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Claassen, Cornelius J. (1883-1952)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1952 Jul 17 p. 10
Birth date: 1883 May 6
text of obituary:
Cornelius J. Claassen Originated Widely Known Farmers Nat. Co. of Omaha
A Nebraska farm youth who later became a nationally recognized business leader, passed away in Omaha, Nebr. last month.
Cornelius J. Claassen, son of Aaron E. and Anna Claassen, was born at Beatrice, Nebr. May 6, 1883 and passed away at Omaha on June 4, 1952.
He received his early education in the Mennonite church school but also attended the high school in Beatrice, from which he graduated. He later attended Haverford College, a Quaker school near Philadelphia.
He was united in marriage with Gertrude Jansen on October 7, 1907 in Winnipeg, Canada, where the young couple resided for a time. In 1907-8 he was a member of the Winnipeg Grain Exchange, while establishing a line of elevators and lumber yards in Canada. He started his banking career at Jansen, Nebr. at the age of 21, advancing steadily until he held responsible positions in various banks and trust companies.
Twenty-three years ago he founded the Farmers National co., pioneering a new venture of farm managing, which became commonly known as "a business system in farming." This he developed into one of the larger organizations of its kind in the Midwest, managing over 1,500 farms for absentee owners.
Mr. Claassen was the author of several books on farm management, as well as a contributor to farm papers and magazines. His contributions to better farm management have benfited Midwest agriculture in a large measure.
He was active in many civic affairs of his community. He was a trustee of Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio, from 1919 to 1928 and a member of the National Farm Chemurgic Council, through which he helped lay the groundwork for the many new developments in this field of agriculture. For this he was presented a certificate of recognition by the chamber of commerce of Omaha.
In 1930 he published the booklet "Better Tenant Farming," the forerunner of his widely read book "Making Farms Pay," published by the Macmillan Company in 1931. This is available in many libraries. In its foreword, Wheeler McMillen, editor-in-chief of Farm Journal, says: "This is the first contribution to the literature of the subject (Farm Management) in book form."
In 1940 Mr. Claassen suffered a severe heart attack, his physician despairing of his recovery. However, the Lord granted him 12 more years for which he often expressed his gratitude and deep appreciation. He is survived by his wife Gertrude and three children, Randolph of Arcadia, Calif.; Mrs. Stanley Furber of Minneapolis; Mrs. Edward Herzberg of Omaha, and seven grandchildren.
"Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." Rev. 14:13.