Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 19, Number 239, Decatur, Adams County, 10 October 1921 — Page 1

Volume XIX, Number 239

THE OLD ADAMS COUNTY BANK OPENING

ENTERS NEW HOME AFTER FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE HSLFCENTURYSEESBANKINSPACIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL HOME-ESTABISH-ED IN 1872—NOW HAS TOTAL RESOURCES MORE THAN $1,500,000.

Rack in the year 1872 the business of the little town of Decatur was showing a decided growth and a need for banking facilities became imperative. J. D. Nuttman and Jesse Niblick both prosperous pioneer merchants of the town opened a private bank under the name of Nuttman and Niblick and prospered from the start, shortly afterwards Mr. Nuttman moving to Fort Wayne where he enjoyed a long and successful career as a banker and his banking interests here wjere taken over by Judge David Studabaker and Robert R. Allison. The bank was known until 1874 as Niblick, Studabaker and Allison at which date the bank was incorporated as the “Adams County Bank" with a capital of $75,000.000 and was incorporated under the laws of the state of Indiana. The directors of the bank were Jesse Niblick. David Studabaker, R. B. Allison. Henry Derkes, John Meibers, William H. Niblick. Jesse Niblick was president of thje new organization. David Studabaker, vice president, R B. Allison, cashier and William H. Niblick, assistant cashier. When the bank was reorganized in 1894 the provision necessitating the change in name was met by prefixing "The Old” and the bank continued its business as “The Old Adams County Bank”, making a change without a difference. The organization of 1894 included David Studabaker. Jesse Niblick, R B. Allison, John Meibers. John S. Bow«ers, William H. Niblick, R. K. Allison as directors; W. H. Niblick, president; David Saudabaker, vice president; R. K. Allison, cashier; C. S. Niblick and French Quinn, assistant cashiers. The capital stock increased to $120,000,00. When the time arrived for the organization of the bank in 1914 th'ere had been numerous changes in the directorate. Men who had been connected with the institution since its inception had passed away and their places had been taken by others. Some had retired from active life, and, wishing to be rtelieved of business responsibilities had resigned as directors of the bank, the affairs of which by this time had increased enormously. It will be noted then that there is not the similiarity in the board as organized in 1914. that there was between the organizations of 1894 and the original board. The organization of 1914 was as follows: John Niblick, Charles S. Niblick, L C. Waring, G. T. Burk, F. M Schirmeyer, C. J. Voglewede. E. X. Ehinger, William J Vesey and L. G. Ellingham, directors; C. S. Niblick, president; F. M. Schirmeyer, vice (Continued on page two)

f w 4 ' 'fys C. S, NIBLICK, President.

DECATUR DATTY DEMOCRAT

THE DIRECTORS AND OFFICIALS Charles Niblick, the President and E. X» Ehinger, Cashier, Old Timers AT BANKING BUSINESS Men Connected With Management Are All Highclass and Very Capable. The directors and officials of the Old Adams County bank at this time are all well known men, capable and courteous, with years of business and banking experience back of them. A word about them will not be out of place in this special edition. Charles S. Niblick, president has been in the banking business nearly forty years and with this one institution. It is said of him that he has not a single enemy in the county, certainly a real record for one who has held his responsible place So long and so well. F. M. Schirmeyer, vice-president, has had a long and successful business career. He was for many years ! engaged in the abstract, loan and insurance business, served for a long time as manager and secretary of the Citizens Telephone Company and has held numerous places of trust. E. X. Ehinger, cashier, has been engaged in the banking business since a young man and besides being an excellent cashier is one of the best detail bankers in this section. He has a wide acquaintance over the county which helps him largely in his important work. Arthur D. Suttles and Albert Scheuman, assistant and second assistant cashiers, are young men, most capable and both hard workers for the bank. Besides Messrs. Niblick, Schirmeyer and Ehinger, the board includes John Niblick, a leading merchant and a son of Jesse Niblick, one of the founders of the bank; L. C. Waring, of the Waring Glove company and a leading business man and manufacturer of this section; G. T. Burk of the Burk Elevator company; C. J. Voglewede, merchant and business man; W. J. Vesey, lawyer, banker and expert in affairs, of Fort Wayne; Lew G. Ellingham, owner of the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. Each is qualified and highly esteemed.

(Continued on page three) MB**' ■‘■J ! 17** wl F. M. SCHIRHEYER, Vice-President.

