Francis Reid Long was Kansas City Mayor in 1869 and founder of what would become Commerce Bancshares

Commerce Bancshares

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. is a Kansas City, Missouri based U.S. bank holding company with branches of its Commerce Bank in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Oklahoma....

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Long was born in Woodford County, Kentucky

Woodford County, Kentucky

Woodford County is a county located in the heart of the Bluegrass region of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 23,208. Its county seat is Versailles. The county is named for General William Woodford, who was with General George Washington at Valley Forge...

After moving to Kansas City he joined with Nathaniel Grant and A.S. Branham to found the Long, Grant & Company which in turn would become the Kansas City Savings Association.

During Long's term the Hannibal Bridge

Hannibal Bridge

The First Hannibal Bridge was the first bridge to cross the Missouri River and was to establish Kansas City, Missouri as a major city and rail center....

 -- the first bridge to cross the Missouri River

Missouri River

The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...

 -- opened. The bridge would establish Kansas City as the dominant city in the region. With the bridge came the founding of the Kansas City Stockyards

Kansas City Stockyards

The Kansas City Stockyards in the West Bottoms west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri flourished from 1871 until closing in 1991.Jay B. Dillingham was the President of the stockyards from the 1948 to its closing in 1991.-History:...

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