| Notes |
- http://www.genealogytrails.com/kan/nemaha/bios4.html
Fred Colfax Woodbury.-Personal achievement in the realms of finance always stands out prominently, and requires advancement above the mediocre and commonplace, ability of a definite order, and inherent endowments of mental and physical attributes possessed by few men. The individual who can lift himself beyond the ordinary channels of his life profession is worthy of notice and praise-and is especially marked as a rising citizen, if banking is his vocation. Fred Colfax Woodbury, president of the Citizens State Bank of Sabetha, Kans., is a rising financier and banking official of northern Kansas, whose career has been a noteworthy one and his success is indicative of attainments beyond the ordinary. While having been a resident of Nemaha county but a few years, he has taken a prominent place in the civic and social life of the community, and is looked upon as an enterprising and gifted individual who has the best interests of his city and county at heart. It is a relief, o in these days of rabid commercialism, to find a citizen who looks beyond the mere money grubbing instinct, and strives to make himself useful in valued ways to his fellowmen without hope of reward other than the approbation and good will of his fellowmen. Fred Colfax Woodbury was born June 8, 1868, in Livingston county, Illinois, and is descended from old American stock, and a member of the noted Woodbury family, identified with early Colonial history, the founders of which settled at Plymouth, Mass., and Hartford, Conn., in the seventeenth century, and later moved to the valleys of Vermont. The great-grandfather of Mr. Woodbury was a soldier in the American Revolution. Fred Colfax Woodbury is a son of Hilton H. and Virginia (Clark) Woodbury, natives of Vermont and Kentucky respectively. Hilton H. Woodbury was born December 3, 1843, and was a son of Willard L. Woodbury, a contractor and farmer, who immigrated to Livingston county, Illinois, in 1855, and broke up the virgin prairie soil on his homestead. He was also a house builder and contractor who did an extensive business during his life time. He migrated to Cherokee, Crawford county, Kansas, in 1875, and followed farming until his demise in 1899. Hilton H. Woodbury was married in Illinois and moved westward to Cherokee, Crawford county, Kansas, in 1884. He farmed until 1886, and then located at Ford, Ford county, Kansas, where he became engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock and in banking pursuits. He has become a man of large interests, and is president and majority stockholder of the Ford State Bank. Hilton and Virginia Woodbury are the parents of six children, as follows: Lindon C, a railroad man, Newton, Kans.; Fred Colfax, subject of this review; four children are deceased. The mother of these children was born in Kentucky, November 18, 1846, and died April 10, 1901. She was a daughter of John Clark, who removed from Kentucky to Bloomington, Ill., in an early day, and became a merchant tailor, and established a clothing business.
F. C. Woodbury received his primary education in the public schools of Cherokee, Kans., graduated from the high school, and completed a business course at Kansas City, Kans. For some time, he was identified with a wholesale grain and retail concern in Chicago. In 1892, he returned to Kansas and located in Ford county, where he served as superintendent of public instruction for several terms, and was also interested in the live stock and banking business with his father. He later devoted his time and talents to the banking business at Ford, Kans., where he resided until 1898, and then removed to Pawnee Rock, Kans., and organized the Farmers and Merchants State Bank. He remained in charge of this bank until his removal to Sabetha, Kans., in 1913, consequent to his purchase of the Hesseltine interests in the Citizens State Bank. Mr. Woodbury's ability and his attractive and likable personality have done much toward advancing the progress of the Citizens State Bank, during the past three years, and he has taken his place among the leaders of Nemaha county during this time. Besides his large banking interests, he owns a fine grain farm in Pawnee county, Kansas.
Mr. Woodbury was married, in 1894, to Miss Grace Shaffer, of Spearville, Ford county, Kansas, a daughter of J. D. Shaffer, deceased lumber merchant of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Woodbury have one child, namely: Hilton S., born in September, 1898. The Republican party has always had the allegience of Mr. Wood-bury, and he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which denomination he takes an active and influential part. Being a speaker of ready and entertaining address, he is frequently called upon to address church gatherings, and teaches the young men's Bible class of tine Methodist Episcopal Sunday school. He is a trustee and member of the official board of the Sabetha Methodist Church. Mr. Woodbury is one of the active promoters of the farm bureau movement in Xemaha county, and the farmers' institute, and is prominently identified writh all good movements tending to advance the well being of his home city and county. He is affiliated with the Ancient Eree and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Knights and Ladies of Security. (History of Nemaha County, Kansas, by Ralph Tennal, 1916, Pages 419-420)
|
The H600 Project Genealogy DB
1868 - 