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For seventeen years M. F. Albert has been a well known figure in financial circles in Payette, where he is now the cashier of the First National Bank. The story of his life is the story of earnest endeavor and close application, resulting in the attainment of success and an honored name. He was born at Dushore, Pennsylvania, July 18, 1859, and is a son of George and Eliza (Bartch) Albert. The father was born in Germany and came to this country when twenty years of age to escape military service in his native land. He was born in 1832 and died in 1890. His wife is a native of Pennsylvania and at the age of eighty-two years is acting as housekeeper for her son, M. F. Albert, during the absence of his wife on a visit, showing that she is a remarkably well preserved woman.
M. F. Albert acquired his education in the graded school of his native town, in the Shenandoah high school and in the Bloomsburg State Normal School. Following his graduation from the last named institution in 1880 he taught school for eleven years, the most of that time being spent at Laporte, Pennsylvania, where he also filled the position of postmaster. The year 1892 witnessed the arrival of Mr. Albert in Payette, Idaho, being influenced to take this step by the favorable reports made by his two uncles concerning the country. His uncles had arrived one year before and were homesteading. On reaching Payette, Mr. Albert again took up the profession of teaching and became superintendent of the Payette schools, which position he occupied for ten years. He was then offered the cashiership in the new Bank of Commerce in 1902 and thus entered upon his career as a financier. He and his bank associates conducted the business for four years, when the Bank of Commerce was consolidated with the present First National Bank, and in June, 1919, Mr. Albert completed thirteen years' services as cashier of the bank, of which he is also a stockholder. As the years have passed he has extended his business efforts and is a stockholder in the Idaho Canning Company, in the Payette Valley Land & Orchard Company, in the Payette Valley Rex Spray Company and in all of these is likewise a director, thus having voice in their management and control. He is likewise engaged in fruit raising in the Payette Heights irrigation district. He assisted in promoting and was a director of the Noble ditch Company, which was to furnish water for the New Plymouth bench lands, this being one of the first enterprises put forth for the public good of Payette - a work that was accomplished over twenty years ago. Mr. Albert has also owned and sold a great deal of land in the Payette Valley and Twin Falls districts and is still interested in real estate in both places. His uncles have both retired from business as a result of the success which they have achieved in this country. Mr. Albert is associated with Peter Pence, W. A. Coughanour and General L. V. Patch in a number of important business enterprises and was also connected with the late Hon. A. B. Moss.
On the 7th of June, 1888, Mr. Albert was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Troup, of Newport, Pennsylvania, and they have four children. Lester F., thirty years of age, was in the employ of the Idaho Power Company when he enlisted for service in the World war. He was severely wounded in the battle of Chateau Thierry, losing both legs and a part of his right hand. He rose to the rank of lieutenant. David W., the second son, twenty-seven years of age, was also in military service, having been a sergeant on the Mexican border, and was greatly disappointed that he was not sent across for overseas service. Both sons were volunteers and are graduates of the University of Idaho at Moscow. Marvin D., twenty-three years of age, has for two years been a student at Moscow. Marjorie, the only daughter, is now a sophomore in the University of Idaho, and all are graduates of the Payette high school.
Mr. Albert and his family are members of the Presbyterian church and they occupy a very prominent position in social circles. A spirit of marked progressiveness has actuated Mr. Albert at all points in his business career and he is a leading officer in the Payette Valley Commercial Club, of which he was one of the organizers. Through this and other avenues he does everything in his power to promote the growth and insure the further development of the district in which he lives. He is also a Mason of high rank. During the entire period of the war he did everything possible to advance the interests of the government and the welfare of the soldiers at home and overseas. He was a campaign manager during the first and second Liberty Loan drives and was also one of the Four-Minute Men, at the same time serving as a member of the State Board of National Defense. He became one of the organizers of the Young Men's Christian Association of Payette, of which he is now the president and one of the directors. In every possible way he has contributed to the material, intellectual, social and moral development of the district and his labors have been far-reaching and resultant. His political allegiance is given to the republican party but he is not strongly partisan, and he has served on the city council for one term, while for three terms he has been a member of the board of education, occupying the position of president for the past four years. He is likewise the president and one of the directors of the Payette Mills.