Pub. 6 2017 Issue 6

September 2017 23 l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s O ne of the great strengths of the banking industry in Kansas is the fact that many of our banks have remained under the leadership of the same family for many, many years. In order to recognize those families, the KBA created a special award– “A Century of Family Banking” – to be given to those banks where members of the same family have held positions of leadership in their bank for a century or more. The story of the Millington/Beezley family’s involvement in banking goes back 33 years prior to their ownership interest in First National Bank in Girard, KS. William B. (WB) Millington was born in Illinois in 1851 and at the age of 18 he moved to Ft. Scott, Kansas. From there, he moved to a farm near McCune, Kansas. In 1882, he left the family farm to become a bookkeeper for a man named Henry P. Grund. In 1884 WB joined the staff of The First National Bank of Girard which was formed in 1878 as a state chartered bank and converted to a national charter in December of 1884. Mr. Grund was an original shareholder of the newly formed FNB and we would assume responsible for WB joining the staff. In January of 1913 WB was promoted to Cashier of FNB. On May 23, 1917 he purchased his first stock in FNB after having worked there for 33 years. This means that there has been a Millington/Beezley either employed at or an owner in FNB for everyday of its nearly 133 years of existence. WB was still cashier at his death when he was 83 years old. The Millington’s had four children, two sons and two daughters, all of whom were shareholders at some time. Daughter Roxana married R. C. (Pat) Beezley and both were shareholders for most of their lifetime. Coincidentally their other daughter Pearl married the son of Henry P. Grund (one of the original shareholders of FNB). Many of the other Grund/ Millington family were shareholders and board members for many years. Pat Beezley was a longtime board member serving until his death in 1968. Pat was the leader in transforming FNB into a more modern progressive bank in the 1960’s. Pat and Roxana Millington had a son William (Bill) Millington Beezley and three daughters (all of whom were at some time shareholders in FNB). Bill Beezley ironically married Geraldine Janssen in 1945 whose family would have celebrated 100 years as original founders of Girard National Bank next year if the family hadn’t recently diverged of their GNB investment. As rare as it is for one side of family to be Kansas bankers for 100 years, it is amazing that it was nearly accomplished on both sides of a family tree at different Kansas banks! Bill Beezley served on the FNB board for over 40 years until his death in 2007 including many years as chairman. All six of Bill & Jerry’s children are still shareholders of FNB today. They are: • Jerome Beezley, current Chairman of the board. • Sara Beezley Keller, board member and bank attorney. • Dr Ann Beezley. • Dr Pat Beezley. • Dr Mike Beezley. • Dr Jack Beezley. CENTURY IN FAMILY BANKING Pictured left to right: John Keller, Sara Beezley Keller, Jerome Beezley, Ann Breezley Timi and Randy Timi.