Charles B. Dempster

Portrait of C. B. Dempster

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

Founder of the Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company

Place of Birth:

Dundee, Kane, Illinois

Date of Birth:

10 January 1853

Place of Death:

Beatrice, Gage, Nebraska

Date of Death:

22 March 1933

Place of Burial:

Beatrice, Gage, Nebraska

Cemetery Name:

Evergreen Home Cemetery

Charles Bracket Dempster is best known as the founder of the Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company.

C. B. Dempster came to Nebraska in July 1878 to join his brother, J. H. Dempster, in Beatrice and invest in his retail business. C. B. Dempster took care of the manual labor side of the business, installing and repairing the windmills and pumps. Within two years, his business partners Mr. Hart and J. H. Dempster both sold their shares. This left C. B. Dempster the sole owner of the business.

After some consideration, C. B. Dempster decided to continue running the business. He knew that selling water systems to farmers was a prosperous and growing industry. The farmers needed water and the Dempster Wind Mill Company could supply the equipment.
 

“...it seemed to me there must be a future to the water supply business as each of these settlers must have water.” 

-C. B. Dempster

With various business partners over the years, Dempster operated the windmill agency at Beatrice. The Dempster Wind Mill Company sold mills purchased from a wholesaler in Omaha. After years of shipping parts and hauling them to his store, Dempster decided to start manufacturing his own windmills in 1885.

In 1886, he incorporated the business renaming it the Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company. With the infusion of outside money, he built a large factory. A larger manufacturing facility was constructed in 1898 a few blocks away where Dempsters LLC still operates today.

Mr. Dempster navigated the company through difficult times including economic depressions and the First World War. Over his years of management, the company created innovative designs based on the needs of farmers. This included expanding into agricultural equipment in 1897. C. B. Dempster was a man with vision, ability, and pride in his firm’s good name and in the quality of Dempster products.

C. B. Dempster operated the Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company until his death 1933. He served as president for forty-six years, from incorporation in 1886 until his death. At that time, his son Harry took over the business as president.