George J. Brown, president of the Citizens State Bank of Sterling, is a son of the late Thomas H. Brown, whose career had been previously sketched.
George J. Brown was born in the home of his parents at Norway, Iowa, September 26, 1879, but had lived in Sterling since very early childhood. He graduated from the local high school in 1897 and later attended A. N. Palmer’s Business College at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the age of eighteen he began work in his father’s bank as bookkeeper, was promoted to assistant cashier, and since the death of his father had been president of the Citizens State Bank. In point of resources and strength this is one of the largest banks in this section of Kansas. It had a capital of $50,000 and surplus of $30,000. The other officers are W. J. Squire, vice president; Thomas Atkinson, cashier; and Walter W. Waring, assistant cashier.
Mr. Brown had numerous other business interests, being treasurer and director of the Kansas Central Indemnity Company at Hutchinson, a director of the Raymond State Bank and the Oil and Gas Company of El Dorado and is interested in several other oil companies. Mr. Brown is one of the youngest if not the youngest bank president in the state.
He served as city treasurer of Sterling four years and is an active republican. Fraternally he is affiliated with Sterling Lodge No. 171, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Chapter No. 50, Royal Arch Masons; Commandery No. 47, Knights Templar, and with Midian Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Wichita.
Mr. Brown and family reside on Sixth Street in Sterling. He married at Sterling in 1903 Miss May Smith. Her father, the late J. H. Smith, was formerly president of the First National Bank of Sterling.