George Riddle Banta, Sr. (July 16, 1857 – September 23, 1935) was the founder of the George Banta Company (later the

Banta Corporation Banta Corporation was a major printing, imaging, and supply chain management company of the United States, based in Menasha, Wisconsin, for all of its 105 years. Founded in 1901, it was acquired by Chicago-based RR Donnelley in late 2006. Histor ...

) and an influential figure in the development of the collegiate

Phi Delta Theta Phi Delta Theta (), commonly known as Phi Delt, is an international secret and social fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, along with Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad ...

fraternity A fraternity (from Latin language, Latin ''wiktionary:frater, frater'': "brother (Christian), brother"; whence, "wiktionary:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal ...

and

Delta Gamma Delta Gamma (), commonly known as DG, is a women's fraternity in the United States and Canada with over 250,000 initiated members. It has 150 collegiate chapters and more than 200 alumnae groups. The organization's executive office is in Columbus ...

women's fraternity.

Biography

Born in

Covington, Kentucky Covington is a list of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in Kenton County, Kentucky, Kenton County, Kentucky, United States, located at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Licking River (Kentucky), Licking Rivers. Cincinnati, Ohio, ...

, Banta attended Franklin College in

Franklin, Indiana Franklin is a city in Johnson County, Indiana, United States. The population was 23,712 at the 2010 census. Located about south of Indianapolis, the city is the county seat of Johnson County. The site of Franklin College, the city attracts n ...

, where he became an active member of Phi Delta Theta. After graduating in 1876, he was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1878. He moved to

Menasha, Wisconsin Menasha () is a city in Calumet and Winnebago counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 18,268 at the 2020 census. Of this, 15,144 were in Winnebago County, and 2,209 were in Calumet County. The city is located mostly in Winn ...

, around 1885, where in 1901 he established the George Banta Printing Company. He remained active in the management of the company until his death on September 23, 1935.George Banta
in the ''Dictionary of Wisconsin History'' biographies Much of the company's early growth came from educational contracts. George Banta, a member of

, secured a contract to print its national magazine. Other national

fraternities and sororities Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradu ...

followed; the company would also publish '' Banta's Greek Exchange'', a monthly review of fraternity and sorority news, and several editions of ''

Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities ''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities'' was a compendium of fraternities and sororities in the United States and Canada, published between 1879 and 1991.Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities'' Urban ...

''. His father, David Demaree Banta (1833-1896), was a trustee of

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...

in Bloomington and was the first dean of its

School of Law A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, ...

. Through this connection, the company also won orders for university catalogs and yearbooks, textbooks, and magazines."Banta Corporation." International Directory of Company Histories. The Gale Group, Inc. 2006 Banta served as alderman (1890–1891), and mayor (1892, 1895, 1902–1903) of Menasha, and served on the boards of several local companies. Banta was married to Lillian Vawter in 1882 and had two sons and a daughter. Both sons became Phi Delts, and his daughter became a Delta Gamma.How George Banta Sr. became an initiated member of Delta Gamma Sorority
Miller's Meanderings He died at age 78 in 1935 in Menasha, and was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in

Neenah Neenah () is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, in the East North Central States, north central United States. It is situated on the banks of Lake Winnebago, Little Lake Butte des Morts, and the Fox River (Wiscon ...

. His former home, known as the George, Sr., and Ellen Banta House, is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

Greek system involvement

Banta served as national historian of Phi Delta Theta, and was highly instrumental in that society's expansion to new campuses. For his contributions, he is recognized as one of two "Second Founders" of Phi Delt, along with Walter B. Palmer. Banta was instrumental in establishing the first

chapter outside the

Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...

, at his alma mater. The chapter was designated the "Phi" in honor of Phi Delta Theta, and Banta was made an honorary member—the only man ever initiated into the women's fraternity."Brother Fraternity" - Phi Delta Theta
," retrieved June 15, 2007 Banta also encouraged the formation of new Greek letter organizations. Emily Butterfield, a co-founder of

Alpha Gamma Delta Alpha Gamma Delta (), also known as Alpha Gam, is an international women's fraternity and social organization. It was founded on May 30, 1904, by eleven female students at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, making it the youngest member ...

contracted as a designer for the company, is credited as designer or co-designer of the

coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its wh ...

of Alpha Gamma Delta,

Lambda Omega Lambda Omega () was a national collegiate sorority operating in the United States from October 31, 1915 until 1933. History The Norroena Club was founded in 1915 on the campus of University of California, Berkeley. The sorority remained a local ...

Phi Beta Phi Beta Fraternity: National Professional Association for the Creative and Performing Arts () is an American national professional college fraternity for the creative and performing arts. It was founded in 1912 at Northwestern University in Evan ...

, Sigma Delta Rho,

Sigma Tau Gamma Sigma Tau Gamma (), commonly known as Sig Tau, is a United States college social fraternity founded on June 28, 1920, at the University of Central Missouri (then known as Central Missouri State Teachers College). The fraternity was founded as a re ...

Tau Kappa Epsilon Tau Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as or Teke, is a social college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. The organization has chapters throughout the United States and Canada, making the Fraternity an internat ...

Theta Kappa Nu Theta Kappa Nu () Fraternity was founded in 1924 by delegates from 11 local fraternities. It later merged with Lambda Chi Alpha in . History Theta Kappa Nu Fraternity was founded on when delegates from 11 local fraternities from nine different ...

Theta Phi Alpha Theta Phi Alpha (), commonly known as Theta Phi, is a women's fraternity founded at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor on August 30, 1912. The main archive URL iThe Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage Theta Phi Alpha is one of 26 nation ...

, Theta Upsilon Omega, and

Zeta Tau Alpha Zeta Tau Alpha (known as or Zeta) is an international Fraternities and sororities in North America, women's fraternity founded on October 15, 1898 at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia. Its Internatio ...

. He also encouraged her to publish articles she had compiled concerning fraternity and sorority heraldry, released in 1931 as ''College Fraternity Heraldry''.Raymond, Mike.
Butterfield's Mark
" in the ''Cross and Crescent'', February 2006 Furthermore, he was elected an honorary member of the Alpha chapter of

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America (colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Mu Alpha, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "w ...

fraternity, the national fraternity for men in music, at the

New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on Hu ...

on December 20, 1917.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Banta, George 1857 births 1935 deaths American printers Phi Delta Theta People from Menasha, Wisconsin Mayors of places in Wisconsin Wisconsin city council members Franklin College (Indiana) alumni Politicians from Covington, Kentucky Burials in Wisconsin