USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Memoirs of the Miami valley > Part 53
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Chartered and ready for business, the People's Savings and Loan association opened for business in the office of Studevant and Way, October 23, 1886, on the second floor of the old building at the northwest corner of the public square, the room being across the hall from Dr. Orbison's dental office.
It was a small beginning, but the institution grew so rapidly that within a year it was necessary to move to larger quarters, which it found, temporarily, in the old Carev hank building on North Ohio avenue, where they had the advantage of the little old safe vault. Here they developed to an uncomfortably tight fit with- in the next four years. A contract was then made with the A. J. Robertson estate to put up a building at the site of the old Robert- son marble works, corner of South Ohio and Court streets, in which the ground floor was especially fitted up for the association in the conventional banking room style of the day (1891), and where for twenty-five years more of constantly increasing business the or- ganization made its home. The establishment of the First Na-
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tional Exchange bank, in the same quarters, first proved a little too much for the capacity of the building, and its removal to the north side of the square was a necessity, in order to give each institu- tion room for growth. Another ten years passed and the necessity, as well as the propriety, of the institution having a permanent home of its own combined with the advisability of housing its valuable deposits in an absolutely fire-proof building, occasioned a building move which, except for public, city and county structures, has caused more comment than any other ever undertaken in Sidney.
Where was the new bank to be located? Obviously, from its prominence as the wealthiest financial institution in the county, on one of the twelve corners pointing the public square. Not one of these corners, however, vacant or occupied, was purchasable at any price, even the ancient brick at the northwest corner, where the People's Savings and Loan had first come to life, having been sold, years before, to the Palmisano people. It was a radical and un- precedented action, apparently, to tear down the excellent Robertson building, which had been erected for them, but there was actually no other way to make room for the erection of the bank that was to be. Re-modeling was discussed, but found to be as expensive as building new. It was at last arranged to purchase the Robertson block, and face the criticism that was sure to come. The sale was made in November, 1916.
Mr. Studevant frankly admits that he had been "dreaming dreams about bank buildings for fifteen years," trying to fit those dreams to the Sidney situation in the meanwhile. And "some- where, during the dreaming period, he had heard of a wonderfully original architect who, claiming that 'form followed function' had never made two buildings alike." While in Europe in 1914, Mr. Studevant rather by accident stumbled upon information that led him directly to the architect he was seeking. Within a month after the purchase of the site by the association, Louis H. Sullivan came to Sidney and studied the bank's problem; and the preliminary sketches were made and the palette of materials, from which the artist could draw to develop the building, was chosen. The wreck- ing of the old building was complete by the first of June, 1917, and the plans were ready to work from by that time. Mr. Studevant himself took charge of the purchase of the materials, and the work was done under a local builder. The association took up temporary quarters in the Palmisano building a half block east, on the south side of the square, and moved into the beautiful new "Thrift" build- ing on the thirty-first of May, 1918, just a year from the completion of the plans.
On October 23, 1918 (exactly thirty-two years after the People's Savings and Loan association drew its first breath), the American Architect published an illustrated article by Thomas E. Tallmadge, A. I. A., devoted to a description and discussion of the new bank building, which should add somewhat to the pride which every Sid- ney citizen must feel who contemplates the gem of architecture given it by the brain of a Sullivan and the courage of a banker with convictions, who does not disdain to dream. Quoting with some freedom from Mr. Tallmadge's article :
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"I believe it was the late Montgomery Schuyler who said that a new building from the hand of Louis Sullivan was an event in architecture. Not only by us in the West, to whom, in our youth, the golden arch of the Transportation building was a bow of prom- ise, and to whom the Getty tomb and the Auditorium are still sources of inspiration, but to the Brahmins in the East, where Classicism sits enthroned, the work of Mr. Sullivan is appreciated
and admired. *
*
* * One feels, on looking at this bank in Sidney, Ohio, that the architect had approached his problem with a clear
mind and clean slate, a small bank in an American city, to * be convenient, comfortable and efficient. The materials, concrete, brick, terra cotta and steel, with glass mosaic, marble, plaster and wood; an every-day problem and materials at the disposal of every specification writer. But it is Mr. Sullivan's enthusiasm and prophetic ability which exalt the humble problem to heights of great design ; and it is his sympathy for and deep understanding of commonplace materials that transform brick and terra cotta into the purple and fine linen of architecture. Mr. Sullivan's disposi- tions of the palette in the exterior,-the fenestration, expressing the functions of the building and the location of its internal units; * the range and harmony of the color,-give the little building a gemlike quality that glows afterward on the 'inward eye' like a pigeon blood ruby. * * * Nothing lovelier in terra cotta, it seems to me, has been done. *
* * Next, I like best the entrance door. Architrave and doorjambs are worthy of the closest study. This ornament is living ornament, * * * as much a part of the sub- stance as the shell of a tortoise. Above, is the magnificent tympanum in glass mosaic, in turquoise blues, done by Louis J. Millet, with the single word 'Thrift' inlaid in its surface, and held in place by a beautiful arch in terra cotta. The third outstanding feature of the exterior is the extraordinary range of windows, remarkable and un- precedented, full of vigorous modeling and rich in color, surmounted by the great panel in glass mosaic, in softly modulated emerald tones. * * Huge, beautifully modeled 'brooches' of terra cotta 'pin' the great window to the fabric of the wall of 'Indiana shale' brick, and parapet and belting of terra cotta in a dull orange meet and absorb the green and golden hues of the corbels and mullions."
