Administrative/Biographical History
DeKalb was the first county in the United States to establish a formal farm organization to carry local responsibility for extension work in agriculture. On January 5, 1912, a group of local farmers, bankers, and newspapermen created the DeKalb County Soil Improvement Association at the Elks Club in the DeKalb Daily Chronicle Building. Those attending this first meeting elected an executive committee: H.H. Parke, D.S. Brown, George Gurler, Fred Townsend, Charles Bradt, George A. Fox, Frank Greenaway, C.D. Shoonmaker, W.F. Leifheit, R.D. Chappell and Samuel Bradt. Henry H. Parke served as acting chairman until May 12, 1912, when Dillon S. Brown was elected president. He served as president until February 12, 1923. On June 19, 1926, the DeKalb County Soil Improvement Association became the DeKalb County Farm Bureau.
