ROLAND FOREST
BROCK
Roland Forest Brock, bank president, was born at Poplar Grove, Kentucky, December 6, 1887, son of Samuel Herndon
and Ophelia M. (Smith) Brock. His father, now a retired farmer was born in Owen County, Kentucky, April 1860. His
mother who was born at Worthville, Kentucky, in 1864, died at Sparta, in March 1917.
Educated in country school, Mr. Brock grew up on the home farm. He engaged in farming until 1907 and since 1910
has devoted most of his time to banking. In the early part of that year he became an assistant in the Union Bank
of Glencoe, Kentucky, and from July 1910 until May 1915, was cashier of the Farmers State Bank of Yoder, Kansas.
Between, May 1915 and June 1918, he was associated with the American National and Central State Banks of Hutchinson.
From that time until March 1920 he was vice president of the Citizens State Bank of McCracken, and in November
of that year became national bank examiner, serving until May 1924.
Mr. Brock operated his farms from May 1924, until May 1928 and from June 1929 until June 1932 was cashier of the
Greensburg State Bank. Since July 1932 he has held his present position. Mr. Brock is a Democrat and held his position
as bank examiner under the comptroller’s office at Washington.
On March 2, 1912, he was married to Gladys Elizabeth Switzer at Yoder. She was born at Hutchinson, November 30,
1889, of Swiss and Irish extraction. There are three children, Winifred, born July 2, 1922, Richard W., August
16, 1924; and John P., May 11, 1928.
Mr. Brock is a member of the First Baptist Church of Hutchinson, past master of Havens Lodge of the Ancient Free
and Accepted Masons, at Havens (1914-15), and is affiliated with Sharon Springs Lodge at the present time. He is
a member of the Order of Eastern Star, and a life member of the Kansas State Historical Society. He has written
many articles for this society concerning Wallace County and the state.
In 1931 Mr. Brock was secretary of the Lions Club at Greensburg, and in 1932 became a member of the Sharon Springs
Chamber of Commerce. At Greensburg, he was vice president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1930.
Among Mr. Brock’s favorite sports are fishing and hunting. He is interested in gathering relics and has a collection
of old guns, newspapers, coins and maps, Indian relics, etc. He takes an active part in all worthy enterprises
in his community, donating liberally of his time and funds. Residence: Sharon Springs. (Illustriana Kansas, by
Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, page 151)
ANDREW P. MARTIN
The Reverend Andrew P. Martin, clergyman, was born in Gudmuntorp, Sweden, November 17, 1858. When he was eight
years of age he lost his father suddenly in an accident. As a result of this sad event he had to suffer many hardships
and much poverty in his childhood. His father was Per Martinson and his mother, Bengta Okeson.
Early in the spring of 1871, Mr. Martin came to the United States in company with an uncle. He was then twelve
years of age. His first stopping place was Salina, at that time a very small village. He began his career in the
United States as a cowboy and after four years worked on a farm. In 1878, he went to Rock Island, Illinois and
on September 4, of the same year, entered Augustana College and Theological Seminary as a student.
In June 1886, he was graduated from the seminary and ordained to the ministry. He has been in active service for
the past forty-six years. For the past twenty-five years he has served the same congregation in western Kansas.
He was united in marriage to Ellen Theresia Wahlquist of Salt Lake City, on October 10, 1894. To them were born
the following children: Helga Naomi, who died at the age of five. Daniel Thelophilus, clergyman; Philemon Jonathan,
high school teacher, Ruby Maria, who married the Reverend John N. Leaf, and Joel Nathaniel a high school teacher.
All of the children are graduates of Bethany College, from which Mr. Martin himself has received his degree of
Doctor of Divinity. He is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and of the Augustana Synod of North America.
