1915 Index

Iowa: Its History and Its Foremost Citizens
Original Edition.  3 Vols.  Des Moines, IA: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1915-1916.

T

Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

G. F. Tincknell received his education in the local public and high schools and following his graduation in 1888 he entered the Bank of Alta as a clerk. Among his duties was the task of sweeping the banking rooms, for he began at the very bottom of the ladder. He did well the work that fell to him and let slip no opportunity of learning the business routine of the institution. In 1900 he was elected cashier and proved efficient in that capacity. Nine years later the bank was reorganized and became the Alta State Bank, by which name it is known at present. Our subject was for two years vice president and was then elected president, which office he still holds. The business of the bank has increased threefold and much of its growth and development is due to his knowledge of banking in principle and detail. The confidence in which the general public holds the bank springs from the fact that its policy is one of progressiveness tempered by wise conservatism. While the institution seeks to aid legitimate business expansion it also carefully safeguards the interests of its depositors and stockholders.

On the 28th of October, 1896, Mr. Tincknell married Miss Bessie L. Dier, a daughter of John Dier, of Le Mars, and to that union have been born five children, Florence, Dorothy, Marjorie, Sybil and Dier.

Mr. Tincknell is a progressive republican in politics and is one of the leaders of his party in Buena Vista county. He has served acceptably as mayor of Alts, has been city clerk for years and for fifteen years has been treasurer of the school board. His religious allegiance is given to the Methodist Episcopal church and he contributes generously to its support. Fraternally he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and to the Knights of Pythias. He is treasurer of the Buena Vista County Fair Association and does much to secure the success of the annual fairs, which are considered the best county fairs in Iowa. He is a director and secretary of the Northern Telephone Company, which has its office at Fonda, but all of the business of the concern is transacted in Alta. However, he gives the greater part of his time and energy to the management of the Alta State Bank, of which he is a stockholder and director as well as president. The institution is a fifty thousand dollar corporation and is one of the largest and strongest banks of Iowa in a town of this size. All who have had dealings with him recognize his ability and his integrity, and he is not only highly esteemed, but is also popular personally.

HON. WILLIAM NEWTON TREICHLER, who voluntarily retired from the bench of the eighteenth judicial district on the 1st of January, 1915, has advanced through the steps of an orderly progression until he stands with the leading representatives of the Iowa bar and his judicial power was manifest in the fact that from few of his decisions was appeal taken and in still fewer instances was his decision reversed. He displays a masterful grasp of the problems presented for solution and the analytical trend of his mind enables him to arrive at a fair and equitable conclusion. For many years he made his home in Tipton, where he has the warmest regard of his fellow townsmen, but he is now practicing law in Cedar Rapids.

Pennsylvania claims Judge Treichler as a native son, his birth having occurred in Montgomery county, January 8, 1856, his parents being Abram and Margaret (Miller) Treichler, who were also natives of that county and there remained until the spring of 1866, when they arrived in Cedar county, Iowa, which continued to be the place of their abode until they were called to their final rest, the father reaching the remarkable old age of ninety-two years, while the mother passed away at the age of eighty-four. At the time when all carriage work was done by ha1ld and such a vehicle sold for from four to six hundred dollars, Abram Treichler followed the business of blacksmithing and carriage building in Pennsylvania, but subsequent to his removal to the west he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. He attained high rank in Masonic circles and became a prominent supporter of the republican party in Iowa, joining its ranks when it was formed to prevent the further extension of slavery into the north. Previously his political support had been given to the whig party.

Judge Treichler spent the period of his boyhood and youth in the usual manner of farm lads. Of nine children he was the seventh in order of birth and was but ten years of age when the family arrived in Cedar county. He assisted his father in developing the Linn township farm but after two years began providing for his own support as a farm hand in the employ of others, working by the month. He was thus engaged through the summer seasons, while the winters were devoted to school work. His mental hunger seemed insatiable. He read and studied wherever opportunity offered and early seemed to recognize the fact that the lack of education is a handicap almost insurmountable. He enrolled as a student in the University of Iowa and supplemented his more specifically literary course in that institution by the study of law, being graduated at the age of twenty-three. He also had a complete course in a business college of Davenport.

