Bio of KAVEL, Harry W. (b.1883), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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Vol II, pg 638-641
HARRY W. KAVEL
Various enterprises have claimed the attention of Harry W. Kavel, who is now
devoting the greater part of his time and attention to the insurance business.
He is a member of the firm of Cameron & Kavel and they are managers for the
Aetna Life Insurance Company of northern Minnesota. Mr. Kavel was born in
Waukesha county, Wisconsin, on the llth of December, 1883, a son* of Theodore
and Minnie (Tubbs) Kavel, the former a native of New York and the latter of
Wisconsin. The father engaged in farming until his death. Mrs. Kavel is making
her home with a son, Robert W. Kavel, near Minneapolis. To the union of Mr. and
Mrs. Kavel three children were born: Harry W., Mary E., and Robert W.
In the acquirement of his education Harry W. Kavel attended the public schools
of Prospect Hill, North Greenfield and the Milwaukee high school. Later he took
a course in electrical engineering in the University of Wisconsin and pursued
educational, work in the University of Minnesota. At an early age Mr. Kavel
started to earn his own way in the world. He sold newspapers in Milwaukee while
attending the schools there and for three years, during summer vacations, was in
the employ of the Cudahy Packing Company. One summer he spent as a sailor on the
Great Lakes. Upon the completion of his work at the University of Wisconsin he
again became associated with the Cudahy Packing Company but severed his
connection with them after a year and a half, for he could see no future for
himself in that line of business and he was anxious to make his mark in the
world. Through the influence of an old pro­fessor and intimate friend, J. F.
Barker, he secured a position as teacher in the manual training department of
the public schools of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and held that posilion for one
year. While there he took up the study of handicraft and designing and in 1906
located in St. James, Minnesota, as superintendent of manual art in the high and
grade schools, and coach of athletics. He remained there for two years and in
1908 came to Minneapolis as instructor of manual training in the grade schools
here. He then enrolled in the University of Minnesota for some postgraduate work
and in 1908 and 1909 taught in the Franklin public night school. His duties
consisted of teaching English to foreigners. In 1910 he went to Central high
school as head of the draughting department, teaching draughting and mechanical
designing. He was likewise coach of the football, baseball and track teams. For
three years Mr. Kavel taught summer school. In 1911 he was made principal of the
night high schools of Minneapolis, the classes of which schools were held in Old
Central high school. Mr. Kavel conducted a contracting and building business on
his own account during summer vacations, from 1912 to 1914. At the close of the
school year in 1914 he decided to give up educational work and devote his entire
time to commercial pursuits but iu September of the same year he was induced to
take charge of the Thomas R. Arnold school. In November, 1914, he resigned that
position and took charge of the Dunwoody Institute as principal in charge. From
1915 to 1917 he was assistant director of the institution and in July, 1917, was
made acting director. He was promoted to that position to fill the vacancy left
by Dr. C. A. Prosser, director of the institution, who went to Washington, D.
C., in government work. Mr. Kavel held the position of acting director until the
31st of December, 1921, when he tendered his resignation and became associated
with E. W. Cameron in the insurance business. The firm of Cameron & Kavel is
well known and enjoys a large and steadily increasing business. Cameron & Kavel
are managers for the Aetna Life Insurance Company of northern Minnesota. In
everything he has undertaken Mr. Kavel has achieved success and he is held in
high confidence and esteem by all who know him. His advice is much sought after
on the subject of organization for accomplishment. During the period of the
World war, while he was in charge of the Dunwoody Institute, twelve thousand men
were trained there, nine thousand of the number being enlisted in the army or
navy. During the period of the war he also organized a school in the Overland
building midway, which he equipped and started under contract, between Dunwoody
Institute and the United States army, to house, feed and train two thousand men
a month, and which was later taken over by the government and operated as a
training school for aviation mechanics.
In Waukesha, Wisconsin, in 1906, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Kavel and
Miss Alice May Bouchier, a daughter of Walter Bouchier. To their union one son
has been born, Hobart Thatcher. For some years the son was in delicate health
and goat's milk was prescribed for him by prominent physicians. Mr. Kavel
immediately became a raiser and breeder of milch goats and today he has one of
the best herds in the United States. He is a member of the National Goat
Breeders' Association. Mr. Kavel possesses the natural inclination to
investigate and develop animal and plant life. He has raised a number of prize
winning chickens, goats and plants. Three years ago Mr. Kavel organized the
Hennepin Growers' Exchange, an organization for marketing potatoes, etc., which
has proven to be very successful. He is secretary and treasurer of this
organization. He is also secretary and treasurer of the West River Road
Improvement Association, an organization established for the purpose of
better­ing conditions and stimulating a more friendly feeling among the farmers
in the neigh­borhood of his farm north of this city.
In his political views Mr. Kavel is a stanch republican and he maintains an
active interest in party affairs, although he has never sought nor desired
political preferment. Fraternally he is a Mason, holding membership in Zion
Commandery, Knights Templars. During his college days he became affiliated with
the Acacia fraternity. Mr. Kavel was president of the Lions Club in 1920. He is
a member of the Minneapolis Athletic Club, National Education Association,
Minnesota Educational Association and the Vocational Educational Association of
the Midwest. He likewise belongs to Scholia: His religious faith is manifest by
his membership in the Episcopal church. Mr. Kavel is a self-made man in the
truest sense of the word. He has overlooked no opportunity that has come his way
and today he occupies a position of prominence among the successful few.