Earl Geil was Beltrami County treasurer for 34 years. Born at Pine Island, north of Rochester, Feb. 28, 1871, Mr. Geil moved to Bemidji in 1895. He built a home at the southwest corner of where the high school building stood at 15th and Beltrami Ave, and the foundation of the original site was incorporated into the high school foundation, forming the southwest corner. He later lived at 1301 Bemidji Avenue. Mr. Geil was chief of police for a year and Bemidji city treasurer for six years starting with the organization of the city in 1896. He owned the Hotel Remore from 1898 to 1910.
He was treasurer of the Bemidji Fire Department for many years; honorary member of IOOF; charter member of B.P.O Elks; 50-year member of Bemidji Lodge No. 233 A.F. & AM.; and a member of the First Presbyterian Church.
A graduate of Milbank, S.D. high school, Mr. Geil attended the Adventist College near Lincoln, Neb., for a year where he was prominent in athletics. He died at Van Nuys, California died at Van Nuys, Calif., Nov. 28, 1966 where he had lived about 10 years.
His recollections of life in early Bemidji are on file at the Beltrami County History Center in Bemidji.
The Bemidji Pioneer featured him in a special issue of the newspaper on March 27, 1909:
“As proprietor of the Remore Hotel, Mr. Geil constitutes one of the many other mediums of strength which go to make up Bemidji. Mr. Geil, in addition to his vocation as hotel keeper, is chief of the local fire department, a distinction which has been conferred upon him for nine years past. He is also the treasurer of the city, now serving his third year, and is reckoned among our most powerful business men, as well as a potent figure in politics.
To indicate the worth of Mr. Geil, it is but necessary to state that he wears a gold medal in recognition of his proficiency as a fire chief, that he was elected by vote of the fire chiefs of the state of Minnesota to the International convention of fire chiefs held at Columbus, Ohio, in the year 1898, that he is a sterling business man and one who continually “boosts” Bemidji. As a hotel man he has won a record, legion friends and a reputation as a host and caterer. No further comment is necessary, only to state that Mr. Geil is classed among the popular and busy men who have the Interests of the city at heart, and acts accordingly.”