Hubbard Banking:

At the enterprising town of Hubbard, the first attempt at banking was in 1880, when the Bank of Hubbard was established by J.Q. Hutton, of Belle Plain. He sold to E.G. Sweet and P.W. Thompson, all of Bell Plain. The capital was twenty-one thousand dollars, each putting one-third. This change was made in 1881, and they continued to operate the bank until 1884. The officers of this private banking house were: S.S. Sweet, president; P.W. Thompson, vice-president, with E.G. Swem as cashier.

In January, 1884, C.O. Byam of Belle Plain, bought the interest held by P.W. Thompson, and D.F. Byam was given a position as bookkeeper in the bank. In March, 1888. C.O. Byam purchased the interest of S.S. Sweet and E.G. Swem and continued the bank as a private concern, with C.O. Byam, president, and D.F. Byam, cashier, until the death of D.E. Byam, September 15, 1891, after which the business was continued by the estate and the cashier, of the Bank of Hubbard, until June 13, 1892, when they consolidated the Hubbard State Bank, and closed the old Bank of Hubbard.

The Hubbard State Bank was established May 7, 1891, with a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars. The officers were J.H. Bales, president; J.H. Wintermute, vice-president, and J.K. Milner, cashier. The directors were J. H. Bales, J.H. Wintermute, Kate A. Milner and T.W. Strother.

On June 13, 1892, they consolidated with the Bank of Hubbard (a private bank already named above, and increased the capital to fifty thousand dollars. J.H. Bales, resigned as president. J.K. Milner resigned as cashier, and T.W. Strother, having sold his stock, his office as director was declared vacant. J.K. Milner was then elected president, D.E. Byam, cashier and director. The officers at this time (January 1, 1911) are: President, D.E. Byam; vice-president, C.E. Albrook; cashier, C.A. Byam; directors, D.E. Byam, Kitte Byam, R.R. Swallum, E.D. Thompson and C.A. Albrook.

The bank building was a built in 1891, at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars and, while not fully modern in its appointments, serves very well for a banking house. The bank has always stood high in the estimate of the community. The statement published on November 11, 1910, shows that they had resources and liabilities amounting to #221,329.40, of which the capital stock, $50,000; surplus, $10,000; deposits, $135,740, appeared as among the items of liability, while on the assets side of the account, $180,691 was for bills receivable: sight exchange, $20,121 and realty, $11,570.

Garden City Banking:

At Garden City, in Concornd township, in the extremely southwestern portion o Hardin county, the Farmers Bank was established in the summer of 1902 with a capital of eight thousand dollars. It is a private banking house, with A.N. Drake as president; R.B. Ballard, vice-president; A.R. Johnson, cashier, who served a year and was succeeded by the present cashier, OE. Freedan, who came in March, 1903.

The bank has been robbed twice, on December 16, 1903, and again on the night of December 1 and 2, 1910, of which the local papers gave the following, which is virtually vouched for by the bank officers:

"Just before Christmas, 1910, four men dynamited the Farmers' Bank at Garden City, just before eleven o'clock, and secured one thousand eight hundred dollars in cash and made their escape. After being observed the robbers completed their work under fusilade of shots and returned four or five shots tot he citizens, and it is supposed one of the robbers was wounded. The loss to the bank was about two thousand five hundred dollars, which was covered by banker's insurance. After gaining entrance to the bank the robbers used nitro-glycerine to open the safe. The strong box was badly wrecked by the explosion, the noise of which aroused several citizens. Before blowing up the safe the men cut the telephone wires leading to the to town, in order to prevent an alarm being sent outside.

About 1903, when the bank was first opened, it was robbed of from five hundred to six hundred dollars by the blowing up of a safe. In neither case were the robbers caught."

Whitten Banking:

The Whitten Bank was organized September 15, 1905, with a capital of ten thousand dollars. Its president was W.C. Yenerich, and E.J. Yenerich was cashier, and they owned the bank building and lots upon which the building stood. March 16, 1910, the Whitten Savings Bank was incorporated with a capital of fifteen thousand dollars. J.B. Meyers was elected president; T.Walton, vice-president, and Frank Linderman, cashier. This organization purchased the bank building and lots of the Whitten Bank and took over their accumulated business, at which time the Whitten Bank discontinued business. This newly organized banking house is now doing a good business and has the confidence of the community in which Whitten is located.

Owasa Savings Bank:

The banking business at Owasa was established by S. Dickerson in 1907, as a private concern, but has soon organized as a savings with about twenty farmer stockholders. It has a capital of ten thousand dollars. Its president is Christian Kroener; H.J. Gunn, vice-president; J.W. Van Orsdel, cashier. The bank does a general banking business. It occupies the small brick building erected in 1907 for banking purposes.

Buckeye Banking:

The Bank of Buckeye was established December 27, 1901, with a capital of eight thousand dollars. It was founded by W.V. Shipley, H.P. Smith and J.J. Bruhns. July 15, 1903, Mr. Smith sold his interest to W.H. Woods and January 1, 1904, the capital was increased to ten thousand dollars and again in January, 1910, increased to fifteen thousand dollars. The 1910 officers are W.V. Shipley, president; W.H. Woods, vice-president; H.J. Bruns, cashier.