OLD ADAMS COUNTY BANK SECTION

it - : g 'CSji 1-1 | W -Q-|!F - fajgU. jit 1.» «« 9 I 18l -1 The New Home, One of the Most Complete Banking Bundinqs In Middle West.

Founders of Bank Were Substantial Citizens

In writing a short story of the commercial and banking activities of our city of Decatur although covering a period of time less than one hundred years, the names and personalities of many of the sturdy pioneers i who by their courage and thrift anti wisdom played an important part through the earlier years have already become misty and indistinct and the real service that they performed to a great extent become forgotten. In the early days the banking was done at Fort Wayne, the county had no railroads, and the highways were at times impassable and the inconvenience encountered by reason of having no bank in the village and county was real and annoying. Early in the seventies J. D. Nuttman and Jesse Niblick were both leading business men in the town, David Studabaker was a leading lawyer; W. G. Spencer had been a county officer for years; John Meibers had been county treasurer, all active and energetic men; Henry Derkes, had accumulated quite a snug fortune for those days; Robert B. Allison was a successful merchant at Linn Grove in the southern part of the county and William H. Niblick, a son of Jesse Niblick, was a young man with real gifts along financial lines. It was natural and inevitable that these men should combine their Interests and judgement in the banking business. Nuttman and Niblick In 1872 had organized a private bank and the business boomed for them from the start, Nuttman had interests at FortWayne which were greater than his interests at Decatur and when these men pooled their interests in 1874 and bought Nuttman out the Adams County Bank duly incorporated and with ample capital became the only financial institution of the county. The county and town at this period was still in its “backwoodsy" period

Old Adams ’County Bank Extends a cordial invitation to the Citizens of this County and Community to visit their new home, southeast corner Second and Monroe Streets, spening Wednesday October 12th., 1921 The building will be open - the entire day and evening and we will be glad to greet you then or at any other time convenient for you. OLD ADAMS COUNTY BANK

Decatur, Indiana, Monday Evening, October 10, 1921.

and the largest industry outside of farming that engaged the attention of the bank was the timber business. Wood working businesses and saw mills were scattered everywhere. Railroad tie making was a big business. staves and lumber and ties brought in by far the largest amount of money that came into the county from the outside world and the bank funds were largely used in financing those businesses. In 1874 the farming community was still largely engaged in clearing their lands and the money realized from the sale of timber apparently made possible the substantial improvements that at ' about that time commenced to be seen all over the county. At that time the whole county was tributary to the Adams County Bank and the towns of the county had to be financ--led out of this one institution. The merchants of Monroe, Berne and Geneva, Linn Grove and Monroeville, those at Willshire and little settlements along the Ohio line all came under the jurisdiction of this small group of bankers. It is very vivid in the mind of the writer the picture of Studabaker, , Niblick, Derkes, Spencer, Allison, i Meibers and the younger Niblick sitting in their little back room of the banking house passing upon the ap- ! plications for loans, extending credit and sometimes withholding, getting behind this industry and paving the i way of its success, loaning money to build a barn or house to replace the 'old one of logs, urging clearing and draining, helping many a pioneer farmer whose ecorts nature seemed to counteract with fiendish ingenuity, and the thousand and one things that was necessary to do and pass upon in the financing of a struggling and needy community. That their help and advice and money were judiciously used was proved by the continued progress made and the community waxed prosperous land

' the bank forged ahead steadily in | deposits and earnings. For twenty years almost these men were active together, the bank changed its officers, however. Studabaker became president and William H. Nibliek became cashier. For nearly | twenty years, years in which the I town and county made its greatest ' strides. Judge Studabaker and “Billy” Niblick were captains of the financial i ship and during those years of real ’ activity the labors of these men were heavy and their responsibili- | ties great. “Billy” Niblick as he was familiarly called was U( wonderful 1 banker, a man of shrewd and quick and reliable judgement, intensely active, uniformly courteous and accomodating, his friends were legion and I hie advice and help constantly sought. Judge Studabaker was a sound and careful financier, not eas- : ily influenced and with a marvelous knowledge of values and made with I the particularly active Niblick a team that worked well topether. R. B. Allison, owing to ill health, retired and the bank force was aug-‘ inented by the addition of Edward X. 1 Ehinger and Charles S. Niblick. Those were great days with the ' Adams County Bank, every year or so the deposits were a hundred thouI sand dollars or so larger, the bus- ! iness expanded, the activity of the | bank more pronounceed and the bank i force added to. The towns grew and I the farmers commenced to show signs of wealth and the business folks grew more prosperous. All was not smooth sailing in those I days, the County and towns had their I ups and downs, there were periods of hard times, when crops failed and the dollar was a scarce article. These wtere times when the wisdom and sagacity of the bankers were put to the test. The writer knows of periods in the 80’s when farmers with (Continued on pace four)

