David Warren Onan                 1886-1958       RIN 42
Amalie Charlotte Roman        1884-1969       RIN 43
FGR 13

Introduction

Two realities make writing this section difficult. These were my grand parents. You would expect that I would know them. But both the difference in age and elapsed time makes for few real recollections. What will my grand children remember of me? Second is that the company which D. W. Onan founded was so much of the life of Dave and Emily that it is hard to ignore. But it is such a large story that it will be told in another place.

From the time of the invention of the wheel, there has been emerging technology. The nature of that technology changes and some people are closer to it than others. It needs to be said that Dave and Emily lived their lives involved at the cutting edge.

Prologue

The industrial revolution that began in the late 18^th century produced machinery and labor saving devices, such as steam engines, that ran factories. While the factories turned out some of the conveniences of home such as furniture, china, fabrics, and clothes that enriched the family experience, most technology involved large machinery powered by steam or water.

At the turn of the 20^th century, progress began in devices that would be used by individuals, and in many cases, in the home. Miniaturization. Have you heard that word before? It was well under way in 1900. The automobile would join the steam locomotives and street cars as a means of travel. Small motors and generators would join giant dynamos in electrical equipment that would improve domestic life. Cream separators, sewing machines, cotton gins, and wash machines that were powered by hand when invented, would be powered by electric motors. New devices such as refrigerators, vacuum cleaners radios, and light bulbs would be popularized only because electricity was available. The industrial revolution was touching home.

The automobile, itself, was a combination of many new technologies that were invented or made useful in the first twenty years of the 20^th century. It forced the creation of fuels, lubricants, inflated rubber tires, electric ignition and lighting, stronger iron and steel, lead acid batteries, and the necker’s knob. The development was frantic. Improvement in one area of technology spurred progress in another. Knowledge was growing exponentially.

That same 20 years saw a world war, paved streets, movies, radio, the airplane, and pretty much the end of outhouses and horse turds. The point is that life was changing rapidly and the change was being felt by every individual. Technology was at the level of the individual. A person could put their hands on it; and many did, to become inventors as well as users. Technology was mostly involved with things visible. Electricity and radio are not exactly visible, but that did not stop people from wanting to get involved. It meant a lot more intellectual reasoning and a good bit of guess work.

With the invention of the automobile, there was much to be done in the physical realm. In 1900 the speed of the automobile was roughly that of the horse. By 1920 it was 200 mile per hour. It took a lot of tinkering and a lot of people to make that happen. Many worked in basements and garages. They got dirty and greasy. Sometimes killed or maimed. They came up with the improvements that put a wheel in the drivers hands and a roof over their head with windows that went up and down and an engine that started from inside the car. Moore had not been born yet, but Moore’s law was working.

When the inventors got ahead of the users and made things the users had not learned to fix, the user sent the broken parts to a place that specialized in fixing them. The repaired parts were returned by mail, C.O.D. They called it "next day service." (They lied a little then, too.) There were lots of things on a car that needed fixing. Most parts bent, broke, squeaked and wore out. Anyone who had a way to make a better part was welcome to enter the automobile world. Not only were there hundreds of makes of early cars, but as many people to modify them. Factory warrantees were for 30 days or the life of the factory. Many upgrades, such as electrical systems, were installed by the user. They were kind of general, too. Not what we would call "plug compatible." If the part didn’t’ fit just right, the user had to bend it a little or use a bigger hammer. But, after it was installed, the user could fix it, like the rest of his car.

Emily and David were born into this heady technological world where anything was possible. David’s father worked for the railway; a maturing high tech business. But when he died, with a young wife and 4 children in Wahpeton, ND, she decided to go to the summit of all technology; Niagara Falls, NY. There was the greatest technological development of all; the harnessing of the Niagara river to producing electric power. Truly, there would be opportunity for her family.

On August 12 1902, at age 16, Warren began working for the International Railway, the streetcar company, of Niagara Falls New York. That would be the end of his formal education. He remained with the company until September 9, 1904. He had become a conductor.

Some unknown but very compelling reason caused him to move back west. He was the second of 4 boys. They all eventually pursued different occupations; only one staying in Niagara Falls. Neither he nor anyone else ever said why he moved. But it is apparent he stopped in St Paul, MN to manage a roller rink in 1905. By 1906 he is listed as a mechanic at Moulton-Jordan Motor Car Co. The die was cast!

Emily

Her parents were Swedish immigrants who settled in South Park; a community now surrounded by St Paul, MN and called South St. Paul. She grew up into adulthood there. It is where she met David who was managing a roller skating rink. Since the 1880’s, roller skating had become a popular pastime and big business. Twin Cities said, "The roller rink, at Washington Avenue and Tenth Avenue North, was one of thirteen rinks in Minneapolis by 1885. With spectacular balconies, a bandstand suspended from the center of the roof , and a large skating floor, it was called ‘as complete an asylum as the most exacting rinkomaniac could desire.’"

