Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
POINSETT, William B.
POINSETT, William B. (Walnut, KS, Aug. 8, 1873--Dubuque, IA, May 20, 1954). With his family, Poinsett came to Dubuque in 1918 to manage the MYERS-COX COMPANY wholesale tobacco company. He purchased the firm in 1928 and retired as chairman of the board of directors of the company.
Locally, Poinsett was a director of the Dubuque Rotary (1945), vice-chairman of the Dubuque County chapter of the American Red Cross (1947), member of the membership committee of the Dubuque Civic Music Association (1949), and member of the Chamber of Commerce fire prevention committee (1950).
A founder of the National Association of Tobacco Dealers, Poinsett was a charter member of the Iowa Association. It was a relative, Joel Poinsett, a South Carolina statesman, for whom the Christmas flower, the poinsettia, was named.
Note: Year of birth proven by Linwood Cemetery website on Find-a-Grave.