USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > A history of Van Buren County, Michigan a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 37
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Charles J. Monroe remains the active head of the bank. Volney Ross is the vice president and Charles F. Hunt is cashier. M. H. Bixby is still one of the board of directors and S. R. Boardman remains a customer of the bank, but has no active part in its man- agement. All others who were in the first list of directors have joined the great majority on the other side of the "River of Time." The institution has at the present time (January, 1912) over half a million of dollars on deposit, which is a good indication of the growth and prosperity of the section of Van Buren county that it serves, as well as a mark of the confidence of the people in the honor and integrity of those citizens who have built up this solid financial institution.
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CITIZENS STATE BANK, SOUTH HAVEN
One of the substantial banking institutions of the county-in fact, of this section of the state-and one which owes its satisfactory growth and success largely to the energies, good judgment and business standing of the men back of it, is the Citizens State Bank of South Haven.
Organized in the fall of 1892, the bank opened its doors to the public in January, 1893, and, with a capitalization of $50,000 and the confidence of the public as a primary asset, began its career. Today, with a record of nineteen years back of it, this bank has over a half million dollars assets, a surplus and undivided profits of $40,000, and is paying a semi-annual dividend of five per cent to stockholders, as well as the taxes. It numbers among its deposit- ors and business clientage many of the more prominent fruit growers and merchants of this section and occupying one of the handsomest bank buildings in the city, situated on a prominent corner of the down town district, is referred to with pride, not only by those directly interested in it in a financial way but citizens of South Haven and vicinity generally.
The personnel of the organizers, directors and officials is worthy of more than passing notice. G. N. Hale, head of the Hale & Company stores of South Haven, was the first president ; C. J. Hempstead, vice president, and L. E. Parsons cashier. In 1897 Mr. Hale retired and W. S. Bradley was made president of the institution. The present officers are as follows: W. S. Bradley, president; R. T. Pierce, vice president; L. E. Parsons, cashier ; R. J. Madill, assistant cashier ; R. T. Pierce, L. A. Spencer, S. M. Trowbridge, O. M. Vaughn, C. W. Williams, L. E. Parsons, J. C. Merson, T. A. Bixby, W. S. Bradley, J. K. Barden and L. F. Otis, directors.
President W. S. Bradley is an excellent type of the New Eng- land "Yankee," of keen, sound business acumen, honesty of pur- pose and determination which go to spell success for any man. A native of Massachusetts, he served in the Civil war three years, and after being mustered out went to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he engaged successfully in the leather, hides and rubber belting business, remaining in the Iowa town fifteen years. He then went to Chicago, where he opened offices and continued in the same line of business with continued success.
In 1884 Mr. Bradley came to South Haven and, purchasing a then barren tract of land near the city limits, proceeded to con- vert it by hard work and intelligent effort into a model fruit farm which today stands as a monument to his energy and good judg- ment. Mr. Bradley, when he assumed the presidency of the Citi-
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zens State Bank of which he was one of the first directors and organizers, brought to it the training which comes from an active and successful business life, a pleasing, honest personality and the business confidence which is the natural heritage of the man with continuity of purpose and "a square deal" as his motto. A good common school education, sound judgment and a perfect knowl- edge of business situations here and in the surrounding country combine to happily fit him for the important position as head of this banking institution.
W. S. BRADLEY
L. E. Parsons, cashier of the Citizens State Bank and one of its organizers, is well equipped for his position. Mr. Parsons "grew up in a bank" (to use the expression) and his knowledge of the details of the business comes from experience. He is a native of Union City, Michigan, and was identified with the Farmers' Na- tional Bank of that city from 1885 to 1892, when he came to South Haven, flatteringly introduced by the president of the Union City banking institution where he had been employed. He took an active part in the organization of the Citizens State Bank here and his energies and interests are united in the one object, viz: con- tinuing the Citizens State Bank in its present success and on its firm foundation of reliability and business confidence.
