In George Orwell’s basic reserve, “Animal Farm,” Napoleon, chief of the victorious animals declared, “All animals are designed equal, but some animals are much more equivalent than many others.” In the Museum, there are some artifacts which are basically, “a lot more equal than other folks.” A person of people is the primary desk of the greatest of the Cass County business owners, Franklin H. Whitney.
Cyrus B. Osborne, who was a talent cabinet maker as properly as a funeral director in Atlantic, was provided the commission to build the desk in 1871 at the expense of $30. This was the exact same calendar year that Whitney established the Atlantic Countrywide Financial institution. Beforehand, in 1880, Theodore H. Brown experienced moved to Griswold from McGreger and formed a banking partnership with Whitney. Just one outcome of this partnership was the establishment of the Very first Financial institution of Griswold, the title of which later changed to the First Countrywide Financial institution of Griswold.
The ornate desk is manufactured of indigenous walnut and functions a leather-based insert on the desk best. It is modified secretary desk that has flat location for crafting and various storage areas these types of as drawers, cabinets which have doorways with locks, and a lot of “cubbies” of many dimensions which also have keys. Two of the authentic keys are nevertheless with the desk. The desk is incredibly secure and in prime affliction soon after surviving for 150 several years.
In a letter despatched to Atlantic in 1993 by Forrest Huntington Whitney, grandson of Franklin H. Whitney, he remembers the desk remaining component of the home furniture in his father’s house and executing his university research on it. Forrest was the son of Thomas Whitney, one of Franklin’s two sons.
When Thomas Whitney moved his family members to Chicago in 1932, the desk was far too huge to shift. It was ultimately saved in the basement of the Whitney Financial institution and Trust Enterprise until it was donated to the Cass County Historic Museum.
People are surprised at the structure of the desk and its superb situation and many have commented, “A man or woman could reside in that desk!” It is truly worthy of the male who owned it and used it as he opened Cass County to the country as he…