William B McQueen, Balmaclellan and Nebraska
William B. McQueen, one of the prominent business men of Hay Springs, Nebraska, is a gentleman of exceptional business ability, and well known throughout Sheridan county as a worthy citizen. Mr. McQueen was born in the south of Scotland in 1855. His father, James McQueen, was a shoemaker who for many years had made the village of Balmaclellan his home and his family of nine children was raised there. Our subject was the fourth member in order of birth, and received a good education, after leaving school going in one of the mercantile establishments in Manchester, England, where he learned the dry goods business thoroughly. He then was employed as a traveling salesman for a wholesale dry goods house for some time. In 1881 he left his native land and came to the United States, after landing in New York striking out at once for the west, settling in Neligh, Antelope county, Nebraska. There he taught school, part of the time farmed, and clerked, remaining in that locality up to 1889, and in that year came to Rushville where he helped organize the First National bank. He was made cashier at the beginning and held that position until 1890. He proved up on a homestead in Antelope county, and the family lived in a sod shanty there for some time.
Mr. McQueen first came to Hay Springs in 1890, and was one of the organizers of the Northwestern State bank, with officers as follows: President, Charles Weston; vice-president, L. J. Schill; cashier, William E. McQueen. The bank did a large business from the time of its establishment, and in 1904 erected the home building, which is one of the finest to be found in this section of the country. The front is constructed of South Dakota sand stone, and the style of architecture is especially attractive. It has tile floors, electric burglar alarms, the most modern fixtures and everything is in the very best shape. The clearings for the fall of 1906 amounted to about twenty thousand dollars per day. Capital stock and surplus is forty-five thousand dollars; also connected with the Gordon State bank of Gordon, and the Union bank of Rushville, Nebraska.
Mr. McQueen was married in Scotland June 8, 1881, to Miss Jessie McKeand, and on their wedding day the young couple set out for the new world. Six children have been born to them, namely: Madge, Anna, Josephine, Wilma, Charles W., and Jessie, all of whom were born and raised in Nebraska. Mr. McQueen is a Republican and has always taken an active interest in all local party affairs, attending numerous conventions, although he has never sought any office.
External Links