Morris J. Coolbaugh, Jr.

MORRIS J. COOLBAUGH, JR., in point of years of continuous activity is doubtless one of the very oldest bankers in Northwestern Kansas. For thirty-five years he has been identified with the institution at Stockton known as the National State Bank, of which he and his family are owners. Mr. Coolbaugh has been a business man of prominence in Rooks County since pioneer times.

He was born at Wysox, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, October 6, 1862. The Coolbaugh family has been in America nearly three centuries. They came from Holland to the American colonies in 1635. William Coolbaugh served as a soldier in the American Revolution, and his daughter Edith is a five-bar member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the five bars indicating that she has five direct ancestors who were participants in the struggle for independence.

Mr. Coolbaugh's paternal grandfather was Samuel Coolbaugh, who was born in Wysox, Pennsylvania, December 25, 1790. He spent his life there as a farmer and merchant, and died November 30, 1874. He married Nancy Ogden who was also a lifelong resident of Wysox. Samuel Coolbaugh's father was Moses Coolbaugh.

Morris J. Coolbaugh, Sr., son of Samuel, was born at Wysox in 1824, and spent his active career as a farmer. He was reared and married in Bradford County, served a term as county commissioner, and was otherwise prominent in that locality. In 1879 he brought his family to Western Kansas and homesteaded a quarter section in Rooks County. He lived on this land until 1885, after which he retired to Stockton and died there in 1899. He was a republican and a member of the Masonic fraternity. The maiden name of his wife was Lemira K. Spalding. She was born at Athens, Pennsylvania, in 1822 and died at Stockton in 1910. Through Mrs. Lemira K. Coolbaugh are some other interesting lines of ancestry. Her grandfather, William Witter Spalding, a native of Pennsylvania who died in Bradford County, was a soldier in the Revolution. He married Rebecca Spalding, member of an unrelated Spalding family, and daughter of General Simon Spalding, who served with the rank of general under Washington in the Revolution. Robert Spalding, father of Lemira K., was born at Athens in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, July 1, 1790, and died at Wysox October 6, 1853. He became one of the wealthy men of Western Pennsylvania, was a mill owner, engaged extensively in logging and sawmilling operations, and was also a merchant and farmer.

Morris J. Coolbaugh, Sr., and wife had the following children: Louise, who died in 1902, wife of C. E. Bartlett, a farmer in Rooks County; Robert Spalding, a merchant at Boise, Idaho; Rebecca, who died in childhood; Hattie Lemira, wife of S. H. Baldwin, a druggist at Columbus, Kansas; Samuel, who died at Stockton at the age of twenty-one; Morris J., Jr.; and Willis E., who was a Stockton druggist and died in 1907, aged forty-one.

Morris Coolbaugh, Jr., who was born at Wysox, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, October 6, 1862, was seventeen years of age when his parents came to Kansas. His early education was acquired in the rural schools of his native county, also the high school at Towanda. After coming to Rooks County he became identified with the pioneer drug store at Stockton, was a druggist there until 1883 and retained an interest in the business until a few years ago. It was in 1884 that Mr. Coolbaugh entered banking, establishing a private bank at Stockton. It was incorporated under a state charter as the State Bank of Stockton in 1887. In 1906 the state charter was surrendered and a national charter secured, and it has since been conducted as The National State Bank of Stockton. It was captialized[sic] at $50,000, has surplus and profits of $45,000, and at the close of 1918 its deposits aggregated more than $450,000. These facts indicate that it is one of the largest and strongest banks in Northwest Kansas. As above noted, its ownership and all its offices are vested in the Coolbaugh family. Morris J. Coolbaugh is president, his son, M. S. Coolbaugh is the vice president, another son, S. J. Coolbaugh, is cashier, C. W. Coolbaugh and James O. Coolbaugh are assistant cashiers. Mr. Coolbaugh is also a director in the Farmers State Bank of Alton, Kansas. For many years he has judiciously invested in Kansas lands, aggregating 3,000 acres in Rooks, Rawlins, Stanton and Wichita counties. The finest and most valuable residence in Stockton is the home of himself and family. It was built in 1904, has all modern improvements, and stands in the midst of large grounds adorned with shade and fruit trees.

Mr. Coolbaugh has been as active as a citizen as in business affairs. One term he was mayor of Stockton and for a number of years was on the city council. He is a republican, a member of the Congregational Church, of Newahcuba Lodge No. 189, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Solomon Valley Chapter No. 81, Royal Arch Masons, Hiram Commandery, Knights Templar, at Phillipsburg; Isis Temple of the Mystic Shrine, at Salina; Stockton Chapter of the Eastern Star, and Stockton Camp, Modern Woodmen of America.

In 1883, at Stockton, he married Miss Mattie S. O'Donnell, daughter of Dr. J. S. and Edith (Bilson) O'Donnell, both now deceased. Doctor O'Donnell was one of the first physicians and surgeons to establish a practice at Stockton, and during the Civil war was a general surgeon with the Army of the Potomac. Mrs. Coolbaugh died at Stockton in 1900. In 1904, at Concordia, Kansas, Mr. Coolbaugh married Miss Lillian Davies, daughter of J. T. and Sarah (Blaine) Davies, the latter still living in Concordia, where her father, a merchant tailor, died in November, 1918. Mr. and Mrs. Coolbaugh have one child, Lillian, born October 3, 1908.

Mr. Coolbaugh's children, by his first wife are briefly noted as follows: Morris S., a graduate of the Stockton High School, is vice president of the National State Bank of Stockton, but is a resident of and is president of the American State Bank at Cherryvale, Kansas; Edith is the wife of J. H. Lee, an electrician at Plainville, Kansas; Samuel J. is cashier of the National State Bank at Stockton; Charles W. is assistant cashier of the bank, and is a graduate of the Stockton High School and the Salina Business College, and James O., the youngest and assistant cashier of the bank, enlisted five days after the war against Germany was declared, and received his preliminary training in the navy at Princeton University, where he was graduated with the rank of ensign December 31, 1918. He then spent six weeks in the University of Pennsylvania, and immediately after receiving his commission was appointed assistant paymaster and is on detail as traveling instructor for the government in government life insurance.

Pages 2443-2445.