Steve Roemer

Submitted by Elizabeth Burns, Aug 2002

Benson

Arizona, The Youngest State, 1913

Many of the most important business enterprises in Benson owe their inception to the organizing and ability of Steve Roemer and their continued prosperity and development to his resourceful business ability. He is a business man, financier and politician and has done able work along all lines. He was born in Kentucky, February 18, 1869, a son of Gus and Margaret (Dickas) Roemer, natives of Germany. The father removed to Kentucky in the early 1860's and followed the cooper's trade in that state until his death. His wife has also passed away. In their family were ten children, four of whom died in childhood. Those surviving are: Adolph, a resident of Bowling Green, Kentucky, Emily and Charles also of Bowling Green; Joseph, living in Memphis Tennessee; Julia, the wife of J.W. Nash of Whitewright Texas and Steve of this review.

Steve began his career when only fourteen years of age, when he learned watch making following that occupation until he became identified with the lumber business when he was twenty years of age. Four years later he left Kentucky and came west, entering the employ of the Wells Fargo Express Company, with which he has since been connected in various capacities, being today one of the most able and highly esteemed men in the service of the corporation. He began as a porter in California, and by his industry he worked his way steadily upward, winning promotion after promotion. He came to Arizona as messenger and was soon afterward appointed agent at Benson in which capacity he served for twelve years before he was transferred to Tucson. In Mary 1912 he was appointed route agent at Phoenix and on the 1st of July 1915 was appointed general agent at El Paso, Texas.

In 1905 he organized the Bank at Benson and was elected its president the following year. In 1909 he organized the Southwest Lumber Company with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars and he has been its president since that time.

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