Jesse W. Marley

JESSE W. MARLEY, cashier of the Oswego State Bank from its organization, is one of the foremost businessmen of Labette county, Kansas, where he has resided since 1878. He is a man of recognized ability, and of broad and liberal views, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens to a marked degree. He was born in Hendricks county, Indiana, January 31, 1853, and is a son of Henry A. and Elizabeth (Stout) Marley. He is a grandson of Alfred Marley, of North Carolina, who moved to Indiana.

Henry A. Marley was born in North Carolina in 1830, and was a small boy when he moved with his father to Morgan county, Indiana, where he spent his early days. He has followed farming all his days and owned 600 acres of land in Hendricks county, Indiana, which he sold when he moved to Oswego, Kansas, where he now lives in retirement. He was a member of the firm of Marley & Marley, who operated a private bank which was merged into the Oswego State Bank, in 1887. He was married to Elizabeth Stout, a daughter of Jesse and Malinda (Hobson) Stout. Mrs. Marley's mother came from the same ancestry as Lieutenant Hobson, one of the heroes of the Spanish-American War. Jesse Stout and Alfred Marley were both early settlers of Hendricks county, Indiana. Mrs. Marley died in 1864 at the age of thirty years, leaving two children, namely: Jesse W.; and Luther W., who now resides in Kansas City, Kansas.

Jesse W. Marley obtained, his primary education in the district schools of his native county, after which he took a preparatory course at De Pauw University, and a two years collegiate course in the same institution. In 1877 he went to Chattanooga, Tennessee, but, owing to the prevalence, of yellow fever, in the fall of 1878 came to Oswego, Kansas. In 1880 the private bank of Marley & Marley was established, consisting of himself and father. In 1887 the bank was incorporated, and has since been known as the Oswego State Bank, Mr. Marley having served as cashier from its beginning. He has a thorough understanding of the banking business and has discharged the duties of his office in a highly satisfactory manner.

In 1883 Jesse W. Marley was married to Julia Weir, who was a daughter of Dr. Weir. She died in 1884, leaving one child, Louise. In 1887 he formed a second marital union, the bride being Margaret B. Belt, who was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, and is a daughter of John F. and Mary Belt. She received her early education at North Middletown, Kentucky, and then became a student in the Boston Conservatory of Music, from which institution she was graduated. She has the reputation of being the finest pianist in Southern Kansas. She taught somewhat while at the conservatory, and also after her graduation. In 1886 she accepted a position as instructress of music in the Holden Conservatory of Music, at Holden, Kansas. She has continued her work since marriage, and has always had a large class of students from the surounding towns, her accomplishments as an instructress equaling her brilliancy as a pianist. Mr. Marley is a Republican in politics, and served in the city council for several years. He was mayor of the city one term, and has been a member of the board of education, and of the county central committee several terms; he was chairman of the latter body during one term. He was the nominee of the Republican party for the state legislature in 1900.