Freeman Vicory, cashier of the Farmers' and Merchants' State Bank, Greenleaf, Kan. The Farmers' and Merchants' Bank was organized in 1906, and on October 18 of that year its doors were opened to the public for business. The organizers were M. F. Southwick, now president of the Citizens' State Bank of Topeka, Kan.; H. J. Meierkord, of Linn, Kan., and Freeman Vicory. The first officers of the bank were: M. F. Southwick, president; H. J. Meierkord, vice-president, and Freeman Vicory, cashier. The growth of the business was rapid, and substantial from the start. At the end of the first twenty-five days of business, or on November 12, 1906, the deposits were $14,305.64. The following figures show the remarkable increase in the volume of the bank's business: January 26, 1907, deposits totaled $40,991.91; August 22, 1907, $60,233.81; March 31, 1908, $64,227.58; September 1, 1908, $74,376.91; March 16, 1909, $80,753.59; June 30, 1909, $88,620.92, and September 29, 1909, $94,412.56. The deposits have reached as high as $120,000, and the last official statement showed the total amount on deposit to be $119,479.32. The institution was organized with a capital of $10,000, and now has an earned surplus of $5,000 and undivided profits of $2,853.90, and also has set aside a $5,000 stockholder's contingent fund. The substantial growth of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Greenleaf is equalled by few, if any, financial institutions in the State. The home of the bank is an exclusive bank building, built in 1907, at a cost of $4,000. Its fixtures, furniture, vault and safe are strictly modern and every convenience and safeguard of banking is in evidence. Freeman Vicory, the cashier, is a native son of Kansas, born in Shawnee county, February 18, 1874, and is a son of Merrifield and Louise (Tuttle) Vicory, both natives of Springfield, Ohio. They came to Kansas in 1866 and located in Shawnee county, where the father took a homestead, which remained the family home until 1909, when he retired and removed to Dover, Kan. The mother died in 1888. There were three children in the Vicory family, as follows: Mrs. Effie Logan, who now occupies the old homestead in Shawnee county; Freeman, the subject of this sketch, and Cora Wade, of Keene, Kan. Young Vicory was reared on the farm and secured his early education in the public schools and remained at home assisting his parents until he passed his majority. He then attended the State Normal School at Emporia three years, paying his own way. In 1900 he went to Clifton, Kan., and worked at various occupations, clerking in a clothing store for a time, and in 1902 he entered the employ of the banking house of Snyder & Southwick, at Linn, Kan., as assistant cashier. About eight months later he was transferred to the First National Bank of Clifton in the same capacity, and held that position until the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Greenleaf was organized as afore set forth, and he became its cashier and has held that position continuously ever since. Mr. Vicory is the active head of this institution and its history in his history. He possesses the many qualifications of him who would succeed in the banking world—foresight, judgment and action.

He was married November 27, 1912, to Miss Christine W. Nelson, daughter of J. C. and Myra Nelson, natives of Denmark, and who now reside on the farm near Greenleaf which they homesteaded in 1870, and where Mrs. Vicory was born. She was educated in the public schools and graduated from the Greenleaf High School, and later attended Midland College at Atchison, and was graduated in the class of 1908, and subsequently was principal of the Greenleaf High School three years.

Mr. Vicory takes a commendable interest in public affairs, and is ever ready to do his part to promote any worthy enterprise. He has served as clerk of Greenleaf and is the present mayor of the town. His fraternal affiliations are with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and for the past three years he has been district deputy of the Twentieth Kansas district of the lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Vicory are members of the English Lutheran church, and he is superintendent of the Sunday school. The Vicory residence is one of the finest in the town. It is handsome and very substantial structure, and the design of architecture is of the California bungalow type.