Ray Broomfield is one of the youngest bank officials in Kansas. He went with the Neal State Bank as cashier upon its organization in October, 1915, and his thorough knowledge of banking and his genial personality were a decided factor in the success of that institution. Mr. Broomfield is now cashier of the Home State Bank, Clearwater, Kansas. The Neal State Bank was started as a state bank and had a capital of $10,000. The officers are: A. N. McQuown of Wichita, president; C. W. Boone of Neal, vice president.
Mr. Broomfield was born at Milton, Kansas, April 21, 1891, and was twenty-four years of age when he accepted the cashiership of the Neal State Bank. He is descended from a branch of the Broomfield family which came out of Ireland and settled in the early days in Kentucky. His grandfather was an early settler in Illinois, where he died, and was not only a farmer, but also a clock maker. J. M. Broomfield, father of Ray Broomfield, was born in Iowa in 1862, and from that state his parents removed to Illinois, and about 1876 he was brought by his mother to Kansas, locating in Milton. He grew up and married at Milton, became a successful farmer, and in 1905 retired from his farm, first moving into the Town of Milton, and in 1913 going to Clearwater, where he now resided. He had formed some important business connections at Clearwater and is president of the Farmers’ Lumber Company of that town and is a director of the Home State Bank. Politically he is a republican and is active in the Baptist Church, serving as deacon.
J. M. Broomfield married Clara E. McDonald, who was born in Wisconsin in 1867. Their family of children were: Earl and Milton, both of whom died young; Ray; Blanche, who is a graduate of the Clearwater High School and lives at home; and Ethel, a senior in the high school at Clearwater.
Ray Broomfield received his education in the public schools of Milton, attending high school there, and afterwards taking a course in the Wichita Business College. On leaving college in 1911, he returned home, but in July, 1912, entered the First National Bank at Conway Springs as bookkeeper; and served that institution one year. For the next three years he was with the Home State Bank of Clearwater, and from there came to Neal and then returned to the bank at Clearwater. Mr. Broomfield is also a stockholder in the Home State Bank at Clearwater. Politically he is a republican and is affiliated with United Lodge No. 273, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Clearwater.
On August 8, 1916, at Denver, Colorado, Mr. Broomfield married Miss Faye McConnaughey, daughter of W. W. and Elizabeth (Etherington) McConnaughey, who now reside on their farm near Quincy, Kansas.