But it all must be seen to be appreciated, and unwise indeed is that critic who judges it only from afar. The inner system of con- struction and equipment is ideal. The lighting, by means of the great mullioned window on the west, and the beautiful roof light, is perfectly toned to relieve the eye of strain, and in no single cor- ner of the banking department is there any shadow, nor any glare. Not by accident is this result attained, but by the applied science of the artist and architect. The artificial lighting is equally per- fect and beautiful in visual effect. Simplicity is striking through- out the interior, but every surface is rich in softened beauty of tone and material. It is a bank in which nothing has been forgotten, or left out, that could contribute to the perfect efficiency of the in- stitution it was made to enclose. The temperature is fixed; it is never hot or never cold. Only through the front entrance is there any direct admission of outside air. The ventilating system washes
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and purifies every cubic foot of air that is breathed, and distributes it by the fan system. Except for the marble drinking fountains which distribute the city water, all the water used in the building is soft. From the perfectly appointed rooms and lockers to the private telephone system, there is nothing left for the most captious critic to desire. And in the central perspective the great circular door of the safe deposit vault, almost overpowering in its invincibility and strength, seems to set the seal of absolute completeness on the whole.
If so much space has been given to the little building that glows like a jewel on its much mooted corner, it is because it marks a departure from the day of mere utilitarianism and mistaken econ- omy, which may and, it is to be hoped, will influence the future of Sidney. Already the question "Will it pay?" has been answered. Six, nearly seven times the cost of the building has been added to the deposits of the association, which passed the three million mark some time ago. It always pays to think new thoughts. Every step of advancement Sidney, or any other town, ever made was the result of new thoughts. The man with a vision in his head is a prophet.
The officers and directors of the People's Savings and Loan as- sociation are : W. H. Wagner, president ; R. H. Trego, vice-president ; L. M. Studevant, secretary ; William M. Kingseed, treasurer ; Miss Leal Robertson, assistant secretary; and A. J. Hess, attorney.
Comparatively few, the financial institutions of Sidney are well balanced, and in healthy competitive fettle, presided over by men of pronounced financial sagacity and of unimpeachable business integrity.
Outside of Sidney, the first bank ever opened in Shelby county was a private institution, set up by Z. T. Lewis in 1894, at Anna, and wrecked one year later by the banker's speculations, the funds being so involved that the creditors received but a small per cent of their claims.
Jackson Center has had a thoroughly prosperous bank since 1895, when Dr. P. R. Clinehens and Shelby Baughman established the Farmers' and Merchants' bank, Mr. Baughman being president, and Dr. Clinehens cashier. The first account opened is said to have been that of the Jackson Center Elevator company, and the second that of John Johns. Dr. Clinehens, a thorough gentleman and capable cashier, died in 1897, and was succeeded by Frank Baugh- man, a son of the president. In 1905 Mr. F. M. Wildermuth entered the bank as assistant cashier, and succeeded Mr. Frank Baughman as cashier upon the resignation of the latter in 1909, previous to which, in 1907, the bank had been converted to the First National bank of Jackson Center, with an increase of stockholders and of capital. This is the first national bank to be organized in the county, outside of Sidney. Its prosperity has been steady and in- creasing from the start, and it is at present (1919) building a new home, which will be equipped with up-to-date vault and safe, and all modern fittings. The capital stock, surplus and undivided profits are $70,000, and its resources are close to $600,000. The
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first building and loan association has just been organized and will operate in the same new building with the bank.
