Arthur Vette
At the time of the Carnegie library’s funding, Arthur M. Vette was serving in Marengo as mayor. The exact dates of his tenure as mayor are unclear, though he was elected after the 1900 Census, where his occupation was listed as merchant, and prior to 1903 when library records indicate he served as mayor. [1] Vette also worked as a partner of C.L. Shipton, a creamery and grain business.[2] In June 1903, Arthur appointed nine trustees to the library board. Shortly thereafter, the first meetings were held and progress with identifying a site for the library proceeded.[3] Vette was a respected member of his community: a Republican, a member of the Methodist church, and he was connected to the Knights of Pythias[4]. On July 15, 1905, Vette organized the People Savings Bank of Marengo, Iowa, and he served as its first president.[5] The bank had a capital stock of $25,000 and was prosperous for over a decade before closing on Thanksgiving Day in the late 1920s.[6]
Vette was born in Iowa County, Iowa, on February 14, 1865[7]. Born to Charles Otto Vette, a German immigrant, and Ursula (Wilkins) Vette, from New York, Arthur was one of eight children and had a twin. Following his schooling, Arthur became deputy treasurer in 1893 under J.C. Dunwiddie[8]. In March 1891, Arthur married Martha Turner of Watkins, Iowa. The couple had two children, Florence and Rachel[9]. Following his death from chronic interstitial nepharitis[10] in 1925[11], he was buried in the IOOF Cemetery in Marengo, Iowa[12], where his wife was also interred in 1931.
[1] Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule), Marengo City Township, Iowa County, Iowa, Aurthur Veotte household, [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017. http://ancestry.com. (Accessed 26 Nov. 2018).
[2] James C. Dinwiddie, History of Iowa County, Iowa, and Its People, vol. 2, (Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing, 1915).
[3] “Marengo Public Library, Past to Present.” Marengo Public Library, IMLS, 2017. www.marengo.lib.ia.us/Marengo{d88251a6d044bb92acfc6562c844669d257905d2c83f008be98127c59e94a890}20Public{d88251a6d044bb92acfc6562c844669d257905d2c83f008be98127c59e94a890}20Library{d88251a6d044bb92acfc6562c844669d257905d2c83f008be98127c59e94a890}20Past{d88251a6d044bb92acfc6562c844669d257905d2c83f008be98127c59e94a890}20to{d88251a6d044bb92acfc6562c844669d257905d2c83f008be98127c59e94a890}20Present.pdf. (Accessed 27 Oct. 2018).
[4] James C. Dinwiddie, History of Iowa County, Iowa, and Its People, vol. 2, (Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing, 1915).
[5] Though the bank was organized during the time of the library’s construction, there do not appear to have been connections between the two.
[6] Pauline Lillie, Marengo the County Seat Marengo the Town: A History, (Marceline: Walsworth Publishing, 1984). There was some ambiguity with the actual year of the closing of the bank.
[7] Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule), Marengo City Township, Iowa County, Iowa, Arthur Vette household [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. http://ancestry.com. (Accessed 26 Oct. 2018).
[8] James C. Dinwiddie, History of Iowa County, Iowa, and Its People, vol. 2, (Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing, 1915).
[9] Ibid.
[10] Joan Jovinelly, “Interstitial Nephritis,” Healthline, reviewed by Carissa Stephens, RN, CCRN, CPN, 2018. www.healthline.com/health/interstitial-nephritis. (Accessed 27 Oct. 2018). The disease is a kidney condition characterized by swelling between the kidney tubules.
[11] Ancestry.com, Iowa, Death Records, 1920–1940, Marengo, Iowa, Reference number 101784556 [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, http://ancestry.com. (Accessed 26 Oct. 2018).
[12] Ancestry.com, U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600-Current: Arthur M. Vette. [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, www.findagrave.com/memorial/83854728/arthur-m.-vette. (Accessed 29 Oct. 2018).
[13] Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule), Marengo City Township, Iowa County, Iowa, Arthur Vette household [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. http://ancestry.com. (Accessed 26 Oct. 2018).
[14] Ancestry.com, Iowa, Wills and Probate Records, 1758–1997, Iowa, District Court, Iowa County, Iowa, Arthur M Vette Current [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017. http://ancestry.com. (Accessed 26 Oct. 2018).
[15] Ancestry.com, Iowa, Death Records, 1920–1940, Marengo, Iowa, Reference number 101784556Current [database on-line], Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017, http://ancestry.com. (Accessed 26 Oct. 2018).
