Isaac Hazlett (Minneapolis, MN)

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Isaac Hazlett ca.1889

Isaac Hazlett (September 1853 – February 2, 1943)

Biography

  • Name: Isaac Hazlett
  • Birth: September 1853 Zanesville, OH
  • Death: February 2, 1943 Minneapolis, MN
  • Spouse: Esther G. (Nichols) Hazlett (1851-1946) (Married 1875)
  • Son James C. Hazlett was also in banking and insurance.


Here is a short early 1889 biography written up in the Saint Paul Globe (Saint Paul, MN) 5 Mar 1889, page 12:

Isaac Hazlett, president of the Wadena County bank, Verndale, and the Motley Exchange bank, Motley, Minn., is a native of Ohio; born in Zanesville in 1853, and removed with his parents to Waverly, Iowa, in 1854. He engaged in the mercantile business at Waverly, Shell Rock and Nashua with good success. He began the banking business in Verndale in May, 1882, and has given the business his personal attention since 1883. The flourishing condition of the Wadena County bank, now one of the solidest and most conservative banking houses in the Northwest, attests his adaptability to the business. The bank at Motley opened its doors March 1, 1889. Mr. Hazlett is a shrewd business man, public-spirited and enterprising. “Ike,” as everybody calls him, is noted not only as being one of the best financiers, but also the greatest “wag” on the line of the Northern Pacific railroad.


Here is a longer biography written by his brother Harry Hazlett in 1918. (http://iagenweb.org/bremer/history/PioneerLife44.htm):

It is always a hard matter to write for a newspaper about one's own relatives, for that reason the writer may be deemed egotistical and credited with a desire to give the subject more credit than he deserves; but as it has fallen to my lot to mention the old-time Waverly boys who have passed from that town into the world of business and otherwise, I may be pardoned for my courage in alluding to my brother, Isaac Hazlett. He was born at Janesville, Ohio, in the year 1852; went to Waverly in '53 or '54, being a little hazy as to the exact year. He attended Waverly schools, after which he clerked for T. C. Aldrich and various other persons. He, with his father, J. C. Hazlett, established a little store at the west end of the Bremer avenue bridge. From there they moved to Shell Rock, remaining there for some time, where they engaged in a general mercantile business. From thence they moved to Nashua, Iowa, where they engaged in the same business and were successful from the start. At last they sold their business, and the subject of this sketch moved to Verndale, Minn., and there went into the banking business, and in all the years since it has been his occupation. He is connected in one way or another with thirty-five different institutions in the state, either as president or director, but he makes his home in Minneapolis and maintains an office in the First National Bank building, in which bank he is a heavy stock-holder. He built and occupies a $40,000 home, but with all these evidences of prosperity, he is the same "Ike" to all his acquaintances. I don't know what he is worth, financially, because I have never had nerve enough to question him on this point; but I should judge that it is something like near a million dollars. For a boy starting with nothing, I call him a complete success. Before leaving Waverly he married a daughter of Levi Nichols, Esther G. They have one son, J. C., who is a partner of his father. He has been engaged in the Federal building for a long time, helping to push the War Savings project, being manager of distribution of the supplies, a place that requires hard and intelligent work. J. C. was also commandeered by the Federal authorities to assist in the last Liberty Loan, giving two-thirds of his time to the government without remuneration or any expectation of a cash consideration, to the neglect of his own business. His mother is every day at the Church of the Redeemer, where she devotes her time to Red Cross work. She has just received two crosses for continuous 72 hours' work. I speak of these things to show that the whole family, whatever may be their defects, cannot be accused of not being patriotic—giving their time and money generously for the cause of world democracy. Isaac has a fine summer home situated on the shores of East Battle lake, Minnesota, going there in May and returning in October. It is there that the writer of this pens his Idle Thoughts of a Busy Fisherman and enjoys the hospitality of this genial home. "Ike" is now 64 years of age, has the best of health, never strikes for an increase of wages or demands eight hours as a day's work, but is continually on the job, which is one of the many reasons why he has been so successful in a business way. I might say other things, but I won't. That would be egotism. He would not stand for that—neither would I.


