Arthur E. Asher, president of the Commercial National Bank of Hutchinson and one of the leading bankers and financiers of central Kansas, was born in Oldham county, Kentucky, May 14, 1863, son of Milton and Martha L. (Edding) Asher, descended from families that located in Virginia at an early day and subsequently became pioneer settlers of Kentucky. The mother is dead, but the father now resides in Hutchinson.

Arthur E. Asher is the only surviving child in a family of four children. He was reared and educated in his native state, where he attended the public schools and then took a higher course in Home College, Campbellsburg, Ky. Desiring a wide field from which to choose his life work he came to Kansas in 1886 and located at Stafford, where he entered the employ of the Fair & Shakk Lumber Company. In 1888 he first entered the banking business, and from that time has been engaged in it continuously, except for ten years, spent in Hutchinson with the St. John Trust Company. He entered the Stafford Bank as assistant cashier and a year later became cashier, which position he held until he became associated with the trust company, as secretary. This concern loaned money on cattle and other securities, building up a large and lucrative business, but in 1903 Mr. Asher severed his connection with it to return to Stafford, where he organized the First State Bank and became its first president, remaining until 1906, when he came to Hutchinson to accept the presidency of the Commercial National Bank, which position he still holds, to the entire satisfaction of the stockholders, who are all prominent business men of the city. He is still a director of the First State Bank of Stafford and also of the First State Bank of Minneola. Since locating in Hutchinson he has taken an active part in all movements for the upbuilding and progress of the town. He is president of the school board, a position which he has held for three years, and has proposed many excellent changes in the system. Fraternally his relations are with the Masonic order, as a Knight Templar, and he is also a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In church matters he takes a very active part, being president of the official board of the Christian church, to which he has belonged for thirty-five years. He is interested in the Young Men's Christian Association and has been instrumental in securing the fine building of the association in Hutchinson. Although a banker, he is interested in the Kansas Chemical Manufacturing Company of Hutchinson, and several other commercial enterprises.

On Dec. 8, 1888, he married Gertrude M. Summers, a native of Illinois who had been living in Stafford, but who had spent some years in Denver, Col. They have three daughters—Lucile, Mildred, and Helen.