish of these
that they may live to celebrate many
more anniversaries.
Family Reunion.
Good Thunder Herald The Mer
tesdorf family will hold theil