To read about Emily Roman’s parents, click here.

She married David, who all her life she called Warren, August 28, 1907 in St Paul. He was now a salesman for Hollis Electric, an automotive parts jobber.

"I remember Grandma talking about dances she went to as a girl. The type of thing that the whole family went to. No doubt the whole community which I gather was quite tight. Perhaps they met at some such function. I do not remember an interesting tidbit about them. When they got married, Grandpa borrowed a car from the garage and Emily Roman was the fist girl to ride out of South St. Paul in a motor driven vehicle. It must have been quite something because she talked about it all her life." [BSC]

Two tragic events happened shortly after her marriage to David. In November 1908, her 19 year old sister, Eva died. The cause is not known. In October 1909 her mother, Ellen, committed suicide by drowning in the Mississippi river. The newspaper reported that she was despondent over the death of her daughter. It is also known that she was not an emotionally well person. Some also blame her husband’s drinking. "Everyone said that is where the family problem got started." [BSC]

David and Emily first known address is 2817 Garfield Avenue North in Minneapolis where their first child, Charles Warren was born in 1908. Dave is listed as a commercial salesman

In 1910 Geraldine was born and Dave is listed as Foreman at P. J. Downs company, the dealer for Rambler automobiles.

In 1915 Robert was born and Dave is now Foreman at Reinhard Bros. Company. During World War I, Dave taught auto mechanics part time at Dunwoody Institute, a trade school in Minneapolis. Dave held several positions with Reinhard until 1922. This includes creating and running their auto parts repair shop with a mail-in next day service. He received national notoriety for this work.

In 1922, David and Emily bought a house at 1331 Penn Avenue North in Minneapolis after living just down the street for two years. This would be their home until 1943. All the children, and some grand children were brought up there. Emily was a house wife, to use the expression of the day, and was in charge of the family. I can’t come up with any strong words to describe Emily, except as a grandmother who put up with little fooling around.

Success with enterprise

From 1918 – 1922, Dave was building his own small business in the basement while working at Reinhard. In 1923 he bought some property including, an old house at 43-51 Royalson Avenue North in Minneapolis for manufacturing space, and built the first building in 1925. He set up to build his own line of automotive repair shop tools, and a little later the "Safty Saw"; a contractors table saw.

The "Twenties" were a time of relative security both for the country and the Onan family. Dave was 38 in 1924 and was going out on his own. He joined the Optimist Club, which was the kind of service club he saw as one which espoused his views of the world and could benefit his new business. The project that interested him most was the boys camp. He spent weekends using construction tools to build camp buildings and facilities. In those days it was the "underprivileged" boy who was considered the most vulnerable member of society. Dave believed the work camp would instill good habits in the kids and give them an alternative to the streets. Having counselors and other business men in the Optimist Club get to know these boys gave them a chance for good employment after high school. By the time Dave became President of Optimist International in 1932, they had found work for several thousand boys.

The Challenge of Optimism

Little did the founders of OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL realize that our very name would set up such a CHALLENGE as it does today To have been REAL OPTIMISTS when Pessimism has prevailed is no small achievement, but this accomplishment has been easier for each of us because of the thousands of their splendid fellow all over North America who are pledged with us to promote OPTIMISM as a philosophy of business and social life. We have stood shoulder to shoulder for those fine principle of our OPTIMIST CREED, "To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and expect only the best." We have been strong in our faith in each other and in the OPTIMISM we profess.

OPTIMISM – TRUE OPTIMISM – is vitally needed today, both in our business and in our Club activities. It is unthinkable the we can have a good year in any Club if the leaders of the Club are Pessimists at heart; but OPTIMISM of the right type, founded on faith in the Club and its ideals and backed by sincere personal effort, will make our desires come true.

INDIVIDUAL SERVICE is absolutely vital to the success of your business, your Club, or OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL. Such individual thought and service costs little, but its value, when consistently and sincerely applied, can scarcely be measured. What you yourself gain from you association and contacts will more than repay you for the time you take from your business or pleasure for investment in the activities of your Club.

In meeting the CHALLENGE we are increasing our fellowship and affection, we are enlarging our value to the community we serve, and we are giving to the world tangible evidence of the POWER OF OPTIMISM in practical service.

