Dickinson Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and
Biographical Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and
Marion Counties-Charles M. Case
Portrait and Biographical
Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion
Counties
Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1893
CHARLES M. CASE, Cashier of the Bank
of Enterprise, Treasurer of the J. B. Ehrsam
Machine Company, and proprietor of
the Enterprise Journal, was born in Woodstock,
Vt., February 27, 1843. He remained in the Green
Mountain State until seventeen years of age, when,
in 1861, he entered the Ignited States Naval Service
as Master Mate of the "Penguin." In 1862,
he was made Ensign on the "Frazer" gunboat,
and was afterward Master of the same vessel on
the Potomac. Subsequently, he became Master of
the "Anacosta," a steam gunboat, and in 1864
was transferred to the staff of Commodore Parker,
Commander of the Potomac fleet, with whom he
remained for fifteen months. He was in the service
until December, 1865.
At that time, Mr. Case resigned his position to
accept the appointment of Consul to Sydney,
Australia, which was made by President Lincoln and
secured to him through the efforts of Henry J. Raymond,
of the New York Times, his personal friend.
However, he resigned before entering upon his
duties and engaged in business for himself in Savannah,
Ga., as a produce and commission merchant.
After two years, he was burned out and
lost all he had. He then went to New York and
engaged in the brokerage business for more than
a year, but on the "Black Friday" of history he
again lost everything.
In 1870, Mr. Case came to Kansas and secured
Indian land in Wilson County. Two years later,
he made a homestead in Rice County, where he
resided for ten years, and then was engaged in the
banking business in Windom, McPherson County.
In 1887, he sold out and bought an interest in the
Enterprise Bank, of which he has since had the
entire management. He and his friends own the
controlling interest in the manufacturing company
before mentioned, representing $100,000 worth of
stock. The Enterprise Bank was incorporated in
1883, with a capital stock of $50,000, $20,000 being
paid in. This was increased to $75,000 in 1889,
and again increased to 1100,000 in 1892. The
bank pays a dividend every six months. Its
present officers are C. B. Hoffman, President; J.
F. Buhrer, Vice-president; and C. M. Case, Cashier.
The J. H. Ehrsam Machine Company was incorporated
in 1883, with a capital of $30,000.
This was increased in 1890 to $60,000, and in
1892 to $100,000, all paid in. The Missouri
River jobbing rates have been secured, and the
freight bills from January 1 to April 1, 1892,
exceeded $6,000. The pay roll averages over
$200 daily, and they employ from one hundred
and twenty to one hundred and forty
men, mostly mechanics. They principally manufacture
mill machinery and do a general mill outfitting
business, and also manufacture agricultural
implements quite extensively. They fill large orders
for the Wilson Header, having made six hundred
machines in 1892, and they expect to manufacture
fifteen hundred the ensuing year. They
manufacture the well-known Stickle patents, and
their annual business amounts to nearly $500,000.
They have a seventy-five horse-power water
wheel and engine of equal power. This company
also established the electric-light works with an
outlay of $8,000, and they do the pumping for the
city waterworks. They occupy a large plant and
have lately built extensive warehouses, having
made $30,000 worth of improvements during the
last year.
Mr. Case was largely instrumental in securing
the establishment of the Harrison Normal College,
which was incorporated in 1889, with C. Hoffman,
President; A. G. Eyth, Treasurer; and C. M.
Case, Secretary. A subscription list was started,
and these gentlemen, in connection with J. F.
Buhrer, John A. Hafner, E. F. Grosser and C. B.
Hoffman, gave the entire amount, $15,000, with
the exception of about $1,000 given in small
amounts. They also gave eighty acres of land.
The building was erected in 1890, and is a fine
three-story structure with fourteen rooms.
On the 8th of November, 1866, in Franklin,
Conn., Mr. Case was joined in wedlock with Miss
Lottie A. Johnson. They have no children of
their own, but have an adopted son, Richard J.
Case, who is now seven years old. Mrs. Case is
a member of the Congregational Church, but as
there is no organized society here, she works with
the Union Sunday-school and is very prominent,
being its Superintendent. Her life has been largely
devoted to church work, and she is a kind and benevolent
lady, whose goodness of heart prompts
her to perform many acts of charity. The poor
and needy recognize in her a friend, and those in
distress are ever sure of her sympathy. She is
also connected with the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union and one of its leading workers.
Mr. Case is a prominent Mason. He belongs
to the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery of
Abilene, and to the Scottish Rite of Salina. In
politics, he is a stalwart and inflexible adherent of
the Republican party and publishes the Enterprise
Journal in its interests. He has served for three
successive terms as Mayor of Enterprise, being
twice unanimously elected, and during his administration
the system of city waterworks was
established. He is a man of marked social qualities,
pleasant and affable in manner, an interesting
conversationalist and a genial companion.
He has an elegant home, commanding a view of
the town and surrounding country, and has one
of the finest and choicest private libraries to be
found in the State. It contains several hundred
volumes, works of the best authors, and indicates
the refinement and cultured taste of the owner.
As a business man, Mr. Case has been eminently
successful. He is industrious, enterprising and
progressive, and in the legitimate channels of
business has won a well-deserved prosperity.
(c) 2009 Sheryl McClure for
Dickinson County KS AHGP