It has been said that when in the battle of life the city boy crosses swords with the country lad the odds are against him. The early rising, the daily tasks, the economical habits of the country boy prepare him for the struggle that must precede ascendancy. The habits of industry and close application which Judge Treichler early developed have constituted the foundation of his present success. He entered upon the practice of law immediately following his graduation from the law college of the State University of Iowa and in 1880 entered the office of Wolf & Landt of Tipton, acting as assistant there for two years, at the end of which time he formed a law partnership with H. L. Huber. After a year or two, however, he began practice independently and, in the words of a contemporary biographer, "since that time he has been alone in practice and earnest application, intuitive wisdom, keen power of analysis and careful preparation of cases have gained him prominence and success at the bar."

In 1898 he was elected judge of the eighteenth judicial district of Iowa. which comprises the counties of Cedar, Jones and Linn, and on the expiration of his first term resumed the practice of law. However, he was reelected to the bench in 1906 and in 1910 and continued as judge until January l, 19l6, when he voluntarily retired and formed a partnership with his son, William E., for the general practice of law and removed to Cedar Rapids.

On the retirement of Judge Treichler from the bench both the Linn and Cedar county bars adopted resolutions of appreciation of his services which were spread upon the records of both county bar associations and which were in substance as follows:

That we, the members of the bar of Linn and Cedar counties, desiring to express our appreciation of his many years of service upon the bench and our regard for him personally do hereby place on record the following testimonials:

We testify to his uniform courtesy; to his patient and careful investigation of matters submitted to him; to his accurate knowledge of the law; to his executive ability in conducting the proceedings of the court. We place on record our regard for him as a man of character, not only as a lawyer and judge' but as a citizen who has given freely of his time and energy as well as more substantial aid in securing and promoting public improvements which have been of greatest benefit to our cities, counties and state.

Judge Treichler has been connected with the trial of various important cases, including the boulevard paving case of Tipton, when he was one of the attorneys, and while on the bench rendered the decision in the famous Cedar Rapids water case. At the bar and as a trial lawyer he has always been courteous but forceful, logical, convincing and never a quibbler over nonessential points. In practice he prepares his cases with patience, faithfulness and ability and seldom is involved by his opponents in a phase of the litigation which he has not carefully considered. As counselor he is astute but conservative. In his decisions he exhibited the same traits as have marked his career at the bar, always thoroughly examining the pending matter and basing his clearly expressed conclusions on the fundamental principles of the law. Those who know him personally or have had professional dealings with him in his judicial capacity need not be told that his decisions from the bench are quite devoid of political considerations or individual leanings.

Judge Treichler is most happily situated in his home life. In March, 188S, at Norristown, Pennsylvania, he wedded Miss Joanna Rhoads, a native of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Joseph and Ann (Crawford) Rhoads, who always remained residents of the Keystone state. Mrs. Treichler is closely connected with the Jacob De Haven family of Revolutionary fame. By her marriage she has become the mother of three sons: Joseph Rhoads, now with Marshall Field's in Chicago; Abram H., connected with the Tipton Light & Heating Company at Tipton; and William Edmond, a graduate of the Iowa State University, and now associated with his father in the practice of law.

While Judge Treichler has always regarded the practice of law as his real life work, other interests of a business and public nature have claimed his attention, and he is now president of the Tipton Light & Heating Company. His activities in behalf of the public welfare have been many and the results thereof effective and far-reaching. When age conferred upon him the right of franchise he became a republican and for one term he served as mayor of Tipton, to which office he was elected in 1884. His administration brought about various improvements in city affairs, including the construction of the present waterworks system and the first municipal electric light plant installed in the city. On the organization of the Tipton Public Library Association he became one of its trustees, and so continued while a resident of Tipton, and he was for many years its president. It was he who was largely instrumental in securing from Andrew Carnegie the gift that made possible the establishment of the library. Other townsmen had written to Mr. Carnegie upon the same subject, but their letters had received no response. Three weeks passed and Judge Treichler received no reply to his communication, when at the solicitation of one of the library trustees he wrote again. As the result of this Tipton received a donation of ten thousand dollars, this being the first small library thus benefited by the steel magnate. Judge Treichler has always found scientific research a matter of intellectual stimulus and interest with him and he now holds membership in the State Historical Society of Iowa and the National Geographical Society. He became one of the founders and from the first served as president of the Cedar County Chautauqua Association, in which connection he did effective work in making the Chautauqua assemblies a source of deep interest and of educative value. Many of the finest speakers of the country have been heard in Tipton through that organization, together with renowned musical and other artists. Upon retiring from the bench Judge Treichler removed to Cedar Rapids with his family in order to give his law practice his more undivided attention. He is a typical man of the period, alert and progressive, with faith in his own land and its institutions, while his recognition of the possibilities of the country has found tangible expression in effective work for the public good.