HANDSOME NEW HOME IS READY FOR OCCDPANCY WILL OPEN FOR I"SPECTION WEDNES-DAY-VISITBRSINVITED—BUSINESS STARTS IN NEW LOCATON THURSDAY MORNINB.

COUNTY HAS FINE BANKING HOUSES Ten Financial Concerns in County With Total Resources of Millions ON FRIENDLY TERMS All Members of County Association and Hold Frequent Meetings. That Adams county is no mean community is proven in various ways. With a valuation of more than fifty million dollars, with seven hundred miles of improved roads, with wonderful farms improved with modern homes and buildings, with beautiful residence and business blocks in the various towns, with manufacturing plants and with every modern convenience, it is easy to point out to a visitor here the advantages of living in this county, but in no more substantial manner can you convince him than by pointing to the fact that we have ten banks, all good ones, with combined resources of about five million dollars. These institutions are all on the friendliest terms and have organized the Bankers Association of Adams county which holds frequent meetings and enjoy fine social gather ags. The members besides the Old Adams County bank are The First National and People’s Loan & Trust Company, Decatur; Monroe State bank; Farmers State Bank of Preble, The Bank of Berne and The Peoples State Bank of Berne, The Bank of Geneva and the Farmers & Merchants bank, Geneva; and The Bank of Linn Grove. They are all splendid banking houses, well conducted and wisely managed. ++**++++ + + + + + + + ♦ THE VERY LAST WORD + •fr + 4> The. new home is equipped + + with the most modern lighting 4- + fixtures, window blinds, ventlla + + tion system and conveniences— + + the very last word in finishing + + The only way you can app + + ciate the fact that nothing hao A + been left undone to make this a + ♦ real home for many years to + + come, is to visit the building. + 4. + + + + ♦ 4* * * 4' * * + + +

E. X. EHINGER, Cashier.

Price 3 Cents

The beautiful new home of the Old Adams County bank, to be opened to the public for inspection on Wednesday, and for the transaction of business on Thursday, is probably the most modern and convenient bankbuilding in any city the size of Decatur in the state of Indiana, or ar 'oil' state, perhaps. 1. exterior of the building is coistructed of Bedford Buff stone of the very best quality, the stone being worked out in a classic style of architecture. The building is a twostory effect, facing on Second street, the Monroe street or north side furnishing plenty of natural light for the working force of the institution. There is an entrance from Monroe street at the rear, which is to be used by the public in gaining access to the rooms provided for its use, after the bank is closed, or during banking hours without interfering with the business of the bank. On the interior the rooms are very attractive. Immediately upon entering the front door one passes into a vestibule, which in itself is a model ;of beauty. Constructed of mahogany 1 and just the right size to properly set off the front of the front of the bank building, it immediately attracts the attention of those who enter the banking room, and brings forth expressions of appreciation from the visitor. The walls of the room and ceiling are frescoed a French gray, of seceral different tints. This work is very neatly done by the Sehachne company of Dayton, O. The marble on the bottom side walls and encasing the lower half of the counting rooms, office rooms, etc., is built of Alabama cream tinted. The flooring is of Tennessee white marble, and the twelve-inch baseboard running around the room is of Vermont marble, and green in color. The flooring in the offices, counting rooms, consultation rooms and ladies’ rest rooms is covered with brown battleship linoleum, and the directors’ loom on the mezzanine floor, and the room intended for the public use at the rear of the directors’ room is carpeted with a battleship linoleum, which is green in color. The radiators which come along the white marble walls are painted in aluminum while the others are a copper. There are three large cluster electric light fixtures, extending from the high ceiling, and these are supplemented with four single ones, and scattered here and there along the side walls, are numerous smaller ones which will furnish plenty of artificial light when it is needed. These fix(Continued on page three)

j - ’ '• *** ,W & '-'B / ■ ... i k ' ;> aiF Jk. .. ...., /W • WV_--- : A, D. SUTTLES, Aas’t. Cashier.