Banks of Arkansas City

1871. First Time.        1880. Second Time.
Arkansas City Bank. J. C. McMullen opened bank in 1871. He closed the bank in 1878 and moved it to Winfield with the new name of Citizens Bank of Winfield.
A bank of the same name opened in 1880. The Creswell Bank was organized by J. L. Huey in September of 1880. Mr Huey closed the bank in 1884. It was merged January 2, 1884 into the Arkansas City Bank.
Arkansas City Republican, January 22, 1887. Owing to the great increase in the Arkansas City Bank’s business, the capital stock has been increased to $200,000. This bank is a very popular institution in Arkansas City and vicinity.

1872.
Cowley County State Bank of Arkansas City. This insti­tution was established as a State bank in 1872. The offi­cers were A. A. Newman, President; W. M. Sleeth, Vice-president; H. P. Farrar, Cashier; T. M. McLaughlin and H. O. Meigs and R. C. Hayward, Directors. In 1876 W. M. Sleeth and H. P. Farrar bought up its stock and made it a private bank with the name Cowley County Bank. W. M. Sleeth was President and H. P. Farrar was Cashier.
On March 27, 1879, it was announced “A new building for the Cowley County Bank, is to be erected on Houghton & McLaughlin's corner lot, directly opposite the Traveler Office.”
1883.
Union State Bank.
In 1883, a  building was constructed that is now the Union State Bank of Arkansas City.
1885.
The Cowley County State Bank reorga­nized as the First National Bank on August 5, 1885. The officers were W. M. Sleeth, President; Calvin Dean, Vice-Presi­dent; H. P. Farrar, Cashier; F. W. Farrar; Asst. Cashier. The directors were Fred W. Farrar, A. D. Prescott and J. P. Johnson. The location was the northwest corner of Summit Street and Fifth Avenue with Sleeth as Presi­dent and Farrar as Cashier. On June 15, 1893, the bank was in receiver­ship with George W. Robinson as receiver. It closed its doors on June 19,1893.
By February 8, 1894, the First National Bank had reorganized and re-opened with George S. Hartley, Presi­dent; H. P. Farrar, vice-president, and A. M. Heard, cashier.
In February of 1897 the Bank of Arkansas City had taken over the business of the First National Bank and the bank building was occupied by the McDowell Jewelry store for five years.
1903.
Citizens State Bank of Arkansas City, was incorporated February 3, 1903, with a capital stock of $50,000. N. D. Sanders, former assistant auditor of the First National Bank, was cashier of the institution. The directors were: George S. Hartley, Thomas Baird, C. T. Thurston, G. Luther Brown, F. C. Deering, A. Goff and N. D. Sanders.


On May 25, 1905, they moved into their quarters at the Northwest corner of Summit Street and Fifth Avenue, which had been occupied by McDowell's Jewelry Store for the previous five years. 
1880.
Creswell Bank — in Arkansas City. This was a private bank, owned by J. L. Huey. It began business in September 1880. The Creswell Bank was reorganized under the name of the Arkansas City Bank on January 2, 1884. The officers were Samuel Newall, President; Calvin Dean, Vice-President, and J. L. Huey, Cashier.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 26, 1883. Mr. Samuel Newall and son, Gerish, spent several days of the past week in our city and returned to their New York home on Wednesday last. While here, Mr. Newall, who has been interested for some time past in the Creswell bank, of this city, completed arrangements with Messrs. Cal. Dean and James L. Huey, which will result in changing the Creswell bank to the Arkansas City bank, with a paid up capital of one hundred thousand dollars, thus making this one of the most solid banks in the county.
In 1888 the directors were Charles Hutchins, J. L. Huey and Frank J. Hess. In 1889 the Arkansas City Bank was incorporated. The offi­cers listed were James L. Britton, President and Harry L. Coburn, Cashier, with George Cunningham and Charles A. Scrunton as directors with the balance of the directors living in the east. The 1893 Arkansas City directory shows this bank as being on east Fifth Avenue between Summit Avenue and First Street.
Arkansas City Bank - was established in 1871. The first officers were Jno. C. McMullen, President; James A. Loomis, Cashier; and the directors were L. B. Kellogg, L. C. Norton, J. Jay Buck, and J. C. McMullen.
Starting with the January 27, 1879, edition of the Arkansas City Traveler, ads appeared referring to the Citizens Bank of Winfield being a successor to the Arkansas City bank with J. C. McMullen, President, and A. W. Berkey, Cashier.
1888.
Union Bank made its first appearence January 1, 1888, in the Traveler ads. The ad referred to a temporary location in the Sherburne block. E. S. Hutchinson was the Cashier and all other officers and directors resided in the east.
1888.
Bank of Commerce of Arkansas City was in operation January 1, 1888, with Harry Lamson as Cashier.
1891.
Farmers National Bank of Arkansas City opened for business October 1, 1891, on the Northwest corner of Washington Avenue and Summit Street. Its officers and directors were H. F. Hatch, President; Jamison Vawter, Vice-President; Henry J. Hatch, Cashier; and Jno. J. Blanchard, assistant cashier. The other directors were E. Neff, Charles Atkinson, E. R. L. Lewis, A. Wilcox, T. L. Hill and Hanry Lardnee.
On January 18, 1894, The Arkansas City bank effected a trade with the Farmers National Bank whereby the latter took the deposits of the former that were subject to check.
“The Arkansas City bank will no longer receive deposits but will continue until all business is settled up and pay off all time deposits as they fall due.”


