1914 Delaware County History pgs. 128-131
Wilbur D. Hoyt
Wilbur D.
Hoyt has been the directing force in the establishment and growth of the W. D.
Hoyt Company, Incorporated, which is one of the most important business
enterprises of Delaware county.
The firm deals in
implements of all kinds and besides the main store in Manchester has a number
of branch stores. Mr. Hoyt was born in this county, October
29, 1872, a
son of S. M. Hoyt, whose birth occurred in Morris, New York, in 1820. The father came to Iowa in 1854 and settled upon a farm in Delaware county,
where he resided until death claimed him in 1894. He lived upon the same farm
for forty-one years, a record which is somewhat unusual. His wife was formerly
the widow of Leonard Miller, and was in her maidenhood Delilah Turner. She was
born in Middleburg, New
York, in 1828, and passed away in 1893, leaving one child, the subject of
this review.
Wilbur D.
Hoyt was educated in the common schools of this county, in Epworth Seminary and
at Ames Agricultural College. After leaving school he followed
farming for a number of years, but in 1896 entered into partnership with George
W. Miller in the implement business, the association being continued with
mutual pleasure and profit until 1900, when he purchased the interest of Mr.
Miller. The following year, however, he sold a half interest in the business to
O. A. Dunham and continued in partnership with him until 1904, when Mr. Hoyt
again became the sole owner of the store. He continued alone until January
1, 1910,
when he organized
the W. D. Hoyt Company, Incorporated, the following men being directors of the
new company: W. D. Hoyt, L. J. Gates, Burton Clark, K. C. Wellman and C. L.
Hamblin. He has been president and general manager of the corporation since its
organization and a branch store was established at Earlville, on January
1, 1911. On
the 1st of January, 1912, the capital was doubled, the present
figure being fifty thousand dollars, and at the same time the business of W. B.
Miller at Winthrop was purchased, Mr. Miller becoming a director in the
company instead of C. L. Hamblin. On the 1st of January, 1913, another branch store was
established at Robinson, Iowa. The affairs of the company are excellently managed
and the large volume of business transacted by the various stores enables the
concern to buy at a great advantage and this in turn makes possible the selling
of high grade goods at a very moderate price. Mr. Hoyt, in addition to being
president of the W. D. Hoyt Company, is a director of the Manchester Machine
Company.
Mr. Hoyt
was married on the 25th of January, 1893, to Miss Hattie Patten, who was
born near Galena, Illinois, a daughter of William and Mary (Higman) Patten. Her father was by occupation a farmer and
both he and his wife have passed to their reward. To Mr. and
Mrs. Hoyt have been born two children: Harold A., a junior at the State College
of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts at Ames; and Hazel M., a
junior in the Manchester high school.
Mr. Hoyt is
a republican in his political belief and his religious faith is indicated by
his membership in the Presbyterian church. Fraternally
he belongs to a number of different orders, including the Masons. He is past master
of Manchester Lodge, No. 165, A. F. & A. M., having served in that chair
during the years 1910 and 1911. He is a member of the chapter, council, commandery and Iowa Consistory, No. 2. He also belongs to
the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias
and the Modern Woodmen of America. For the past nine years he has served on the
school board. He has attained material success to an unusual degree, but he has
also attained that which is even more to be desired, the unqualified respect
and esteem of his fellow citizens.
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