Walter Hancock Rhodes, former banker of Lewistown, Ill., now of Omaha, Neb., was born in Havana, Mason County, Ill., July 4, 1871, the son of John W. and Cyrene (Hancock) Rhodes, and received his education in the public schools of his native place and Iowa College, Grinnell, Iowa, graduating from the former in 1889 and from the latter in 1893, from which he received the Ph. b: degree. Mr. Rhodes' father was a soldier of the Civil War, enlisting as a private and being advanced before his final discharge to the rank of Captain, serving in all during the whole of the war period or more than four years.
After graduating from his alma mater Mr. Rhodes returned to his home at Havana, but soon engaged in the banking business at Lewiston, being employed as Assistant Cashier of the Lewistown National Bank from February 22, 1894, until August following, when he became Cashier of the same institution, a position which he held until May 1, 1907. In the meantime he assisted in organizing other banking institutions in Fulton County, including the Ipava State Bank at Ipava, and the State Bank of Cuba, serving as Vice-President and Director of the former until his retirement from the banking business in Lewistown and as Director of the latter. On May 1, 1907, he retired from the Lewistown National Bank to accept a position in connection with the National Mutual Fire Insurance Company at Omaha, Neb. His standing as a business man is indicated by his continuous connection with the banking business in Fulton County for a period of more than thirteen years.
On June 5, 1895, Mr. Rhodes was united in marriage at Freeport, Ill., the bride's paternal home, with Flora Belle Wolfe and they have two children: Mildred Bernice, aged nine years, and Charles Wolfe, aged six years. Mr. Rhodes is a Republican in his political views and the social and fraternal organizations with which he is connected include the Y. M. C. A., the Masonic Order, the Knights of Pythias, the Omaha Field Club and the Illinois Bankers' Association.