Residence: Sharon Springs. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, page
737)
JAMES EDWARD
TAYLOR
James Edward Taylor, lawyer, was born in Wallace County, Kansas, November 16, 1903, son of James Henry and Elizabeth
Gertrude (Smith) Taylor. The father was born in Abbeyville, Indiana, December 7, 1861, and died at Goodland, Kansas,
August 1924. The mother was born in Madison, Wisconsin, September 3, 1865 and died at Goodland in October 1930.
Mr. Taylor received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Kansas in 1926, and since that time has
been in active practice. On June 7, 1928, he was married to Opal Lily Hearn at Stafford County. She was born in
Ohio, Missouri, August 31, 1904. There is one son, James Edward, born August 13, 1931.
Mr. Taylor is a Republican. He served as county attorney of Wallace County, 1927-1928; city attorney of Sharon
Springs, 1931-1932; secretary and treasurer of Republican Club of Wallace County, 1932; and as county attorney
of Wallace County, 1933. He is a member of the American Kansas State and Northwest Kansas Bar Associations, the
Wallace County Community Welfare Council (vice president), and the Chamber of Commerce, (director and secretary
1930, 1931 and 1932.) Residence: Sharon Springs. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton
Baldwin, 1933, page 1145)
ARMSTRONG, FRED
LESTER
Fred Lester Armstrong, jeweler and manager of the
Greenleaf Telephone Company, was born in Glen Elder, Kansas, October 7, 1881, son of Elwood and Martha Janet (Gransden)
Armstrong. The father was born in Morris, Illinois, February 12, 1854. His death occurred at Greenleaf, October
21, 1927. Martha Janet Gransden was born in Northville, Illinois, January 4, 1856, of Welsh parentage.
Fred Lester Armstrong attended Bradley Polytechnic
Institute at Peoria, Illinois, from which he was graduated in 1908. Since 1916 Mr. Armstrong has been the owner
of a jewelry store at Greenleaf. He is a Republican, and has been president of the city council for 12 years. He
is a member of the Elks, the Young Men's Christian Association, the Christian Church, and the local Red Cross,
of which he has been auditor for the past seven years. He enjoys baseball and football, while his. hobby is mechanics.
On October 21, 1911, he was married to Lenora May
Durham at Kansas City, Missouri. She was born in Greenleaf, September 20, 1884. They have one daughter, Martha
Janet, born December 3, 1917. Residence: Greenleaf. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton
Baldwin, 1933, page 42)
AYRES, JAMES FORREST
James Forrest Ayres, banker, was born near Glidden,
Iowa, February 25, 1881, son of James Andrew and Rebecca Estell (Calhoun) Ayres. The father was born at Andover,
Illinois, April 21, 1855. His wife, Rebecca, was born at Toulon, Illinois, May 4, 1858, and died at Greenleaf,
May 7, 1929.
From the time he left high school until 1918 Mr.
Ayres engaged in the general mercantile business with his father at Greenleaf. Since that time he has been a banker,
and is now cashier of the Greenleaf State Bank. He is a director of the Republic Mutual Fire Insurance Company
of Belleville, Kansas, and a member of the national board of trustees of the Security Benefit Association of Topeka.
He is a Republican, and active in state politics.
On June 21, 1905, Mr. Ayres was married to Clara
Maude Wartenbee at Greenleaf. She was born there on August 21, 1880, and for a number of years taught in the city
schools of Greenleaf. There are two children, Alice May, born June 8, 1907; and James Richard, July 13, 1911. Alice
attended Kansas State Teachers College, and has followed the teaching profession since that time. Richard is a
student, and for the past three years has attended Kansas State College.
Mr. Ayres has held the office of city clerk for
the past 17 years, and has also been a member of the city council and school board. He was clerk of the city school
board for two terms. He is a Christian, and a member of the Red Cross. A member of all Masonic bodies, he served
as grand master of Masons of Kansas in 1931. His favorite sports are football and baseball, and for a number of
years he has been a member of the local band. Residence: Greenleaf. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin
& Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, page 51)
