BANKS AND BANKERS

Banks & Bankers 1904, Atlantic, Iowa
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1. Job Arthur MCWAID, president of the Atlantic National Bank, was born in Logan county, Ohio, March 7, 1836, and remained there until he was twenty years of age, when he came to Cedar county, Iowa. He resided in Cedar and Linn counties until 1869, when he came to Atlantic, arriving here on the 16th of January. He at once engaged with J. H. NEEDLES in the blacksmithing and implement business, the partnership continuing for eight years. He then went into the implement business himself, where the Mickel elevator now stands, and bought grain and sold coal. In 1882 he built the Atlantic Canning factory, personally superintending the erection of it, and afterwards operated it and continued in the business until 1901, when he sold out to J.W. CUYKENDALL and W.A. MCWAID. Interested in the Atlantic National Bank as a stockholder, he became its president in 1895, and has held that office and presided over its affairs ever since. He was elected mayor of Atlantic in 1901 and re-elected in 1903. He has held many public offices and now president of the library board. He is public-spirited at all times and a liberal giver to every worthy project for the advancement of the city. He belongs to the Masons and Elks and practices the charity they teach.

2. Hamilton WILCOX, president of the Bank of Griswold, of Griswold, Iowa, was born in Newport, Herkimer county, New York, August 30, 1842. In 1845 his father moved to Lewis county, New York, where he died when Mr. WILCOX was but seven years old. He lived there thirty-six years and in 1880 came west and located in Griswold, engaging in the loan, real estate and insurance business. In 1887 he organized the Bank of Lewis, Iowa, and after operating it for one year sold it to Harris & Woodward. In 1888 he founded the Bank of Griswold and has operated it ever since. He is a democrat in politics and was in touch with public affairs in New York state. The new town of Griswold recognized his ability and he was its first mayor for five years thereafter. He was the democratic nominee for county treasurer in the fall of 1887, and on the 1st of September of this year was nominated by the democrats of the Ninth congressional district as their candidate for congress. He is a man of affairs, thoroughly versed in the banking business, and has been successful in all his ventures. He is also president of the local branch of the Corn Belt Meat Producers' Association. He is a Mason and a public-spirited citizen in all things.

3. James E. BRUCE, president of the Citizens' Bank of Anita, the Citizens' Savings Bank of Anita and the Iowa Trust and Savings Bank of Atlantic, was born in Brooklyn, Iowa, April 14, 1860, and lived there until he was twenty-one years of age. He attended the public schools of Brooklyn and then entered the Iowa State University and graduated from its law department in 1881. He helped his father on the farm until June of that year and then with $ 100 of borrowed money in his pocket came to Anita and hung out his shingle. He did not wait for something to turn up but took on insurance and real estate as a side line, and began turning things up himself. He was successful in all his business deals and in 1894 organized the Citizens' Bank of Anita, and in July of 1903 organized the Citizens' Savings Bank of Anita, and later in 1903 organized the Farmers' Supply Company of Anita with a paid up capital of $ 25,000 and about eighty stockholders. Early this year he began negotiating for the purchase of the Commercial Bank of Atlantic and having completed his negotiations organized the Iowa Trust and Savings Bank of Anita as its successor, with a capital stock of $125,000, all of which was placed and the bank opened for business within two weeks of the opening of the books for stock subscriptions. Mr. BRUCE is a Mason and has filled the office of Junior Grand Warden of the Grand lodge, he is also an Elk, K.P., Odd Fellow and Woodman. His motto has ever been "If things don't move, push," and his success in business is attributable thereto. He is public-spirited and liberal in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the city and county. He is now a resident of Atlantic, having built a large and handsome residence on West Sixth street this year.

4. Joseph H. MARSHALL, president of the Citizens' Savings Bank of Atlantic, Iowa, was born in Louisa county, Iowa, September 3, 1861. He lived there until he was eighteen years old, and then began clerking in a store at Columbus Junction, Iowa. He then went from Columbus Junction to Marshalltown, Iowa, where he began clerking for Baum & Schobert, with whom he learned the every detail of the dry goods business. He remained with them six years and then was employed by a wholesale dry goods and millinery house in Omaha. He came to Atlantic in 1893 and engaged in the dry goods business himself and has continued in that business ever since. In May, 1896, that Citizens' Savings Bank was organized by a number of leading financiers and farmers of this city and vicinity, Mr. MARSHALL being elected its president, the bank being largely a creation of his efforts, and he has remained its president ever since. In the banking business, as in the dry goods business, Mr. MARSHALL is thoroughly a master of details and has achieved his successes in business by strict attention thereto and courteous treatment of his customers. He is president of the Business Mens' Association and until recently has been a member of the library board. He is a member of the Masonic and Elk lodges and active in all civic movements.

5. Byron D. FORSHAY, vice president of the Iowa Trust and Savings Bank of Atlantic, Iowa and of the Citizens' Bank, and cashier of the Citizens' Savings Bank of Anita, was born in Patterson, N.J., January 2, 1865, and graduated from the Patterson High school and the Patterson Business college. He came to Iowa January 1, 1883, and worked for C.M. MYERS in the Bank of Anita until November, 1885. He then moved to Atlantic and accepted a position with F. H. WHITNEY in the Bank of Atlantic, remaining there until June 1, 1894, when he returned to Anita and became a member of the partnership purchasing the interests of A. N. and N.A. WHITE in the Citizens' Bank at that place. He is a capable bank man and has won his spurs in the contest for patronage and the confidence of the public.

6. James G. WHITNEY, cashier of the Citizens' Savings Bank of Atlantic, Iowa, was born near Whitneyville, Cass county, Iowa, January 20, 1864, and afterwards lived in Lewis and then came with his parents to Atlantic in 1869. When fourteen years of age he was taken into the Bank of Atlantic by his father and he has been behind bank counters in responsible positions ever since, or more than twenty-seven years. He was his father's business confidant, and from his learned the banking business in all its ramifications. When the Citizens' Savings Bank was organized he was unanimously selected as its cashier, with Thomas H. WHITNEY as his assistant, and these positions they are still filling to the satisfaction of the stockholders and public. He was appointed by the creditors of the Bank of Atlantic to adjust its affairs and he has discharged his obligations so well that every dollar of the indebtedness, with 30 per cent of the accrued interest, has been paid. He finds his chief pleasure in his home and is a member of but one lodge, the Elks. No man in any business stands higher in the public esteem than he and his personality is best described by the statement that it will be " Jimmy " to the end of the chapter. He is public-spirited and an ardent lover of the towns and the county his father did so much to develop, as well as of his fellowmen.

7 Charles E. FAULKNER, cashier of the Anita Bank, was born in Grant township, Cass county, Iowa, two miles north of Anita, July 1, 1874, and has lived there all his life. He graduated from the Davenport Business college, then helped his father on the farm and in his business, and eight years ago went into the Meyers' bank and remained there until the bank was purchasedby J. C. VOORHEES and himself, acting as assistant cashier of the Meyers bank and being made cashier when the transfer was formally made. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen and is a progressive and up-to-date business man and thoroughly conversant with the banking business.

PLATE 1 BANKS AND BANKERS==> PLATE 2


From: Exposition Souvenir Album, published by Democrat Publishing Company, Atlantic, Iowa, 1904. Transcribed by Brenda Magee, October, 2011.

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