Hon. Benjamin C. Bond. In the public service that frequently crowns the career of men of personal high standing in a community, very often is shown a great capacity for public usefulness that the opportunity presents. In electing Benjamin C. Bond, an honored citizen of Buffalo, Kansas, cashier of the State Bank of Buffalo, to the State Legislature, the people of Wilson County gave evidence of wise discrimination and intelligent judgment. Not only is Mr. Bond an exact business man, with those habits of mind that assure investigation and accurate decision concerning the important measures brought before the legislative assembly, but he is also a man whose life had ever been marked with unselfish devotion to duty and to fearless championship of causes he had believed to be just.
Benjamin C. Bond was born April 21, 1878, at Mount Sterling, in Brown County, Illinois. His parents were John A. and Parthenia (Bush) Bond. One of the very earliest settlers in Brown County, Illinois, was Rev. Granville Bond, a Methodist preacher, a faithful pioneer in the cause of religion. He was the founder of the family at Mount Sterling and was the great-grandfather of Hon. Benjamin C. Bond, of Buffalo, Kansas. His son, Benjamin Bond, was born in the circuit rider’s cabin at Mount Sterling which he built after emigrating from Kentucky, and Benjamin became a farmer and doubtless was prosperous on the rich soil of Illinois, until the outbreak of Civil war led him to join with his loyal neighbors, in the effort to preserve the Union. He died in the army during the progress of the war.
John A. Bond, son of Benjamin and father of Benjamin C. Bond, was born at Mount Sterling, Illinois, August 2, 1853. He grew to manhood there and became a farmer and stockman and remained in his native place until 1915, when he tarnsferred his stock interests to Wilson County, Kansas, and took up his residence at Buffalo. In Illinois he was somewhat active in politics as a republican and frequently served in township offices. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church and had been an elder, and for many years had been prominent in the Masonic fraternity. He married Parthenia Bush, who was born in 1859, at Dallas, Texas, and they have four children, namely: Benjamin, C.; Bertha, who is the wife of John H. Means, a farmer residing near Curtis, Wisconsin; Mabel, who is the wife of Stanley Bishop, who is a newspaper man and they reside at Bloomington, Illinois; and Ada, who is the wife of Everett Buck, who is in the city mail service at Norman, Illinois.
Benjamin C. Bond attended the public schools at Mount Sterling and in 1896 was graduated from the high school, shortly afterward entering the teaching field. After two years as an educator he accepted a clerical position in the First National Bank at Mount Sterling and continued with that institution for five years. He then became bookkeeper in the First National Bank at Roseville, in Warren County, Illinois, and remained so connected for one year. He came then to Kansas and in 1903 became cashier of the State Bank of Buffalo.
The State Bank of Buffalo was established in 1887, by J. H. Gumby, as a private bank and continued in business as such until 1899, when it was incorporated as a state bank under the above caption. The present officers of the institution are: L. L. Legg, president; W. A. McClain, vice president; Benjamin C. Bond, cashier; Arthur Puckett, first assistant cashier; and C. L. Sutherland, second assistant cashier. The bank building is situated on Main Street and its equipments do credit to its stockholders. For the past seven years Mr. Bond had largely directed the policy of the bank as its manager. It had ample resources and works with a capital of $10,000 and a surplus of $5,000.
By inheritance and conviction, Mr. Bond had always been a republican and had felt deep interest as a loyal party man, but, occupied with business cares, had seldom permitted the use of his name in connection with public office. His election in 1916 to the State Legislature was but just recognition of Mr. Bond’s sterling character and was very gratifying to his many political and personal friends.
At McComb, Illinois, on November 7, 1901, Mr. Bond was married to Miss Anna M. Legg, who is a daughter of James M. and Mary (Runkle) Legg. The mother of Mrs. Bond is deceased. Her father, a retired farmer, lives at Macomb. Mr. and Mrs. Bond have four children, namely: Ruth, who was born June 9, 1903; Benjamin C., who was born November 13, 1906; George Louis, who was born April 14, 1910; and Rayburn C., who was born September 2, 1912. The attractive family residence is situated on Buffalo Street and additionally Mr. Bond owned a valuable farm located near Buffalo. He is a director in the Buffalo Electric Light Plant and had other minor business interests.
Fraternally Mr. Bond is identified with Buffalo Lodge No. 379, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is past master, and with Chanute Lodge No. 806, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He was reared in the Presbyterian Church but is a broad-minded man and since no Presbyterian organization exists at Buffalo, he had united with the Congregational Church, being unostentatiously and quietly useful in this body, lending influence and giving practical assistance.