Clark, Robert Carlton, Ph.D. "History of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Vol. 3.
Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1927. p. 238.
 
GEORGE J. WILHELM

    To think of George J. Wilhelm, of Harrisburg, is to think of the First
National Bank, for he has been for a long period so closely identified with that
institution that he seems a part of it. Indeed he has been a most important
factor in its outstanding success and throughout the community he is regarded as
a man of marked business ability and acumen. Mr. Wilhelm was born in Sheboygan
county, Wisconsin, on the 24th of October, 1880, and is a son of George and
Agnes (Andreas) Wilhelm, who were pioneer settlers in that part of the state.
The father long followed farming but later engaged in the hotel business at St.
Cloud and Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Both parents are now deceased.

     George J. Wilhelm received four years' educational training in a parochial
school and then started out to make his own way in the world. He was first
employed as a plumber's assistant at the age of thirteen years but later became
a clerk in a hardware store. When eighteen years of age he had charge of
twenty-seven clerks and was floor manager and buyer, and at nineteen years was
secretary and treasurer, as well as manager, for the Aladdin Soap Company, later
becoming chairman of the board of directors. After three years with that
concern, Mr. Wilhelm became a traveling salesman for the B. J. Johnson Soap
Company, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with which he remained until 1903, when he
came to Junction City, Oregon, as manager of the warehouse and milling interests
of A. Wilhelm & Sons, with whom he continued until 1907. At that time he started
the Bank of Harrisburg, a private bank, which was successful from the beginning,
and in the following year was nationalized as the First National Bank of
Harrisburg, which became the first institution of the kind of importance here.
The first officers were John Summerville, president; George J. Wilhelm, cashier;
Dr. W. H. Dale, vice-president; with Samuel May, Robert K. Binton, T. W.
Summervine, C. L. Morris, T. J. Anderson, J. G. Senders and W. A. Lane as
directors. Mr. Burton became president in January, 1910, and served as such
until September, 1923, when he was succeeded by W. A. Lane, who is still at the
head, Mr. Wilhelm having served as cashier and manager continuously from the
organization of the bank. The present officers and directors are.: W. A. Lane,
president; George J. Wilhelm, vice-president and cashier; Peter Viig, L. L.
Swan, Cecil 0. Wilhelm, wife of George J. Wilhelm, and Mrs. Mabel Raegen,
daughter of Mr. Lane, who was assistant cashier for many years. The bank was
started with a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars, and now has a surplus of
twenty-five thousand dollars, all of which has been accumulated from the
earnings. The deposits now aggregate over two hundred and twenty-five thousand
dollars and over one thousand customers are served by the institution. The bank
is a member of the federal reserve system, also both the National and State
Bankers' Associations, and maintains checking, savings and trust departments.
The bank formerly occupied a building owned by Mr. Wilhelm, which he later sold
to the institution, but in 1921 bought the Farmers and Merchants Bank, including
building, assets and accounts, and is now located in that building. In addition
to his banking interests, he is the owner of several good farms and for a time
gave some attention to the importing and breeding of blooded stock. He also owns
large timber interests and was the organizer, in 1910, of the Harrisburg
Warehouse and Lumber Company, retail dealers in lumber and building materials,
wholesale and retail dealers in grain, and general storage.

     On April 18, 1906, Mr. Wilhelm was united in marriage to Miss Cecil 0.
Rampy, of Harrisburg, a daughter of Robert A. and Elizabeth (Johnson) Rampy, who
came across the plains with ox teams in an early day and located in Linn county.
Mr. Rampy was the first druggist in Harrisburg and became a prominent and
influential citizen. Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm have five children, namely: George
Rampy, who is in the First National Bank.; Agnes Elizabeth, who is a graduate of
Eugene high school and in 1927 entered the University of Oregon; Marjorie
Claire, attending Eugene high school; Millard Franklin; and Gretta Katherine.
Mr. Wilhelm is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen
of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of Columbus and the
United Commercial Travelers. He also belongs to the Eugene Country Club and the
Chambers of Commerce at Harrisburg and Eugene, having lived in the latter city
since August. 1925. Politically he is a republican and has taken a deep interest
in local public affairs, having served several terms as treasurer of Harrisburg.
During the World war he took a very active part in all local war measures,
serving as chairman of the council of defense for Harrisburg and vicinity, also
as chairman of all the Liberty Loan drives and several of the Red Cross drives,
and under his direction Harrisburg was the first city in the county to go "over
the top" on the Liberty Loan sales. Mr. Wilhelm originated the slogan, "We own a
Liberty Bond," which he made and displayed during the first Liberty Loan drive,
and which was afterwards adopted by the government for general use. He has long
enjoyed the reputation of doing well whatever he undertakes and is regarded as
one of Harrisburg's most enterprising and progressive citizens, his interest in
the community's welfare and progress having been evidenced in many lines of
activity.

     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2016 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.