Georgia Neese Clark Gray

Georgia Neese Clark Gray
Born	Template:Birth date Richland, Kansas, U.S.
Died	October 26, 1995(1995-10-26) (aged 97)
Occupation(s)	Actress, banker, politician
Years active	1921–1953 (acting and banking)
Known for	First woman Treasurer of the United States (1949–1953)

Georgia Neese Clark Gray (January 27, 1898 – October 26, 1995) was an American actress and banker who made history as the 29th Treasurer of the United States, holding the position from 1949 to 1953 and becoming the first woman to do so.

Early life

Born in Richland, Kansas to Albert Neese, a prosperous farmer and entrepreneur who owned significant portions of the town’s real estate, including its bank and general store, and Ella Sullivan Neese, Georgia was raised in an affluent environment. She completed her high school education in Topeka in 1917 before briefly attending Bethany College. She later transferred to Washburn University, where she focused on economics. During her university years, she was actively involved in campus life, serving as president of the drama club and joining the Upsilon chapter of Alpha Phi. After earning her degree in 1921, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting and enrolled at the Franklin Sargent School of Dramatic Art.

Acting career

Gray’s acting career began with performances in various stock theater companies. From 1921 until 1931, she worked in New York City, earning up to $500 weekly and connecting with notable personalities such as Helen Hayes and Charlie Chaplin. The advent of sound films and the economic impact of the Depression curtailed her theatrical pursuits, leading her to return home to care for her ailing father.

Family business

In 1935, Gray entered the family business by joining her father’s Richland State Bank as assistant cashier. Upon his passing in 1937, she assumed leadership as president of the bank and took control of additional family enterprises including the general store, grain elevator, lumber yard, insurance agency, agricultural properties, and other real estate assets.

Political background

Gray was deeply involved with the Kansas Democratic Party and served on the Democratic National Committee from 1936 through 1964. As an early advocate for Harry S. Truman, she broke new ground as the first female Treasurer of the United States from 1949 until 1953.

Later career

When Richland was acquired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the late 1960s for the creation of Clinton Lake, the town was evacuated and demolished by 1974. Gray was instrumental in lobbying Congress to secure funding that assisted property owners displaced by this project. In 1964, she moved Richland State Bank to Topeka, rebranding it as Capital City State Bank (later known simply as Capital City Bank), which grew to include several branches by the end of the century.

Personal life

In 1929, Gray married her manager George M. Clark; they divorced during the mid-1940s. She continued using the name Georgia Neese Clark for some time after marrying journalist Andrew J. Gray in 1953. She did not have any children.

Posthumous

Gray passed away on October 26, 1995, at age 97 and is interred near Berryton, Kansas.

The Georgia Neese Gray Performance Hall at the Topeka Performing Arts Center bears her name in tribute.

The Georgia Neese Gray Award honors Kansans who have distinguished themselves through elected municipal or county service and demonstrated exceptional community commitment aligned with Kansas Democratic Party values. It represents the highest accolade bestowed by the Kansas Democratic Party upon local officials.

She was posthumously inducted into both the Topeka Business Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Kansas Business Hall of Fame in 2016.

External links

• Harry S. Truman Presidential Museum and Library
• Topeka Performing Arts Center
• Washington Post article