William Wieters, president of the State Bank of Lanham, Neb., and actively concerned in the commercial life of Marshall county, Kansas, since 1881, was born in Hanover, Germany, August 23, 1852, a son of Henry and Sophia (Backhaus) Wieters. His father was brickmason by trade and accumulated a competency, which he invested in improved property. His death occurred in 1888, and that of his wife in 1894.

William Wieters was reared in his native country and obtained his educational discipline in the public schools, from which he graduated. In 1869 he came to the United States and first located in Quincy, Ill., where he remained one year, when he continued on west to Kansas and secured employment as a farm hand in Marshall county. This character of employment he followed for eleven years. He was frugal and his savings during this period were sufficient to enable him to establish himself in the lumber and grain business, in 1881, at Herkimer, Kan. He also bought and sold cattle to a considerable extent. In 1885 he purchased a lumber yard at Lanham, Neb., the yard being on the Kansas side of the State line. He removed from Herkimer in 1887 and has since resided in the first named town. From 1881 until 1907 he was an extensive cattle feeder, and raised a large number as well. In the last named year he disposed of his commercial interests, which consisted of lumber yards, elevators and cattle, retaining one yard at Harbine, Neb., in order to devote his entire time to the management of the State Bank of Lanham, which he had organized in December of 1906, and of which he is the controlling stockholder and president. The business of this institution has been of sound and continuous growth and it has under his management proved a highly profitable enterprise. Mr. Wieters is known to the banking fraternity as an able and energetic executive, conservative in his business methods, and a discriminating financier. He is one of the extensive land owners of his section and his acreage is situated in Kansas, Nebraska and Texas, and farms in the latter State about 600 acres near El Campo. He has in the last few years engaged in the breeding of registered Polled Durham cattle on rather an extensive scale, this department of his activity being confined to his Kansas ranch, which is located in Washington county. Political office has never appealed to him, nor has he taken an active part in politics, although he never neglects his civic duties and obligations. He is well read on the questions and policies of the day. He has served as postmaster of Lanham and Herkimer, and in each case it was a question of the office seeking the man. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

On June 21, 1883, Mr. Wieters was united in marriage with Miss Sophia Brockmeyer, a daughter of Fred and Fredericka (Benschneider) Brockmeyer. Fred Brockmeyer was a Pottawatomie county pioneer of the early '50s and became a well known farmer and stockman. He was a native of the Province of Hanover, Germany, and his wife of the Province of Mecklenberg. His death occurred in 1910. Mrs. Brockmeyer survives her husband and is now a member of our subject's family. Mrs. Wieters was born in Pottawatomie county, and acquired her education in the schools of Washington county, where her parents had removed in 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Wieters are the parents of the following children: William C., real estate dealer, of El Campo, Tex.; Eleanora, the wife of George Sellman, of Oklahoma City, Okla.; Freda; Helen M.; Julia; Alfred, cashier of the State Bank of Lanham, and Adelaide, a student in the engineering department of Kansas University, class of 1917.

Mr. Wieters and his wife are members of the German Lutheran church and both are active workers in the cause of Christianity.