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The journey begins with Roland Conklin, born in Urbana, Illinois, in 1858. A graduate of the University of Illinois in 1880, he ventured west to Kansas City to capitalize on the booming real estate market of the late 19th century. Partnering with his brother Stanley and Samuel Garvis, Conklin co-founded the Garvis-Conklin Mortgage and Trust Company, which rapidly expanded by financing new residential developments along the American frontier.
Their influence extended beyond Missouri, helping develop upscale neighborhoods in Cleveland and Baltimore, including Baltimore’s historic Rowland Park. Conklin’s enterprise even opened a branch in London in 1889, making it one of the first American banks to establish an international operation.