Edward W. Hume, president of the Franklin County State Bank, of Ottawa, Kan., is a native of New York state, having been born in Oneida county, July 16, 1844. He is of English ancestry, both his maternal and paternal grandparents being natives of England, where they resided their entire lives. His parents were Edward and Jane (Berkenshire) Hume, the former born and reared in England, but came to America in 1840 when a young man and settled in New York state, where he continued to reside until 1852, when, learning of the wonderful advantages of the West, he decided to locate there, and finally settled at Morris, Ill. In his youth he had mastered the trade of wheelwright and machinist, which occupation he followed until in his latter years removing to a farm on which he died in 1856. He was reared an Episcopalian in religious belief and carried with him throughout life those precepts of honesty and integrity taught by that old established church. His beloved wife survived him until called to her reward in 1880.

Edward W. Hume was but eight years of age when he accompanied his parents to Illinois, where he was reared and educated in the common schools. When the great internecine strife between the North and the South began he answered Lincoln's call to suppress the rebellion, and enlisted in 1861 in Company G, Thirty-sixth Illinois infantry, under Colonel Greusel, who resigned in 1862 and whose command was assumed by Ed Joslyn. Mr. Hume's service extended throughout the war. He participated in the battles of Pea Ridge, Siege of Corinth, Perryville, Murfreeshoro or Stone's River, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, campaign against Atlanta, then the battle of Franklin. He was seriously wounded and captured at the battle of Murfreesboro, but was immediately exchanged and sent to the hospital, where he remained for three months. He served as corporal of his company for some time and later was promoted to the office of sergeant.

After the war he returned to Illinois and engaged in agricultural pursuits, continuing there until 1871, when he came to Kansas and located four miles north of Ottawa on a portion of the large farm which he now owns and which includes over one thousand acres. He has been not only an extensive and successful farmer, but in recent years has devoted a considerable portion of his time and attention to the raising of fine, blooded live stock. These pursuits have been supplemented, however, by activities in other directions, as when, in 1906, he organized the Franklin County State Bank, of which he has served as president since 1908, and the most progressive spirit has distinguished his course in every undertaking with which he has been connected. The capital stock of the bank is $10,000, with a surplus and undivided profits of $1,000. Mr. Hume also owns stock in the First National Bank of Ottawa and is one of its directors.

In 1865 Mr. Hume was united in marrige[sic] to Miss Rachel L. Pitzer, daughter of Jacob Pitzer, a native of Ohio who, in 1870, moved to Kansas, where he continued to reside for some time, but his death occurred in Eureka Springs, Ark. Mr. and Mrs. Hume are the parents of four children: Ernest H. and Jacob Sidney live on the farm; Jennie E.; and Flossie M. are at home. Notwithstanding his extensive business interests, Mr. Hume has found time to devote to the public welfare, having served as trustee of Hayes township for ten years, and having represented the Democratic constituency of his county in the various political conventions, state, national and congressional. He affiliates fraternally with the Masonic order, the Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republic, and in all of these orders he is deservedly popular because of his genial disposition and his readiness to aid in any movement for their advancement, the same spirit manifest in business relations as well.