Botkins is the home of the Shelby County bank, the need of and opportunity for opening which was noted and seized by Philip Sheets, sr., in 1897. Mr. Sheets associated his sons, E. S. and H. E. Sheets with the business of the bank, into which enterprise he threw all of his own energy until stricken with paralysis, from which his death resulted in 1905. The sons continued the bank as a private institution until 1912, when it was re-organized and in- corporated with H. E. Sheets, president; Philip Sheets, jr., vice- president; and E. S. Sheets, cashier. The Sheets brothers are concerned in large business interests outside the bank, which is a strong and prosperous institution, of great importance to the town and surrounding country. The capital stock is $25,000 and the sur- plus and undivided profits fully $30,000. A savings department has been established during the past year.
The Loramie Banking company was organized in 1904 by Michael Moorman and several associates. Mr. Moorman had for a number of years previous to this date carried on a successful money-lending business, and gave to the new corporation a strong impetus. His interests were afterward transferred to others in the company, which includes B. J. Wuebker, Adolph Raterman and other solid citizens. The bank is an important factor in the busi- ness of Fort Loramie and the vicinity (which is somewhat ham- pered by the transportational isolation of that portion of Shelby county), and is counted among the solid institutions of the local commonwealth. The bank is now building a new home on the east side of the canal basin, which will be ready for occupancy in Octo- ber or November, 1919. The new bank, which is costing upwards of $14,000, will be fire and burglar proof, not only as to safe and vault, but the whole building, which though small will be very complete and handsome, with cut stone front and solid brick walls. The capital stock, surplus and undivided profits at this date are about thirty-three thousand dollars, with total resources close to three hundred thousand. A. F. Raterman is cashier.
In 1907, the Farmers' and Merchants' bank was established at Anna, by Columbus capitalists, with R. D. Curtner as cashier. The bank was re-organized and incorporated in 1910 with new and local stockholders entering the institution, which has developed rapidly and is growing. The original incorporators were: Daniel Runkle, R. D. Curtner, William C. Henrich, George D. Fridley and E. M. Martin ; the officers of the present being Daniel Runkle, president; R. D. Mede, vice-president; and A. W. Fridley, cashier. The bank owns its very substantial and comely little home, which was built about 1910. The capital stock is $25,000, surplus about $4,000 and the total resources of the bank amount to about $150,000. A build- ing and loan association was established in connection with the bank in 1916.
A name always mentioned with pride in Sidney financial circles, is that of Milton E. Ailes, a Shelby county boy, graduated from the Sidney high school, who was employed, by recommendation of Congressman Ben LeFevre, in the United States treasury office, at
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Washington. From this position young Ailes rose step by step by sheer ability, becoming finally assistant secretary of the treasury. Mr. Ailes is now at the head of the Riggs National bank, in Wash- ington, D. C.
The Lesser Towns
Shelby may have been classed as a "one town county" by many ; and for many years the classification was pat enough, in respect of both population and manufacturing, Sidney being still so far in the lead as to preclude the possibility of competition. Nevertheless, a great deal of interest hovers about other villages, some on ac- count of old memories and happier conditions, and some because they exhibit a growth that can be attributed only to some germ of genuine local spontaneity.
Shelby county has had many more villages "laid out" upon its map than ever materialized, although names have clung around some of these old plats, where never a lot was sold nor building erected more than the cross roads store or farm house of the town builder. Others have gained the estate of, villages and then sub- sided into hamlets; while still others have maintained a slow de- velopment into valuable centres of rural commerce. The line of the canals, and later those of the railroads have determined the fate of nearly all, though some have seemed to prosper without favorable local conditions.
