Black Hawk County >> 1915 Index

History of Black Hawk county, Iowa, and Its People
John C Hartman, supervising editor. Vols. I & II Chicago: S J Clarke Publ Co., 1915.

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Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

CLYDE ORRIN LAMSON submitted by Mary Eldridge

Clyde Orrin Lamson, a well known figure in real-estate circles in Waterloo, was born in Waverly, Iowa, February 5, 1873, a son of James and Cornelia F. ( Davis ) Lamson, who were natives of New York and of Iowa respectively. The father served as a soldier in the Ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war, remaining at the front for three years, during which time he participated in the battles of Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain and other important engage­ments which led to the final victory that crowned the Union arms. He and his wife are now residents of Anamosa, Iowa, where they have many warm friends.

Clyde O. Lamson spent his youthful days in Waverly and in Anamosa, Iowa, and after completing his public-school education won his diploma of graduation from the pharmaceutical department of the State University of Iowa with the class of 1894. He then came to Waterloo and entered the drug store of C. B. Henderson & Company as prescription clerk, occupying that position for two years. He then went to Hampton, Iowa, where he remained in a drug store for a year. On the expiration of that period he returned to Anamosa and established a drug store on his own account. He conducted that business for two years and then came to Waterloo, where he established a real-estate office and has since engaged in that line of business. He has negotiated many important real-estate transfers and is one of the foremost real-estate men of the city. This does not cover the scope of his activities, however, for in the fall of 1914 he opened the Russell-Lamson Hotel of Waterloo, which he had erected and which is one of the finest in the west. It is thoroughly modern in every particular, equipped after the most improved style of hotel furnishings, and would be a credit to a much larger city. Important and extensive as are his business interests in con­nection with the management of the hotel and the conduct of his real-estate busi­ness, Mr. Lamson has still further interests, being connected with the J. S. Kemp Manufacturing Company, which was organized in Waterloo in 1903 as an addition to the original company in Newark Valley, New York. That business was pur­chased by Mr. Lamson and others and is continued for the distribution of fer­tilizers, by the International Harvester Company, who purchased the business at a good figure about 1908. The factory and main business, however, are at Waterloo and at this point an extensive trade is enjoyed. He also built the Russell-Lamson office building at the corner of Fourth and Commercial streets, which was the.first office building in Waterloo equipped with elevator service. Mr. Lamson is both a forceful and resourceful man, ready to meet any emergency and capable of wisely directing his business affairs to a successful completion.

On the 28th of April, 1897, m Waterloo, Mr. Lamson was united in marriage to Miss Lillian Richards Russell, a daughter of Rensselaer Russell, who was born at Snowden, New York, in 1828, and in 1856 arrived in Waterloo. He was married in 1853, in his native state, to Miss Caroline M. Richards and they soon became widely and favorably known in social circles of Waterloo, while Mr. Russell made for himself a creditable place in business life, He was one of the first bankers of this city and was the owner of extensive landed possessions in Black Hawk county. His political allegiance was given to the republican party and several times he was called to the office of alderman. He belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and to the Episcopal church, and his life was guided by high and honorable principles. It was his daughter Lillian who became the wife of Clyde O. Lamson and onto them have been born two children: Russell Orrin, whose natal day was October 6, 1899; and Maxine Russell, born February 26, 1904.

The religious faith of the family is that of the Episcopal church and Mr. Lamson is senior warden of St. Martin 's church of Waterloo. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise he has voted with the republican party and has several times been called to public office, serving for four years as a member of the city council of Waterloo, while for nine years he has been a member of the school board, acting as its president for four years of that time. The cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion and he has done effective work to further the interests of the schools in this locality. In Masonry he has taken the degrees of the Scottish Rite and of the Mystic Shrine and he also is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He belongs to the Country Club and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, of which he became the first president and so continued for six years, doing much to shape the policy of that organization and broaden the scope of its usefulness. His life has indeed been a busy one, fraught with good results, both as to his own fortunes and to the public welfare. He has a wide acquaintance and wherever he is best known he is most honored and respected.

ALLEN TODD LANE was born in Niagara County, New York, October 17, 1832. Here he acquired his early education. In 1867 he removed to Waterloo with his family and here he resided until the time of his death on September 8, 1887. For the most of the time while living he engaged in the lumber and milling business.