Robinson, George W.

The following data is extracted from A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans.

George W. Robinson of Wichita has been a Kansan forty years. His first work in this state was as an educator at Winfield, continuing from June, 1876, to June, 1879. He soon turned to the more congenial work of a business career. The field in which his energies have found their most successful issues has been in banking, and there are a number of flourishing institutions in the state which were organized or at some time in their career have received the benefit of his excellent judgment and financial ability.

Born February 20, 1855, in Piqua, Ohio, he went to Illinois when a boy and was a student in Hedding College at Abingdon, in that state, until 1873. While in Illinois he taught in the country schools of MacDonough, Fulton and Adams counties, and during the school years of 1874-75-76 was principal of schools at LaPrairie, Illinois.

He next accepted the superintendency of the schools of Winfield, Kansas, and held that position from June, 1876, to June, 1879. In June of the latter year he became associated with his uncle, M. L. Read, and brothers, M. L. and W. C. Robinson, in the M. L. Reads Bank at Winfield. Since then his business record has been almost exclusively in the field of banking. In July, 1884, the M. L. Reads Bank was merged into the First National Bank of Winfield, with M. L. Read, president; M. L. Robinson, vice president; W. C. Robinson, cashier; and George W. Robinson as assistant cashier. Later he was promoted to vice president and cashier.

During the years 1901-02 he was cashier and president successively of the Pueblo National Bank at Pueblo, Colorado. Selling his interests there in November, 1892, he returned to the First National Bank at Winfield.

One of the greatest achievements of his banking career was his work as receiver of the First National Bank of Arkansas City, Kansas. He was appointed receiver July 3, 1893, by the late James H. Eckles, who was then comptroller of the currency under Cleveland's administration. In less than eight months he had reopened the bank, in February, 1894, and had paid every depositor in full, and with 4 per cent interest. Having accomplished this task in so satisfactory a manner Mr. Robinson returned to the First National Bank of Winfield as cashier, and was associated with that institution until he sold his interests in 1899. In that year he engaged in the wholesale grocery business at Winfield, and conducted it until January, 1902, when he came to Wichita.

At Wichita Mr. Robinson organized the National Bank of Wichita, serving as cashier until September 1, 1905. During the year 1906 he organized the Wichita State Bank, the Merchants State Bank of Wichita, and the National Bank of Commerce of Wellington, and had all three of them in a flourishing condition before he sold his interests in 1910. In that year he organized the Security State Bank of Wichita, of which he is now president, and he was also president of the Reserve State Bank of Wichita, which he organized in 1912. His last achievement in financial affairs was the organization in 1916 of the Kansas Cattle Loan Company of Wichita.

On April 27, 1880, Mr. Robinson married Miss Ella E. Holmes of Winfield. They have one daughter, Edith L.

Source: A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans

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