I pledge you, every OPTIMIST, in my sincere and untiring effort to meet this CHALLENGE, but the task can not be accomplished without genuine OPTIMIST COOPERATION from you. To meet you all personally and receive your encouragement by grasp of hand would be a great inspiration. That, unfortunately, is impossible, but by your effort, your activities and the success of your Club in the next twelve months, you can tell me – eloquently – that you , too have sensed and accepted the CHALLENGE.

Cordially and Optimistically Yours.

sig. DAVID W. ONAN

President Optimist International

Dave maintained his membership in Optimists all his life. The local club was proud to have him represent them. This association with the club, and boys camp in particular left him with a lasting philosophy that kids could be helped and were worth helping.

The Minneapolis Civic and Commerce Association and the Aquatennial

In 1926 he joined the Minneapolis Civic and Commerce Association, the predecessor to the Chamber of Commerce. This organization offered both an opportunity for his business to benefit and give back something to the community. It was a personal attitude that persisted all his life and for which he garnered many friends. In 1936 he was named Convention Chairman and in 1937 elected President. In 1938 the group decided to sponsor a summer carnival celebrating 100 years of commerce in Minneapolis.

In 1939 Dave and Tom Hastings visited Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada for a summer festival attended by the King and Queen of England. The inspiration was that if Winnepeg can have a festival with a king and queen, so can Minneapolis. That was the beginning of the Aquatennial which found a king and queen from local people and included 40 events. Dave enjoyed being an officer of the organization, marching in the parade, and escorting a queen candidate. Of course, Onan generators powered the lights on all the parade floats.

Sister Kenny

Given a chance to fight for both kids and an underdog was right up Dave’s alley. In the early 1940’s Minneapolis was hit with a terrible attack of poliomyelitis. Children were being crippled by a disease that nobody knew how to treat. Conventional treatment was to put kids in leg splints to immobilize the muscles. Some day the kids could walk with braces, if at all. Since 1911, Sister Kenny, an Australian nurse, had been using common sense and her understanding of anatomy to treat the symptoms of the disease. She applied moist hot packs to help loosen muscles, relieve pain, and enable limbs to be moved, stretched and strengthen. The theory of her treatment was muscle "re-education" – the retraining of muscles so they could function again.

In 1941 she traveled to Minneapolis where a group of people sponsored her unconventional treatment. Since it was not accepted in hospitals, a separate Sister Kenny Institute was set up to administer her pioneering principles of muscle rehabilitation. Dave was involved from the very beginning in fund raising and promotion of the concept.

Now the circle was complete. From Optimist boys camp to treating kids with polio, he was back on treasured ground. His company had prospered so he could spend time and money in the community that had made him wealthy and well known.

The Foundation

He was asked almost daily to contribute to one or another charity. No one knows how many times he reached into his pocket to respond personally; but it was often. Dave had a lot of heart, and it was difficult to say no. At this time, Sister Kenny Institute was in need of large amounts of money. He wanted a way to respond to it and other charities he believed in. In 1943 he established the Onan Foundation, for the purpose of meeting what he believed was his community obligation. His attitude was ecumenical. Whether it was the Little Sisters of the Poor or Homewood Presbyterian church, they got equal consideration.

The major emphasis of the foundation has been kids. It has taken the form of many different kinds of programs, but even today the majority of grants are in that area. Times and interests change, but the present officers of the Onan Family Foundation try to be true to his legacy.

Onan Employees Profit Sharing Trust

After the hectic days of World War II, Dave spent less time in the active running of the business he created. More responsibilities went to his sons, Bud and Bob, and other employees. There were a lot of old hands around the business, including many he had hired himself, and his concern centered on how to reward them beyond regular compensation. ( Legend has it that at Christmas time he would walk around the plant with a pocket full of cash and quietly hand it out to certain people. ) A better way had to be found that would recognize individual contribution to the business.

His answer was a profit sharing plan where each employee would be eligible. Eligibility was on a vesting of interest basis. Length of vesting and individual pay determined individual interest in the trust. The annual contribution to the trust came entirely from the company and could reach 15% of total payroll. It was generally agreed that this was a ground-breaking and generous plan. Note, the owners of the company did not participate.

For many years the amount of contribution was announced at the annual company employee Christmas breakfast, and in many years it reached the maximum 15%. The employees took this plan to heart. One was heard saying, "Shut off the lights and put the money in PST."

