MICHAEL J. HINES.
For an individual to come to Atchison county without funds and with practically no influential friends to assist him to achieve success, it is remarkable for him to accomplish in the rather brief period of twenty-six years as much as has been done by Michael J. Hines, of Lancaster township, Atchison county. It is apparent that Kansas presents unusual opportunities for a man to better his condition, if one man can accumulate 480 acres of land, become president of a flourishing banking concern and a stockholder in another important city bank. The main reason for Mr. Hines’ wonderful success must lie in the ability of the man himself, and the reviewer must of necessity conclude that the power to achieve was inherent in his mental and physical makeup, which, combined with industry, decided financial ability, honesty and uprightness has made him one of the leading citizens of his adopted county. Mr. Hines is a scion of old southern families, and comes of good old Virginia stock on his mother’s side, being descended from the well known Hunter family of Virginia, who were among the founders of the Baptist church in the southland. Mr. Hines is a large stockholder and director, and was formerly vice-president of the Antelope Peak copper mines of Arizona. He is the owner of a 320–acre irrigated ranch in the Valier valley of Montana, near Valier.
Michael J. Hines was born July 5, 1863, in Roanoke county, Virginia, and was one of the twelve children of Henry and Katherine (Jeter) Hines, six of whom are living. The father was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1833. He was a Confederate soldier during the Civil war, having enlisted in Virginia but was not in any battles during the war. His life was spent in farming except for a time when he speculated in Confederate money. At the close of the war he had a sack full of Confederate scrip which could not be redeemed. He died at his home in Abington, Va., in 1898. His father, Richard Hines, was of Irish descent and was a plantation owner in Virginia. His mother was Sallie (Howmaker) Hines, and was of German descent. The mother of Michael Hines was also a Virginian, having been born in Bedford county, Virginia, in 1841. She died in 1890. She was a daughter of Allison Jeter. Her mother was a member of the Hunter family, who were among the first members of the Baptist church.
Michael Hines was reared and educated in Virginia and left that State in 1883 when he was twenty years of age, settling in Morgan county, Illinois, where he worked as a farm hand for six years. He then came to Atchison, Kan., and was engaged as foreman by the Greenleaf & Baker Grain Company. Six years later he bought his present farm of 160 acres. It was unimproved and none of the land was broken. Since buying the land he has made $10,000 worth of improvements on his place and has set out fifteen acres of orchard. This evidence speaks for the thrift and good judgment of Mr. Hines. He also has bought 480 acres of land in Lancaster township. He is a live, progressive farmer and stock raiser and keeps graded stock of all kinds on his farm. Mr. Hines is a shareholder and president of the Lancaster State Bank, and is also a stockholder in the German-American Bank of Atchison, Kan. In politics Mr. Hines is a Democrat, but votes independently in county and State affairs, and for the individual.
Mr. Hines was married in 1890 at Alexander, Ill., to Lillie Kaiser, who was born August 27, 1870, and six children have been born to this union, as follows: Samuel, who was graduated from the Atchison business college, and is now farming at home; Frank, Helen, Louise and Lillian, all living at home, and one died in infancy. Mr. Hines is a member of the Methodist church and is a trustee and steward in the Shannon Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Lancaster, Kan.