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In R. J. Madill, assistant cashier, Mr. Parsons has an able as- sistant and a man who devotes his time and attention to the duties which fall to him. Mr. Madill came to South Haven from Cree- more, Ontario, in 1883, and for thirteen years was employed as clerk in the John Mackey hardware store. He accepted a posi- tion as teller in the Citizens State Bank in 1896 and in 1908 was made assistant cashier. He has twice been elected city treasurer and is a thorough accountant and bookkeeper, his early education in Belleville Commercial college, Belleville, Ontario, and subsequent experience as a school teacher, giving him practical knowledge, which is a valuable asset in his present business occupation.
L. E. PARSONS
Two South Haven high school young men of more than ordinary ability, C. E. Dilley and Clell Krugler hold positions in the bank as bookkeepers. Mr. Dilley was born at Lacota, but has lived much of his life here and is a young man of clean character, excellent ability and energetic in the discharge of his duties.
The bank directors could not have been more happily chosen. In this, a fruit country, where large amounts of money are handled, naturally patrons of a bank are pleased that men of unquestioned knowledge of conditions be identified with it. In the directorate are prominent and influential fruit growers of this section, all men high in the confidence of their fellows and successful in their own business affairs.
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With nineteen years of marked success and a steadily increasing business as an indication of public confidence and satisfaction in the conduct of the bank and with the excellent personnel of of- ficers, directors and clerical force referred to, the future of the Citizens State Bank of South Haven seems in the hands of the right men.
The deposits in the two banks of South Haven (the Citizens and First State) are not far short of a million dollars, a fine showing for the banks as well as for the city which, according to the last Federal census, had a population of a little less than 4,000. Both of the South Haven banks are centrally located and have fine, con-
R. J. MADILL
venient quarters, fitted up with all the modern appliances for the safe keeping of the funds in their custody and for their protec- tion against loss either by fire or burglary.
BANKS OF DECATUR
Like the towns of Paw Paw and South Haven, the village of Decatur also has two strong, solid banking institutions-the first State and the Citizens. Previous to 1870, the only banking facil- ities possessed by the village were such as were afforded by the private banks of John Tarbell and Joseph Rogers. On the 15th day of October of that year the First National Bank of Decatur was
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chartered with a capital of $75,000, which was afterward reduced to $50,000. The first board of directors were Charles Duncombe, Charles W. Fisk, Alexander B. Copley, Levi B. Lawrence, E. Parker Hill. O. S. Abbott and A. S. Hathaway. Mr. Copley was chosen president and Mr. Hill cashier. This bank was afterward reorganized under the general banking law of Michigan and has since been a state institution. Its capital stock, at the present time, is $30,000. The "Bank Register" for 1911 places the surplus and undivided profits at $19,000 and the deposits at $262.000. The present officers are as follows: President, E. B. Copley ; vice president. Arthur W. Haydon ; cashier, L. Dana Hill.
The Citizens, also organized under the state banking law, has a capital stock of $30,000. Its president is George T. Pomeroy ; vice president. James Dunnington ; cashier, F. C. Stapleton. From the same source as above given, we find the surplus and undivided profits of the institution to be $6,300, and the deposits amount to $153.000. Both banks are doing a flourishing and profitable busi- ness, are carefully and conservatively managed and are possessed of the confidence and enjoy the support of the business men of the town and surrounding country. Perhaps no town of its size in Michigan has better banking facilities.
HARTFORD BANKS
The village of Hartford also has two banking institutions-the Olney National and the Hartford Exchange banks, the latter be- ing a private institution which has been in operation for a con- siderable number of years. It was established by Hon. George W. Merriman. who has continued ever since as its manager. It was. until a little more than a year ago, the only bank in the town, has always transacted a large and profitable business and possesses the fullest confidence of the people.
The Olney National Bank was organized in 1910. and was first opened for business on the 27th day of September of that year. The first year's business proved to be very successful and satis- factory to its stockholders. The officers of the bank are as fol- lows: President. Horace M. Olney; vice president. Jacob Op- penheim ; cashier, J. Ingalls. The board of directors consists of the following gentlemen : Jacob Oppenheim, M. C. Mortimer, E. R. Smith, O. M. Vaughan and Horace M. Olney. Mr. Olney is also president of the First National of Paw Paw. The paid up capital of the bank is $25.000. The deposits, as given in the "Bank Reg- ister" published last July, were the sum of $84,000. The institu- tion is located in what is called the Postoffice block, a new struct- ure erected by President Olney and finished in modern style,
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steam-heated, electric-lighted and with all the appliances and con- veniences of present-day business requirements. In the bank offices, especially, great pains was taken and no expense spared to make it an ideal place for conducting the business for which it was intended. No finer banking house can be found in the county.
