Albert A. Hilliard is a native of Harper County, son of the oldest living pioneer around Attica, and had made his mature years count chiefly in the field of banking, in which he had a broad experience. He is now cashier of the First National Bank of Attica.
Mr. Hilliard was born in Harper County at the old homestead three miles cast of Attica April 10, 1884. His first American ancestor was his grandfather, John Hilliard, who was born in Ireland and when a young man came to New York State and about sixty years ago settled at Wilmington, Illinois, on a farm where he died before the birth of Albert A. Hilliard.
Andrew Hilliard, father of Albert A., was born in Oneida County, New York, in 1849, was six years of age when his parents removed in 1855 to Wilmington, Illinois, and there he grew to manhood and married. In February, 1878, he came to Western Kansas and homesteaded 160 acres three miles east of Attica, where he still lives. He went through all the vicissitudes and hardships of the pioneer farmer, stuck to his post until he had accumulated a comfortable prosperity, and is still living on the old farm and is regarded as a repository of interesting historical information concerning this section. He is a democrat and a member of the Presbyterian Church. Andrew Hilliard married Mary Jane Davy, who was born in London, England, in 1847 and died near Attica, Kansas, February 3, 1907. Their oldest child, Emma, died at the age of two years. Clara is the wife of George Grant, a farm owner living at Attica; Arthur, the third child, also died at the age of two years; Belle is the wife of F. H. McGowan, a grain dealer at Madison, South Dakota; the fifth in the family is Albert A., and his twin brother, Alfred J., is cashier of the Freeport State Bank in Kansas. Laura, the youngest, died in 1915 at Madison, South Dakota, where her husband, Earl Randall, still lives as a farmer.
Albert A. Hilliard spent the first twenty-three years of his life on his father’s farm in Harper County. He attended the rural schools and left the farm to enter the Attica Exchange Bank as bookkeeper. He remained there a year, being promoted to assistant cashier, following which he was cashier of the Freeport State Bank a year and subsequently cashier of the First National Bank at Anthony, Kansas. In 1913 he came to Attica and took a leading part in organizing the First National, serving as its assistant cashier for the first three years and in 1916 as cashier. The present officers of the bank are: V. B. Ballard, president; T. K. Miller, vice president; A. A. Hilliard, cashier; and George L. Simpson, assistant cashier. This is one of the strong and ably conducted banks of Harper County. The bank owned its substantial 2-story brick building on Main Street. Its capital is $25,000, surplus $10,000, and an average of about $175,000 is maintained in deposits.
Mr. Hilliard is a member of the Kansas Bankers’ Association and the American Bankers’ Association. He is a democrat in politics and is affiliated with Attica Lodge No. 262, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Harper Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and Attica Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Besides his own home he owned a business building on Main Street. Mr. Hilliard married in April, 1913, in Harper County, Miss Orpha Miller, daughter of Asa and Jennie (McClung) Miller. Her father is a farmer and still lives in Harper County. Mr. and Mrs. Hilliard have two daughters: Margaret, born May 21, 1915; and Maxine, born March 19, 1917.