Hezekiah A. Wade

HEZEKIAH A. WADE, vice-president of the Parsons Commercial Bank, whose portrait is herewith shown, has been living a retired life in the city of Parsons, Labette county, Kansas, since 1890. He was a bricklayer by trade, and built many of the first brick buildings of the community.

Mr. Wade was born in Bedford county, Virginia, in 1828, and is a son of Alexander Wade. He was reared and schooled in his native county, and early in life began to learn the trade of a brick-mason. He served his apprenticeship in Campbell county, Virginia, and afterward went to Richmond, Virginia, where he lived a few years and plied his trade. He then moved to Petersburg, Virginia, and resided there until 1869, when he moved to Kansas, locating at Chetopa, Labette county. He remained there but one year, after which he settled in Parsons, where he has since resided. He laid the first brick in the city of Parsons, - which was in the old Belmont Hotel chimneys, - and has also built many of the best business houses which are still standing, including the opera house, Masonic Temple, and Third Ward school building. He was engaged actively at his trade until 1890, and in these years of industry put by a handsome competency, - enabling him to retire and enjoy the comforts of life in his declining years. He was one of the original stockholders, and a director of the Parsons Savings Bank, organized by Joshua Hill in 1874, and was one of the incorporators of the Parsons Commercial Bank, in 1878. He has since served as vice-president and director of the latter institution. Politically, he is a stanch supporter of Democratic principles. Fraternally, he is a Mason, and has risen to the rank of Knight Templar.