George Innes, successful merchant and prominent citizen of Lawrence, is a Scotchman by birth and lineage. He was born in the northern part of Scotland, July 23, 1841, a son of William and Catherine (McDonald) Innes, who lived and died in Scotland, the father dying when the son was but seven years old.

Mr. Innes was reared to the farm life and given a common school education. When a young man less than seventeen years of age he taught one term of school, boarding around with the scholars, but the one term convinced him that he did not want to be a teacher. In 1859 he came to the United States, locating in Buffalo, N. Y., where he accepted a clerkship in the drygoods store of a cousin. He continued as a drygoods clerk for about eight years, and then engaged in business for himself as a drygoods merchant at Buffalo. In 1870 Mr. Innes came to Kansas, and located at Lawrence, where he has since continued in the mercantile business, beginning on a limited capital. By close application to his business, to which he brought unusual ability, he prospered, and after several years alone in business he accepted partners, and today he is a member of the well known firm of Innes, Bullene & Hackman, which firm, with a large stock of drygoods, carpets and ladies' ready-made garments, occupies a large, handsome and well equipped business house, which the firm erected in 1911. As a business man Mr. Innes has been successful, and he deserves the success which has attended his business career, for he has manifested not only unusual business ability, but also a spirit of worthy enterprise and industry. As a citizen he has borne an active and commendable part in public affairs. As an ardent Democrat he has been active in politics, and served as postmaster at Lawrence for four years, receiving his appointment from President Cleveland, during the second administration of that able executive. For about fifteen years Mr. Innes served on the Lawrence city school board, and otherwise has been active in public life. Fraternally he is a Thirtieth degree Mason, a Knight Templar, and is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In church faith he is a Presbyterian.

In 1869 Mr. Innes married Eliza Matheson, of Canadian nativity, a daughter of Donald Matheson, who was a member of the Canadian Parliament. Mrs. Innes died in 1910, leaving two children—Marion and Janet.