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Audubon County |
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CHAPTER XIV.BANKS AND BANKING.From History of Audubon Co., Iowa (1915)
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The first bank in Audubon county was organized by Franklin H. Whitney (of Atlantic, Iowa), and Charles Van Gorder, at Exira, in July, 1876, and was called the Audubon County Bank. It had a capital of one thousand dollars. Whitney was president and Van Gorder, cashier. About 1882 it was sold to Louis E. Brown and Erwin Watson, who changed the name to the Bank of Exira. They closed out its business by an assignment for the benefit of creditors about 1888. In 1878 Whitney and Van Gorder started a branch of the Audubon County Bank at Audubon, from which Mr. Whitney retired about 1884-5 and Mr. Van Gorder became sole proprietor. It was succeeded in 1893 by the First National Bank of Audubon -- Charles Van Gorder, president; Frank S. Watts, cashier -- which has continued until the present time. The present officers are: E. S. Van Gorder, president; Frank S. Watts, cashier. The Citizens Bank of Audubon was incorporated in 1881, by Nathaniel Hamlin, William Walker, A. L. Campbell, Frank P. Bradley, John M. Griggs, William F. Stotts and Joseph L. Stotts, and was sold in 1884 to Ethelbert J. Freeman and Andrew F. Armstrong. It passed out of existence in 1893 by an assignment for the benefit of creditors. About 1883, William Leet founded the Commercial Bank at Audubon, which continued, with various cashiers, until 1910, when it was bought and merged in the First National Bank of Audubon. On February 5, 1889, Charles Van Gorder, as president, and John Gray, as cashier, started the Exchange Bank of Exira. Mr. Gray retired from the firm, since which Mr. Van Gorder has been sole proprietor, with Edwin Delahoyde as cashier. The Farmer's Exchange Bank was established at Gray, Iowa, about 1893 by George P. Wiley, who sold it to Mr. Creglow about 1897. It was conducted by William Linderman, cashier. About 1900 it was sold to Leet & Boysen, of Audubon, and was conducted by Ed Beason as cashier; afterwards by John E. McGuire, cashier, and, later, by Ed C. Rice, cashier. About 1907 it was sold to Lida L. and Helen Leet, and conducted by Ed C. Rice, cashier. On January 1, 1912, it was incorporated as the Farmer's Savings Bank, of Gray, and has since been conducted by Ed. C. Rice, cashier. In 1893-4, Lois G. Stuart founded the Corn Exchange Bank at Audubon, which continued, with various cashiers, until 1907, when it was bought and merged in the First National Bank of Audubon. In 1894 Lois G. Stuart organized the Stuart Bank at Exira with P. M. Christensen as cashier. It was sold and was succeeded by the First National Bank of Exira, which was incorporated on July 7, 1903, and which still contines the business. James M. Carlson is cashier. In 1895 James E. Bruce, of Atlantic, Iowa, established the Bank of Brayton, at Brayton, with Walter Falkner as cashier. It was sold in 1897 to Pollock Brothers, Henry Pollock, cashier. In 1900 it was sold to Charles Van Gorder, John McDaniels and Edwin Delahoyde, with L. F. Miller as assistant cashier and manager. It was succeeded by the Brayton Savings Bank, which was incorporated in 1913, with L. F. Miller, as cashier, and which still continues in business. In 1907 Emil Bilharz organized the Farmer's State Bank at Audubon, which still continues in business. On September 3, 1907, the Landsman's Bank was founded at Kimballton, with Charles Van Gorder, president, and Hans Madsen, cashier. It was incorporated on December 27, 1907, as the Landsman National Bank, with Hans Hadsen, [?sic Madsen] president, and Alma Madsen, cashier. On October 25, 1907, the Danish Savings Bank was incorporated at Kimballton, with S. C. Pedersen, president, and Peter Lykke, cashier. The present cashier is Math Nissager. The Farmer's Savings Bank was incorporated at Hamlin Station in 1913. L. C. Christoffersen is cashier. |