One drives into the little village of Pemberton almost una- wares, so quiet and smokeless it lies save for the occasional puffing of trains or purr of automobiles. The looming presence of two big grain elevators at the side of the steel artery of traffic answers the question of what drew population to this spot. The country about is old, its first settler being Judge David Henry, who came in 1814. Samuel and William Robinson followed in 1815, William Marrs in 1816, and George Childs, Charles Johnston, William Richardson, Charles Weeks and Benjamin Manning all settled hereabouts pre- vious to the organization of the county. Mr. Henry built the first log and the first frame house, and Mr. Marrs erected the first frame barn-the lumber for which was sawed by Peter Musselman on Mosquito creek. The structure stood until near the close of the nineteenth century. A brick house was not known in the settlement until 1836, when Henry Line set the fashion. The first school in the district was taught by a member of the Cannon family. Charles Mason built the first flouring mill, which stood on Mosquito creek, the second being that of William Pepper. Peter Musselman built the first carding mill, about 1835. David and Sally Henry, twin babes of Mr. and Mrs. David Henry, divided the honor of the first white birth, in 1815. Pemberton was not laid out until 1852, on the line of the coming Bellefontaine & Indiana railway (Big Four). The land belonged to Benjamin C. Wilkinson, John H. Elliott, Leonard T. Elliott and George R. Forsythe. Its name was given in honor of a Mr. Pemberton who was a civil engineer engaged in the survey of the railroad. It was never incorporated, though the population has stood at about one hundred and seventy-five, or more, for many years. Without exact figures in this regard, about
-
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forty to fifty voters poll there. Two stores flourish in the village, and two neat churches lift aspiring belfries toward the clouds.
H. M. Faulkner owns a stockyard from which he ships about twenty-five carloads of livestock to market annually, chiefly of hogs, the corn country in the southeast part of the county being favorable to fattening. William Cottrell, a blacksmith, is manu- facturing a practical self-feeder for hogs, which is his own inven- tion, and this little industry is said to be growing.
Of the two elevators, the Simmons is the older by far, dating from the early days when it was merely a storehouse on the high- way, which burned down and, after rebuilding, has passed through many hands-Forsythe and Ruddey, Michael Burke and others be- ing mentioned. Mr. J. W. Simmons, now of Sidney, purchased it from Burke twenty-three years ago. The Shanely elevator was built about sixteen years ago, by L. G. Shanely and Mr. Harbour, Mr. Shanely purchasing the Harbour interest a year or so ago. The average annual output of grain from Pemberton warehouses is about 250,000 bushels, oats, corn and some wheat, the handling being quite evenly divided between the two firms, each of which handles the usual side lines of farmers' supplies. Pemberton has electric light.
Maplewood, postoffice for many years, is also center of a rich farming district, of which the famous model farm of Ex-congress- . man Ben Lefevre is a "talking point." The village once bore the name of Tileton, from a local industry near by, and came to life when the practice of tile-draining was new. When the D. T. & I. railroad came down from the north, a new lease of life came to the neighborhood, and the village as it now stands has been built almost wholly since 1892, scarcely a dwelling older than that being visible.
Two grain warehouses, owned by Stephenson brothers, built about 1892, and The Farmers' Grain company, successors to Wil- liam Baker, who built about 1894, handle heavy shipments of oats, corn and wheat (wheat not heavy), and also rye and alsike in con- siderable quantity. Probably between 150,000 and 200,000 bushels annually, of all grains leave Shelby county at this point. Maple- wood's population is three hundred or more, and the village is very much alive and growing, with two churches and the usual retail stores, garages, etc.
Jackson Center is the real center of a large and rich farming district occupying the northeast quarter of the county. Though opened for settlement so long after the southern half of Shelby county territory, the development of towns has been more than equal in the north, and the lands have assumed quite as settled an aspect. The first settlers came between 1831 and 1837, their names being Andrew Nogle, Thomas Cathcart, David Snyder, William Johnston, John W. Knight, Jephtha Davis, Dudley Hughes and William Babcock. About 1843, Christian, Peter and George Hawver came from Miami county.
