History of Lake Mills, (Winnebago County) Iowa United States of America

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Joice, Peter Martin, at present a resident of Lake Mills, might very properly be termed the young Napoleon of finance in northern Iowa. Although born as late as the breaking out of the civil war he now holds foremost positions of responsibility in half a dozen banks, and is among the chief promoters of several business enterprises of considerable magnitude. His father, E. J. Joice, was born in Bergen, Norway, in 1827. The early years of his life were spent in farming and the manufacturing of cooperage. He came to this country in 1848, and located in Stoughton, Wis., where he ran a cooper shop for thirteen years. He removed to Forest City in 1879, where, for the last twelve years of his life, he was engaged in the lumber business. The mother of Mr. Joice was one of a prominent family in Norway, a brother having been a member of parliament for fourteen years.

Mr. Peter Martin Joice was born in Greene county, Wis., January 4, 1860. Following the regular period in the public schools of his native town he attended the colleges of Albion and Janesville, graduating from the last named institution in 1878. In May, 1879, he engaged in the lumber business with his father, at Forest City, and earned his first money of any consequence during that partnership. In the fall of 1880 he entered the Winnebago County bank as bookkeeper, and in 1883 was taken in as special partner, and made cashier. In July, 1886, he entered into partnership with Secor, Law & Plummer, bankers of Forest City, under the firm name of P. M. Joice & Company. This firm organized a bank at Lake Mills, and the same was placed in charge of Mr. Joice, by whose intelligent management it has been firmly grounded among the solid financial institutions of that section of the state. Besides owning the greater share of the stock in the bank last mentioned, Mr. Joice is vice-president of the First National bank at Wells, Minn., director in the First National bank at Albert Lea, president of the First National bank of Britt, Iowa, and president First National bank of Buffalo Center, Iowa. Mr. Joice is considered one of the best financiers in his section of the country, and there is no one who stands more ready to help his town than does he. He has served in the capacity of mayor for two terms, has been a member of the city council and school board for six years, and was re-elected to the same positions at the recent elections. He takes a warm interest in matters pertaining to education, and has contributed generously of his time and means toward bringing the schools of his town up to their present high standing. In June, 1896, he was elected a trustee of Cornell college at Mt. Vernon. Religiously, he is a member of the M. E. church, and a trustee of the denomination of that faith in Lake Mills; politically, he is a republican. He was united in marriage on January 2, 1883, to Miss Ida M. Law, and three children, Marie, Wilford and Katherine, have been born to them.

SOURCE: Biographies and Portraits of the Progressive Men of Iowa published by Conway and Shaw, Des Moines: 1899.

History of Lake Mills, (Winnebago County) Iowa

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