WEST MICHIGAN SAVINGS BANK, BANGOR
The West Michigan Savings Bank, another of the solid, pros- perous financial institutions of the county, is located in the village of Bangor. The first banking institution in this place was estab- lished by E. M. Hipp in 1872 and managed by him for a couple of years, when it was purchased by Messrs. J. E. Sebring & Com- pany, who conducted its affairs for about three years, doing a pros- perous business. The bank then passed into the possession of N. S. Taylor, who retained Mr. Sebring as his cashier and general manager. The institution was afterward known as the Monroe Bank and was under the same general management as the First National of South Haven. The present bank, organized under the state law and known as "The West Michigan Savings Bank," was instituted on the 16th day of April, 1880, taking the place of the Monroe Bank, and commenced business on the first day of the succeeding July, with a capital stock of $20,000. The original trustees of the bank were C. J. Monroe, Alvin Chapman, Thompson A. Bixby, William Packard, Anson Goss, J. G. Miller, D. K. Charles, Stephen W. Duncombe and John Scott. The first officers were C. J. Monroe, president; Alvin Chapman, vice president; A. B. Chase, treasurer. The present officers are J. E. Sebring, presi- dent; William Broadwell, vice president; J. E. Sebring, cashier. Mr. Sebring took charge of the bank in 1892. At that time the amount of deposits was in the neighborhood of $65,000, that figure fairly indicating the economic condition of the town and the country around.
At the present time the deposits are in excess of $400,000, which may be taken as a fair index to the financial progress of the com- munity during the past twenty years, as the radius of territory over which the bank extends its usefulness has not materially changed. This progress is but an earnest of what may reasonably be expected in the next twenty years, as capital and energy shall be expended in the development of the rich and fertile section of country in which the town is situated. The latest figures in the "Bank Register" place the capital of the bank at $25,000, with an undivided surplus of $8,000.
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THE PEOPLES BANK OF BLOOMINGDALE
The Peoples Bank of Bloomingdale is one of the prosperous pri- vate banks of the county, instituted and managed by Hon. Milan D. Wiggins. It has been in successful operation and has pos- sessed the confidence of the community where it is situated for a considerable number of years. Mr. Wiggins is its president and Ellis Simon its cashier. According to the "Register," it has a capital of $25,000, a surplus of the same amount and deposits of $150,000. As there is another bank in the same township, these figures point to a great degree of prosperity in the community tributary to the bank.
AT GOBLEVILLE, COVERT, LAWRENCE AND LAWTON
In the village of Gobleville, five miles east of Bloomingdale, is located another private bank, called the Gobleville Exchange, which is also doing a flourishing and profitable business. This bank is under the management of Stanley Sackett, its president, assisted by his brother, Frank Sackett, who is its cashier. The "Bank Register" gives the amount of deposits in this institution as $65,000.
"The Bank of Covert," as its name indicates, is situated in the thriving little village of Covert. This bank is likewise a private institution, but has a very efficient organization. George C. Mon- roe is president and A. B. Chase cashier, both good business men and experienced in the intricacies of banking. This bank was re- ported by the same authority as that above mentioned as having a paid-up capital of $10,000 and an undivided surplus of $2,700. It amply provides for the banking requirements of the community, which, especially at the time of the fruit harvest, is quite heavy. paying annually over $100,000 on fruit checks alone.
The village of Lawrence is provided with the needed banking facilities by another private institution called the Farmers and Merchants Bank. The officers of this enterprise are as follows: J. H. Baxter, president ; J. H. Clark, vice president ; J. L. Welch, cashier. It has been in operation for quite a number of years and gives the community ample banking facilities and satisfaction. The reported capital of the bank is $10,000, with deposits of $53,000.
The banking house of Juan MeKeyes & Company is situated in the village of Lawton. Juan McKeyes is the active manager of the business and Frank McKeyes, his son, is the cashier. This insti- tution does a very large business, especially during the grape harvest, at which season it disburses the funds to pay for thou- sands of carloads of that delectable fruit, situated as it is in the
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very midst of Van Buren's famous "grape belt." The "Bank Register" reports the capital of this firm at $10,000, with a sur- plus of $5,000 and deposits of $150,000. The institution has been in operation for a number of years and has been uniformly suc- cessful since beginning business.