The first mill was built in 1839 by Daniel Davis and was a horse mill, there being little or no access to water power in this part of the county. A stream sawmill was erected in 1849, at Jack-
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THE STORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
son Center. It was destroyed by fire in 1868, and rebuilt by the Babcock brothers, who operated it until 1875, when it was pur- chased by R. F. Buirley. McCord and Slusser built a sawmill in 1866, Mr. Slusser afterward selling out his interest to H. Munch, in 1881. The Deerbaugh sawmill and handle factory, built in Jack- son Center in the seventies, has passed out of existence with the others, simply because their work is done in that locality. There is not now a manufactory of any description in the village, which has become purely a farming centre. In this capacity, it is a highly prosperous and lively community. Much building is in progress, and there is no trace left of the disastrous fire of several years ago. Retail business is excellent; sidewalks are good, and streets well piked through the town. A creditable newspaper is well-supported. Jackson Center has the only national bank in the county outside of Sidney. Of the churches, the Seventh Day Baptists was for- merly the most numerous, but the Methodist, Christian and Lu- theran denominations each have acquired nearly equal strength at this date. The first three have church edifices in the town.
Jackson Center was platted in 1835, and experienced a slow but natural growth until the advent of the D. T. & I. railroad in 1892, by which event its growth received sudden impetus. It was incor- porated in 1893, and has risen to actual commercial importance. Its present population is about seven hundred. The town is now bonded for electric lighting, the contract is let, and light and power equipment will soon be available to the villagers.
G. A. Swickard, stock dealer, buys and sells all kinds of live- stock, handling about $200,000 worth of stock each year. The stock shipped out is chiefly hogs, and a few sheep or cattle. Horses are shipped in but not out of Jackson Center.
A. L. Briggs is proprietor of the oldest of the two large ware- houses. The Briggs elevator was built about forty years ago, but has since undergone remodeling and enlargement. From 150,000 to 200,000 bushels of grain are shipped from this warehouse annually, divided between corn, oats, wheat, rye and other grains, varying, somewhat, in proportion, with corn generally leading. The Buck- land Milling company, owned by outside capital, is operated by S. H. Miller, and does an equal volume of business with the Briggs plant.
Montra, once a promising little pioneer center of activity, pro- moted by the proximity of the Montra Tile yards a mile or so to the south, is now a hamlet of possibly seventy or eighty scattered population. There are two little stores, and the William Korns sawmill are the only touch of commerce left. Pyle's old sawmill and the ashery of real lumbering days disappeared long ago, and the future prospect is that of slow dissolution, for the railroad which helped Jackson Center was a deadly blow to the hopes of Montra. Once a postoffice, two rural routes now give the villagers' better service. Montra has a claim to local immortality, however, which should not fail to be recorded, lest it be forgotten in these rushing times. Two young men of the Korns family, affected by that same wave of invention that mysteriously set ideas afloat in places of un- expected isolation, began to experiment with the problem of aerial . navigation before the Wright brothers were known outside of their
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own premises, and, also before their rise to fame, had successfully produced an airplane, with which they made flights about the farm, and might have electrified the world and made little Montra famous, had not an unfortunate accident resulted in the death of one of the lads, who was struck by the careening plane while it was attempt- ing a landing. The tragedy was a shock which, for the time, prac- tically paralyzed the inventor's courage and enthusiasm for flying -- and in the meantime the Wright brothers had secured the public attention.
Port Jefferson, platted as a village in 1836, incorporated in 1842, and for a number of years ambitious to rival Sidney in popu- lation and trade, is situated on land first owned by John Hathaway and a man named Gilbert, who were the first settlers to locate in this spot, the date being 1814. Charles Weeks is said to have set- tled and built a house as early as 1810 in the township of which Port Jefferson is the capital; and Daniel Dingman was also an early land owner, while the Jacksons, Kirtlands and Gobles all had come to the neighborhood previous to 1818, the year in which Adam Counts and Jacob LeMasters arrived. Others followed within a few years, and the district was well settled before the canal project began to affect settlement. The first schoolhouse was built on the land of Elisha Kirtland, the second on the property of William Skillen, and after the latter burned, a third was erected on William Roberts' farm. All were of the most primitive description, so familiar to readers of pioneer history as to need no new delineation. The three R's constituted the curriculum, and the implements ap- pear to have been few but effective, among them the quill pen and the beech rod. The first teacher, Daniel Goble, appears to have been an expert in the use of the rod, if in nothing else. A later in- structor, of higher attainments, was Daniel G. Hull. William Skillen, long a county official, was a pupil in his school, and Jona- than Counts received the principal steps in his training as a civil engineer from Mr. Hull, who was a practical surveyor.
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