Edward A. Hood, cashier of the Greenleaf State Bank, had had an active career in Kansas for a number of years, at first in the lumber business and leter as a banker. Mr. Hood did not begin life as the son of a wealthy family, but had gained his opportanities by hard work and constant vigilance.
He was born at Salem, Arkansas, October 5, 1878. His ancestors in the paternal line were Scotch people. His grandfather, Graham W. Hood, was born in Scotland, came to this country when a young man and settled in Missouri among the pioneers, and for a number of years was engaged in outfltting freighting trains across the plains. He died at Sedalia, Missouri, more than forty years ago.
G. W. Hood, father of Edward A, was born at Sedalis, Missouri, in 1842, and was reared and married in that state. In 1863, at the age of twenty one, he enlisted in the Seventh Missouri Cavalry, a Union regiment, and was with it until the close of the war, fighting whackers and also in the campaign against Price through Missouri and Kansas. After the war he entered railroading and also took up the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church. From Missouri he went to Salem, Arkansas, thence to Little Rock, and in 1890 moved to Stockton, Kansas. He had been retired from the ministry since 1908 and had lived at Tescont, Kansas, since 1906. He is a republican and a member of the Masonic fraternity.
Rev. Mr. Hood married Agnes Mack, who was born in Tennessce in 1949. She was the mother of seven children. Lyds, the oldest, died at Santa Fe, New Mexice, at the age of twenty-two, the wife of the late Gol. Maz Frost, formerly editor of the Santa. Fe Daily New Mexican. The next three children, Paul, Erma and Nellie, died in infancy. The fifth in age is Edward A. Frances and Marie still live with their parents at Teecott.
Edward A. Hood acquired his early education in the different localities where his father had his ministerial duties, including the public schools of Little Rock, Stockton, Logan and Salina, Kansas. At the age of sighteen, on leaving school, he went to work in a general merechandise store of Dougherty Brothers at Logan, Kansas. Six months later he entered the employ of McCroeby Brothers for one year, was then with the Logan Lumber Company a year, and for five years was with the Rice & Johnson Lumber Company at Linn, Kansas. From the lumber business he entered the Exchange State Bank of Linn as assistant cashier in 1908, and in 1910 became cashier of the Washington National Bank at Washington for a year, and then accepted his present post as cashier of the Greenleaf State Bank.
This bank was established in July, 1886, under a state charter, by Mr. Stackpole, William Tobey and C. G. Goodwin. The present officers of the institution are: M. F. Southwiek, president; H. J. Meierkord, vice president; Edward A. Hood, cashier; and John Heinen, assistant cashier. The bank is located on Commercial Street in Greenleaf, and its capital is $25,000 with a surplus of $3,500. Mr. Hood is also a director of the Exchange State Bank of Linn and of the Bank of Palmer, Kansas. Besides these important interests he had a farm of 160 acres in Phillips County, Kansas, and had one of the good homes of Greenleaf at the corner of Pine and Fourth streets.
His public spirited activity as a citlzen had equalled his business career. Mr. Hood was elected mayor of Greenleaf in 1915 and re-elected in 1917 for a second term. His administration had been a very progressive one. During the first term he completed the installation of the local electric light plant, and at the same time had reduced the city indebtedness by $7,500. Mr. Hood is a republican, is past master of Greenleaf Lodge No. 232, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, a member of Tyrian Chapter No. 59, Royal Arch Masons, at Washington, of Greenleaf Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Greenleaf Boosters Club.
In 1899, at Logan, Kansas, he married Miss Sue Bowman, daughter of A. J. and Elizabeth (Dillenbaugh) Bowman. Her mother is still living at Logan, where her father, now deceased, was in the grain and stock business and also a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Hood have four children: Romana, born August 8, 1900, is a senior in the Greenleaf High School; Kathleen, born July 13, 1901, is also in the senior class of the local high school; Edward died in 1916, at the age of seven years; and Graeme, born April 24, 1913.