SOUTH HAVEN LOAN AND TRUST COMPANY
Another financial institution of importance is the South Haven Loan and Trust Company (not incorporated), which is composed of W. P. Breeding, Mrs. L. S. Monroe, C. J. Monroe and C. O. Monroe, and represents a financial responsibility of upwards of $200,000. The business of the company consists principally of making loans on real estate and investments in bonds for the proprietors and other parties. W. P. Breeding, president and gen- eral manager, is the active member of the firm. He is the son-in- law of the late Lyman S. Monroe and succeeded to his interests, having been connected with him prior to his death. He is also a director of the First State Bank and vice president and secretary of the Monroe Realty Company.
Mrs. L. S. Monroe (capitalist) is the widow of Lymon S. Mon- roe. Her interests consist of real estate and other investments.
Hon. C. J. Monroe is president of the First State Bank of South Haven and of the Monroe Realty Company, a member of the board of directors of the Kalamazoo Savings Bank and a member of the banking firm of C. J. Monroe & Sons at Covert.
C. O. Monroe, son of C. J., is the editor and manager of the South Haven Daily Tribune.
FARMERS' MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
The Van Buren County Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany is one of the valuable financial institutions of the county. It was organized thirty-seven years ago and has been doing business continuously ever since. Milton H. Pugsley of Paw Paw is president of the company and B. L. Breed of Paw Paw is the secretary. The recently filed annual report of the company shows that it has 3,207 members and that the amount of property at risk is $4,833,057. The losses paid during the year amounted to $6,518. The company generally meets all its losses and expenses by making one assessment of one-fourth of one per cent each year, thus providing for its patrons a cheap and secure insurance. The present board of directors are the following substantial citizens and business men of the county : Isaac Monroe, D. C. Hodge, C. B. Charles, S. A. Breed, M. H. Pugsley and M. D. Buskirk.
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TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE LINES
The Western Union Telegraph extends along the lines of every railroad in the county, bringing the entire population within easy reach of telegraphic communication.
There are a number of local telephone companies in the county. The first of these was the Kibbie, which was organized in 1898 and has its lines extended well over the county and into adjoining counties. The South Haven Mutual had its articles of association recorded in 1909. The Citizens was launched in the summer of 1910, and the Lawrence Mutual was organized in the month of March, 1911. Some of these companies reach into every community in the county, and the denizen of city, village or country that has no telephone connection is the exception rather than the rule. These lines connect with the great telephone system that traverses the state, so that oral communication from factory, office, store or home may be had with nearly every place of any importance in the state and in many parts of the states adjoining.
What would the pioneers of Michigan have said had anybody intimated that such a thing were possible? They would have thought that a man who entertained any such preposterous idea was crazy, and if a man had invented such a thing as a telephone in the day of Cotton Mather he would have been pronounced in league with the Devil and burned at the stake.
Vol. 1-23
CHAPTER XVI
THE PRESS
"PAW PAW FREE PRESS" -- "PAW PAW FREE PRESS AND COURIER" -"THE TRUE NORTHERNER" -- "DECATUR REPUBLICAN"-"THE LAWTON LEADER"_"HARTFORD DAY SPRING"-"THE BANGOR ADVANCE"-EARLY LAWRENCE NEWSPAPERS-"LAWRENCE TIMES"-"BLOOMINGDALE LEADER"-"GOBLEVILLE NEWS"- SOUTH HAVEN NEWSPAPERS.
The first attempt at publishing a newspaper in Van Buren county was in January, 1843, when H. B. Miller of Niles, sent his brother-in-law, one Harris, with a press and printing outfit, to Paw Paw, ostensibly to start a newspaper, but chiefly for the pur- pose of getting the job of printing the delinquent tax lists, which at the date was quite a valuable "plum." Harris started a six column folio sheet and named it the Paw Paw Democrat. He died soon afterward and that ended the career of the paper, the press and material being taken back to Niles.
