People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 27-25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1896 — A. McCoy & Co.’s Bank. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A. McCoy & Co.’s Bank.

There is no business firm in Rensselaer, whose individual members of the present and the past, command more of the confidence of the public than dees the banking firm of A. McCoy & Co., and probably no firm writeup in the special issue of the People’s Pilot will be read with greater interest than this historical sketch of that institution. The bank was started in by A. McCoy, the senior member of the present firm. With him was associated his father. Thomas McCoy, and the bank was conducted under the name of A. McCoy &Co.. the present style of the firm. j A 'few. years later the banking firm was c hanged to A. McCoy & A. Thompson, the junior member of the firm bein g Alfred Thompson, a biographical sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this issue of the paper. The next change in the firm occurred when Thomas Thompson purchased the inteVcsl of his brother, Alfred Thomp son, and the bank firm was changed to A. McCoy & T. Thompson, and it so continued until 1888, when the firm changed to A. McCoy & Co., the junior member of the firm being that popular, friendly and genial gen tleman, "Tom,” a “true son of his father,” and a fine business man, as well as a social favori:e, Alfred McCoy was born in Co lumbiana county, Ohio, in 1,832. At an early age he developed a knowledge’ of business Tar be yond his years, and he was a wholesale grocery merchant before he had attained his maj >r ityIn 1852 he bought a section of land in Hanging Grove township and moved to Rensselaer. To the older citizens of Rensselaer his life here is a familiar book of many bright pages, and he is known far and near as a man of honest dealing and sentiment, whose generosity has brought happiness to many an unhappy home, and whose thrift and industry lias inspired many men to higher aims and better purposes. In addition to the good qualities that form the innerlining of his life. Mr. McCoy is a shrewd and careful business man, and during the forty-three years of his citizenship in this county he has amassed a considerable fortune, and he is considered one the wealthiest men in Jasper county. Mr. McCoy is a staunch republican, a man of honest beliefs and has a fearless method of expressing them. He is not a republican because he inherited the belief, but because he is a staunch advocate of the principles of the party and believes that the greatest good will come to the greatest number through that party. No selfish desire is manifested in his advocacy of this political belief, for Mr. McCoy has never asked for, neither would he accept, any office within the power of his party, but he has assisted many times in carrying the Jasper county republicans victoriously through the heat of the campaign, and no longer ago than the last campaign did he stump the county in the interest of the state, county, and municipal ticket. On the stump, as in his business life, Mr. McCoy is plain, practical and interesting, and he could draw a crowd, keep them in good humor and make converts when more famous orators could not have received a respectful hearing. Since Rensselaer’s earliest history and Mr. McCoy’s residence here, he has assisted in its upbuilding. Has encouraged such improvements, as he thought would not inflict an unjust taxa tion upon property owners, and has been liberal with both time and money toward “pushing the small town of a few years* ago, to the thriving and hustling young city, that we find at the beginning of the year 1896. In addition to about five thousand acres of farm land, all in Jasper county, Mr. McCoy also owns considerable city property, among the latter being- an elegant brick residence on McCoy avenue, Mr, McCoy was recently complimented by the people of Marlboro, when that town, ir. his honor, changed its name from Marlboro to McCoysburg, and if the town grows proportionately, as should an obedient namesake, to the business growth of Mr. McCoy, it will some day become a very thriving and busy place. Mr. McCoy's popularity is not confined to Rensselaer and Jasper county, but he is known for faany miles around, and when he time shall come for him to be removed, there will be lamenta-

lions of sorrow go up from many counties. It will be said of him, “It is too bad, the good must evfir die.” The special issue of The People’s Pilot can think of no name more deserving of credit or more conspicuous in the history of the community than Alfred McCoy. * T. J. McCoy, whose familiarity has allowed every man in the Tenth Indiana Congressional District to call “Tom,” was ooin in Rensselaer, April 13, 1856. He received his early education here, and passed safely through the doubtful age of young manhood without contracting ruinous habits. Tom was one of the mischievous boys, whose habits are as easily broken as formed, and he has grown up in the sight of Rensselaer people to a magnificent manhood, to a manhood of honesty and careful business propensities, and he is to-day, perhaps, the most influential republican in Rensselaer.

»The business of the bank is almost altogether his to care for, and that the business is successfully managed is evident to the most careful observers. Back of the bank of A. McCoy & Co. there is 5,000 acres of unincumbered real estate which at a conservative valuation is worth not less than $200,000, as a reference to the county records will show. For three terms Mr. McCoy has been a member of the school board, and he is now the very efficient president of that body. He was instrumental in having the elegant new school building of 1892 built, and is one of the most progressive and thorough men of this period of the nineteenth century. Mr. McCoy is now a candidate for the chairmanship of the tenth cangressional district committee of the republican party. He is

at present chair man of the county centarl committee, and the success with which his efforts in that position has been crowned, and the fact that he is a favored candidate in many counties, makes it appear that he will be given the chairmanship, and will fill the office to the entire satisfaction of the party enthusiasts. A good many years of useful life lie before Mr. McCoy, and The Pilot is glad that they will probably be spent in Rensselaer, where he has exerted most influence before, and where he will undoubtedly continue in the future. A. R. Hopkins (Bert), a young man born, educated and grown to manhood in Rensselaer, is assistant cashier of the bank. He has been with the bank for eight years, and has proven to the management by his faithfulness and attentiveness to business that he is deserving of confidence, and to the public by his courteous manner of business, that he is both appreciative and willing to serve them to the best of his ability, as assistant cashier of the bank.

For a somewhat longer time than one year. Miss Mattie Robinson has been a va I ued em ploye of the bank. Miss Robinson has a legion of .close friends in Rensselaer, who are pleased that she is connected with so execellent a firm, and who appreciate the fact that she is an energetic and careful worker. Miss Robinson is also one of the favorite social belies of the city, and very popular with all

The building now occupied by the bank was built in 186fe, but has since been remodeled. It is a large, two-story building at the southwest corner of Washington and Van Rensselaer streets, and was constructed for the bank, being made both convenient and secure. ■ v

The bank is old and perfectly reliable, and The Pilot bespeaks for it the confidence of the entire community. Of its proprietors The Pilot can only say in addition to the short sketches above, that they are deserving and trustworthy men. who have always been identified with the best interests of Rensselaer, Mr. T. J. McCoy has rebuilt! his home during the year just! closed, and it is now one of the! most pretentious and modern] houses, in Jasper county. The housekd Mr. Alfred Me- i Coy is a stately brick, very commodious and built to slat d for generations, and i>> surrounded by a lawn of great natural beauty, handsomely adorned and well kept. T. J. McCoy, Delos Thompson and W. A. Rinehart are the own ers of the Rensselaer StockFarm, the home of “Rensselaer Wilkes,” whose record qf the I past year has made him famous from sea to sea, and advertised I the town for which he is named more than all its illustrious statesmen and soldiers have done in the past. This farm is a model stock-breed ing institution, j and is of the greatest importance to the county-. No expense has j been spared to produce the best, bred trotters and pacers in the | country.

BANK OF A. McCOY & CO.

RESIDENCE OF ALFRED McCOY, PRESIDENT OF A. M’COY & CO.’S BANK.

RESIDENCE OF THOMAS J. McCOY, CASHIER OF A. M’COY & CO.’S BANK.