Banking career

Isaac Hazlett opened his first bank, the Wadena County Bank, in May 1882 in Verndale, MN. He served as President of that bank from 1882 until 1902 when the bank was succeeded by the First National Bank of Verndale. He was then President of that bank for another 30 years, until 1932 when he retired from banking.

During his 50 years in banking, he was President or VP of 12 National Banks, along with at least 14 State Banks in Minnesota. (Harry Hazlett said in his 1918 biography of his brother Isaac that he was connected with thirty-five different institutions in the state, either as president or director).

Commonly known as Ike, he started banks in several small Minnesota towns, primarily in Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, Wadena and Otter Tail counties, and always took an active interest in the improvement of the towns. He was intent on building his banking business by developing town businesses. Since he was not a local banker, he recruited strong and reliable individuals to serve as Cashier and manage his banks.

Here are the fates of the 12 National Banks associated with Isaac Hazlett:

  • 3 went into Receivership (2 in 1932, 1 in 1933).
  • 2 went into Voluntary Liquidation (both in 1929, 1 later into Receivership).
  • 7 survived past the end of the bank note issuing era in 1935.


$20 Series 1902 Plain Back note with pen signature of L.A. Johnson, Cashier and stamped signature of Isaac Hazlett, President.


Bank Officer Summary

During his banking career, Isaac Hazlett was involved with the following banks (and several other state banks not listed):


Minnesota National Banks:

  • First National Bank, Bertha, MN (Charter 7373): VP 1905...1932
  • First National Bank, Crosby, MN (Charter 9838): President 1911-1931
  • First National Bank, Deer Creek, MN (Charter 13303): President 1929-1931
  • First National Bank, Deerwood, MN (Charter 9703): President 1910-1918,1929-1931
  • First National Bank, Henning, MN (Charter 6906): President 1916-1931
  • First National Bank, Ironton, MN (Charter 10382): President 1913-1932
  • First National Bank, Motley, MN (Charter 7764): President 1905-1932
  • First National Bank, Parker's Prairie, MN (Charter 6661): President 1923-1932; VP 1919...1922
  • First National Bank, Pequot, MN (Charter 11267): President 1925-1929
  • First National Bank, Staples, MN (Charter 5568): President 1900-1932
  • First National Bank, Verndale, MN (Charter 6022): President 1902-1932
  • Merchants National Bank, Wadena, MN (Charter 4916): President 1926-1931; VP 1924


Minnesota State Banks (Officer dates are incomplete):

  • Brook Park State Bank, Brookpark, MN: President 1911..1925+
  • First State Bank, Clitherall, MN: President 1911...1924+
  • First State Bank, Cuyuna, MN: President 1910..1932
  • Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Hinckley, MN: President 1908-1912+
  • Lincoln State Bank, Lincoln, MN: President 1919...1924+
  • East Side State Bank, Minneapolis, MN: VP 1908...1914+
  • Minnehaha State Bank, Minneapolis, MN: VP 1911..1920+
  • Penn Avenue State Bank, Minneapolis, MN: President 1925+
  • Motley Exchange Bank, Motley, MN: President 1889-1891
  • Bank of Motley (2nd), Motley, MN: President 1902-1905
  • First State Bank, Pequot, MN: President 1909...1918+
  • First State Bank, Riverton, MN: President 1915...1924+
  • Trommald State Bank, Trommald, MN: President 1925+
  • Wadena County Bank, Verndale, MN: President 1882-1902


$5 Series 1929 Type 1 note with printed signatures of L.E. Perkins, Cashier and Isaac Hazlett, President.


Sources

  • Bio info from Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com & Findagrave.com
  • 1918 Bio written by his brother Harry Hazlett. http://iagenweb.org/bremer/history/PioneerLife44.htm
  • Bankers with Shotguns, and other Minnesota Banking Stories, Minnesota Historical Society Magazine, Winter 2000-2001, pp182-197.
http://collections.mnhs.org/mnhistorymagazine/articles/57/v57i04p182-197.pdf
Note: There are 3 different birth years listed in these sources (We have used 1853):
1852: The 1900 U.S. Federal Census has Sep 1852, as does Harry Hazlett's 1918 Bio.
1853: The 1889 Bio has 1853, and his Obit has his death age as 89, which would be an 1853 birth year.
1854: Findagrave.com has 1854 (and the tombstone does not display the birth/death dates).
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