"PAW PAW FREE PRESS"
For two years thereafter Van Buren county had no newspaper. In January, 1845, Samuel N. Gantt, one of the early lawyers of the county, and a printer named Geiger, brought by wagon from De- troit to Paw Paw, a wooden Ramage press, and the other neces- sary material for establishing a printing office, and started a five column four page weekly sheet, which they christened the Paw Paw Free Press. After a few months had elapsed, however. Geiger, for some reason, became dissatisfied with the course of events and more especially with his partner, against whom he har- bored some kind of a grievance, real or imaginary, and in order to "get even" he removed the screw of the press and threw it into the Paw Paw river and himself fled to Detroit. Gantt did not care at all for the loss of his partner, but he mourned over the loss of the screw, without which the press could not be worked. He offered a reward of ten dollars for its recovery and return, and A. V. Pantlind, who chanced to know where Geiger had thrown
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it, fished it out of the river, greatly to the satisfaction of its owner.
Mr. Gantt continued the publication of the Free Press until the spring of 1846, when he disposed of it to John McKinney, then county treasurer. Mckinney did not long retain the ownership of the paper, but soon sold it to Emory O. Briggs, who published it for a little more than a year. In January, 1848, S. Tallmadge Conway became its owner. Mr. Conway had been a compositor in the office for a considerable length of time and had also done some work on the Paw Paw Democrat during its brief existence. He retained the ownership of the Free Press until the summer of 1854, when it passed into the hands of a stock company, but the stockholders not finding it to be a bonanza, transferred it to Isaac W. Van Fossen, who is yet a resident of Paw Paw. Soon after becoming possessed of the plant, Mr. Van Fossen changed the name of the sheet by dropping out the word "Free" and the paper became the Paw Paw Press, but this change was not satis- factory to the proprietor. It seemed to be too limited in scope and so he soon made another change and called it the Van Buren County Press. Under this name, and by this same publisher, the paper was issued until January, 1868, when the office was de- stroyed by fire and the publication was discontinued for a few months. However, it was soon revived by Mr. Van Fossen. who continued its publication until 1872, at which time he leased the plant to Frank Drummond. The paper had always been Dem- ocratic in its politics and during the campaign of 1872 it supported the Liberal Democrat ticket of Greeley and Brown. Soon after the close of that campaign, the publication ceased to exist and some of the material was purchased by Messrs. G. W. Matthews and E. A. Landphere, who utilized it in the publication of a new sheet which they launched under the name of the Paw Paw Courier.
The Courier was a Republican journal, and continued as such while owned by its originators. In 1877 Messrs. Blackman and Park became the owners and changed its political complexion and made it an exponent of the Democratic party.
In the meantime, and while Matthews & Landphere were publish- ing the Courier, Messrs. E. K. Park and George F. Sellick, job printers, started a new Democratic paper, to which they gave the old name of the Van Buren County Press.
"PAW PAW FREE PRESS AND COURIER"
Perhaps this venture of Messrs. Park & Sellick might be con- sidered as a resuscitation of the suspended paper the name of which they assumed. It is said that a man who once gets his
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fingers thoroughly daubed with printer's ink never again gets them thoroughly clean, which is but another way of saying that there is a certain fascination about the business that once engaged in makes it difficult to wholly abandon. At any rate, be this as it may, the business and the name of the sheet with which he had so long been identified, so attracted Mr. Van Fossen that he again became its owner. However, he did not long retain its ownership, but transferred it to O. D. Hadsell, who again changed its name to the Paw Paw Free Press, the name by which the sheet had been first christened-that is, if it be considered as a direct continuation of the original paper. Under this name Mr. Hadsell continued to publish the paper until the summer of 1877, when he sold it to the Paw Paw Courier. The two papers being thus consolidated, there was also a consolidation of names and the publication be- came the Paw Paw Free Press and Courier, under which name it has since been and still is published. In 1878 Mr. Park withdrew and E. A. Blackman became the sole editor and proprietor. After the consolidation the sheet was published as a semi-weekly for a few months, but soon returned to its once-a-week issue.
The next change of ownership was a transfer of a half interest to Mr. James F. Jordan. Mr. Jordan is now the credit man of a wholesale drygoods house in Minneapolis, the largest establishment of the kind in the northwest.
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