George Sorensen, the president of the Pioneer State Bank of Burlingame and the local agent of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, was born in Denmark, July 3, 1861, the son of Soren and Carolina (Nielsen) Sorensen. His father was a farmer in the old country, carried arms in its defense during the war of 1848, '49 and '50, in which two of his brothers were killed. He was a prominent man in Denmark, served for a number of years as justice of the peace, and was otherwise identified with the progress and welfare of his community. Like most Danes he was a member of the Lutheran church.

George Sorensen received a good common school education in his native land, served in the army two years and then went into the government railway service, where he was employed for five years. In 1881 he immigrated to the United States and located in Delaware, Ohio. Three years later he came to Kansas and settled at Belleville, Republic county. Desiring a better education he moved to Manhattan and entered the State Agricultural College in 1887. He finished the course in two years and at once began to work as an operator for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad. While the road was building an extension he was sent to Modoc and then to Harveyville, where he remained fifteen months. He was transferred to Peterson and subsequently to Scranton and remained there ten years. In 1900 Mr. Sorensen was made agent of the railroad at Burlingame, which position he still holds. He is a natural business man and was elected president of the Pioneer State Bank of Burlingame in 1910. It is capitalized at $25,000 and has a surplus of $3,000. From the first the bank has carried on a large business and is regarded as one of the soundest financial institutions in Kansas. Since coming to Burlingame Mr. Sorensen has made many friends and is one of the substantial business men of the city. In politics he is a Republican. In 1885 Mr. Sorensen married Marie Frandsen, who was born and reared in Denmark, where her father was a farmer. He was in the army during the war of 1864. Four children have been born to this union: Michael, a graduate of the University of Colorado, who is an attorney in Burlingame; George, who is employed in the office of the superintendent of the telegraph lines of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad at Topeka; Lucille and Emil, who are in school at Burlingame. The family are members of the Presbyterian church.