Personal Recollections

"I’m not sure how DW and Emily saw each other. I know that what DW said pretty much was the rule around the house. He was always playing practical jokes or teasing someone. Emily had like a zilch sense of humor and would be constantly saying ‘Warren !!!’. Of course the more she said it the more he teased. Emily was a worrier. I think a person that worried if there was nothing to worry about. She was also a fusser. You could not walk by that she did not reach out to adjust a collar or straighten a hem or tuck your hair in place." [BSC]

"I learned to cut a wide swath around him or I was sure to get goosed. And you never wanted him to hold your chair for you. It is a wonder I have an intact tailbone for the times I sat directly onto the floor. To this day I can hear Grandma saying ‘Warren !!! quit teasing her.’ But I loved it." [BSC]

"I remember DW going to mom and telling [her] to take Emily shopping and making her spend some real money on things instead of looking for a bargain. This sticks because I remember one time Emily needed a new purse. So off she went to downtown. She went by taxi. When she came back she had a purse she had bought in Donaldson’s or Dayton’s basement for 2 dollars. DW had a fit. He said no wife of his was going out with him carrying a 2 dollar purse. He made my mother take her downtown and when they came back they had an alligator purse. I remember it well because it was so gorgeous. The clasp was incredible but I don’t’ think Emily was ever comfortable carrying it." [BSC]

"Dinner table talk? It was quite ordinary I believe. Lots of teasing of us kids [grandchildren] by DW. Lots of ‘Warrens’ from Emily. DW would talk about his employees at work. He would always be concerned when an employee had some hardship or other. I also remember hearing talk of old friends that had not fared as well as they had. DW never forgot them and I know there was one friend that DW donated money to anonymously. I remember those people being in the house and talking about how this money appeared in their bank account every month and DW never let on it was from him. ---- " [BSC]

"A before dinner anecdote: DW always took a nap before dinner. Mom and Emily always sent me to wake him up. They said if they woke him up he would be in a bad mood but not if I woke him. I would have to approach him very carefully and try to reach over the coffee table in front of the couch to shake him. Most of the time he was half faking being asleep and if I got too close I was sure to get goosed and then I would scream and Emily would shout ‘Warren!!’." [BSC]

DW was big on naps. Every day after lunch down town he would come back to his office and curl up on a big leather couch with a NWA blanket. Frequently he and Emily would come out on a Sunday afternoon to visit us. He’d lay on the floor to play with the little ones and take a nap. It was his habit to remove his upper bridge when he napped. Mother thought this was gross, and to teach him a lesson rubbed it with baby, fish oil vitamin drops. He quit.

I was still in short pants when he gave me a dollar and sent me from the car to go into White Castle for hamburgers and a Coke. He said to be sure to get onions. I didn’t know what this was all about. The counter man said in a strange accent, "Do you want oneens?" I didn’t understand and said, No." Bad.

During, or right at the end of World War II, DW and Emily bought a house a 5633 North Bay Road in Miami Beach. It was a lovely Spanish style home with lots of iron work, stucco and tile floors. They spent winters there. Of course they could count on family and friends visiting. My first trip there was by train, the Dixie Flagler from Chicago. Coming from Minnesota, I arrived with long underwear on. DW wouldn’t let me take it off all day. The housekeepers, Willy and Marianna Schlageter, lived in an apartment over the garage. Willy was a pretty good mechanic and he and DW would go out on generator service calls in the area. DW anonymously. When DW got on the phone the customers were astonished at the service they got from the factory.

"I held your father [Dave] in great admiration. I think the story of his rise and success is one fo the great sagas of the northwest. He was a man who started with little if anything except his own ability. He asked aid from no one. Simple tools and his own creative genius produced those elements which led to the founding of your great international business. You see, I knew him in the very formative period when all that exists today was merely a dream to him, a dream which he made come true, and in an outstanding way. JFB"

"…Thousands of people have benefited from his generosity and his hard work. They may never know him, but I am sure some of them will be eternally grateful that Dave Onan lived and worked among us. TLW"

Charles Onan is married to Betty Hoiby
Their children are David II, Sally, Margaret, Mary

Geraldine Onan is married to Sherman Smith
Their children are Barbara and Bruce

Robert Onan is married to Lois Campbell
Their children are Judy and Carol

Epilogue

Dave and Emily had what we call today a cohesive family. They managed through changing times, financial emergencies, children’s diseases, personal disagreements, teen aged children, and all those things that confront a family. Somehow they acquired coping skills, street smarts, worldly wisdom. optimism, and a belief that God was on their side. Today, in the beginning of the beginning of the 21^st century we find it difficult to believe that anyone but ourselves could have managed.

Family life was abruptly changed when Dave had a stroke in 1954. It left him nearly an invalid and unable to speak; requiring around the clock care. But during this period, iIt was apparent that he enjoyed the company of family and old friends. From time to time he got out to visit family, which he regarded as a treat. He and Emily stayed in the house on Tyrol Trail until his death. Emily then moved to an apartment in St Louis Park, MN. There was a great loss of purpose to her life. She cold not drive or balance a check book. Geraldine, Bud and Bob saw to her needs.

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David W. Onan II
29 Aug, 2003