Bio of George Franklin SYLVESTER (b.1862) Wabasha Co., MN

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Sylvester - 

George Franklin Sylvester, a prominent business man of Plainview, 
cashier of the Plainview State Bank, was born in Plainview Township, 
Wabasha County, July 20, 1862, son of George W. Sylvester. After 
acquiring his education in the Plainview public schools, he went to 
Madison, Wis., where he learned telegraphy. From 1882 to 1886, he was 
employed as telegraph operator at various places for the Great 
Northern Railroad. On June 6, 1886, he became station agent at Milaca 
on the Fergus Falls Division of the Great Northern, and was thus 
employed until March 17, 1897. In that year he became associated with 
his brother in the Plainview Bank, becoming cashier, a position which he 
still retains. On July 1, 1906, the bank was organized as the Plainview 
State Bank, and as such is conducting a safe, conservative and profitable 
business, Mr. Sylvester's ability and personality being among it's assetts. 
Mr. Sylvester is also interested in other important enterprises, among 
which are valuable farm holdings, and his position as representative for 
the New York Life Insurance Company. He was one of the organizers of 
the Wabasha County Fair Association, of which he was secretary for 
fourteen years and is now an honorary member. He is a member and 
trustee of the First Congregational Church at Plainview, and for twenty 
years has been a member and sectretary of the Board of Education of 
Plainview, and as such is still serving. On January 1, 1886, Mr. Sylvester 
was united in marriage with Catherine M. Whilt, who was born in 
Maywood Township, Benton County, Minn., in March, 1869, being the 
first white child born in that township. She was well educated in the 
public schools of her home county and was also a student in the 
Northfield public schools. After her marriage to Mr. Sylvester she took 
up and learned the art of telegraphy under her husband, and for six 
years subsequently was operator at Milaca, proving her efficiency by 
completely handling the business pertaining to thirty trains a day. Mr. 
and Mrs. Sylvester have been the parents of five children: Leon C., 
Anna S., Beatrice, Kathryn S., and Marian F. Of these Leon C. and 
Beatrice are now deceased. Anna S., after graduating from the high 
school, took a course at Oberlin College. She is now the wife of R. J. R. 
Baker, a prominent farmer of Rock Island County, Ill. Kathryn S., after 
graduating from Plainview high school in the class of 1918, was a 
student for one year at Hamline College, and is now doing laboratory 
work in the Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minn. Marian F. is a senior in the 
Plainview high school. The business achievements of the subject of this 
sketch, together with the educational and social acquirements of the 
members of his family, have placed the Sylvesters on a high plane in the 
community, of which they are useful members.

Note: This biography was taken from the book "History of Wabasha 
County" copyrighted in 1920.