This bank was liquidated in 1989 and was re-organized as the Farmers State Bank of Arkansas City. The bank was incorporated in 1896. The offi­cers were Charles A. Johnson, president; E. Neff, vice presi­dent; and Albert H. Denton, Cashier. (from Courier 2/7/1902)
The interest held by Charles A. Johnson was purchased by William E. Otis of Winfield.
There was no change in the active manage­ment of the bank with Albert. H. Denton, cashier; and E. R. Lewis, assistant cashier. 
1886.
Strong and Ross Banking Company of Arkansas City. 
Arkansas City Republican, August 14, 1886. Howard Ross, a broker of New York, was in the city this morning. He made a purchase of a corner lot on Fifth Avenue of Albert Worthley, in the block where the Johnson Loan & Trust Company are building. The consideration was $3,500. Mr. Ross is greatly pleased with Arkansas City and its future prospects. He was in the city only a few hours until he began investing in real estate. He will build a three-story business block, occupying the first floor with a bank, which he will establish.
Arkansas City Republican, August 21, 1886. Albert Worthley is compelled to move his residence from its present site on Fifth Avenue on account of the business blocks going up on the lots which he sold. He has purchased lots in the second ward and has commenced the foundation. As soon as he gets his residence off, Mr. Ross, the gentleman who purchased the corner lot, will commence the erection of his bank building.
This private bank opened March 15, 1888 with Fred Strong, President; A. A. Newman, Vice-President; and Howard Ross, Cashier.
On January 1, 1891, a national bank charter was granted and this bank was renamed The Home National Bank of Arkansas City. Controlling interest was bought by Dr. W. S. Wood of Kansas City (President of National Bank of Commerce of Kansas City) and C. Q. Chandler, of Medicine Lodge, A. F. Masterson, (both Chandler and Masterson were connected with Kansas National Bank of Wichita), J. A. Ranney, and W. E. Wilcox.
In 1893 F. M. Strong was President, Howard Ross, cashier, and A. A. Newman, J. H. Wickliffe, G. S. Howard, and J. A. Ranney were local directors. The other directors were from out of town. This bank still exists in its original location, but not in the original building, on the northeast corner of Summit Street and Fifth Avenue.
In 1937 The Home National Bank merged with the Security National Bank whose name was abandoned.
1905.
Security State Bank of Arkansas City opened its doors for business Monday, May 15, 1905, at 120 South Summit Street. Austin J. Evans was the cashier. On June 4, 1915, the bank was granted a charter to operate as the Security National Bank of Arkansas City. The bank had moved to the building at the Northwest corner of the intersection of Summit Street and Washington Avenue. This building had been built in 1905 to house the American National bank. The presi­dent was J. E. Tutton, who had come from Colum­bus, Ks. in 1912. William Stryker was cashier and Ben Ausmus, Roy Hume, and Guy Curfman were employed there. The direc­tors were John S. Cree, W. C. Bardo, R. C. Dixon, J. E. Tutton, E. F. Day, F. Trimper, and W. M. Stryker. 


The bank was reorga­nized in 1917 when William Stryker and R. C. Dixon purchased the interests of J. E. Tutton. (Wil­liam Stryker was born and raised in Arkansas City. He started his career as a clerk in the Home National bank in 1900. He went to the the Security State bank in 1905 as assis­tant cashier. He was promoted to cashier in 1908 and to the presiden­cy of the Security National bank in 1917.)  In 1919 the building was remod­eled. 
1908-1909.
Union State Bank of Arkansas City. Chartered on December 18, 1908, and opened for business January 2, 1909. The location was that of the former First National Bank building, located on the northwest corner of Summit and Fifth Avenue. The officers and directors were Thomas Baird, President; O. E. Mabee, Vice-Presi­dent; A. F. Thomason, Cashier; Walter MacAllister, assistant cashier; and Je Roseberry, F. C. DeMott, and G. T. Bacastow
Thomas Baird, father of C. M. Baird, W. T. Baird, and Mrs C. M. Drennan, and grandfather of Berlyn, Martin, Albert, and Walter Baird and Mrs. Ward Warren was the first president of the Union State Bank. He resigned after two years.
Fred C. DeMott, father of Charles DeMott, was the second president. He served from January 8, 1910, until his death in 1940. W. Galen Dunn came to Arkansas City as a vice-presi­dent in June 1924 and resigned in 1929. J. W. Bricker resigned as cashier in November 1924. Grover L. Dunn came from Wichita in 1927, where he had been vice-presi­dent of Wichita State Bank, for three years. Grover L. Dunn is an older brother of W. Galen Dunn. Lucien Dunn, brother of Galen and Grover Dunn, came to the Union State Bank in 1937. The Dunn family bought controlling interest in the bank during the 1930s, a time when banks were trying to withstand the hurricanes of the Great Depression, federal banking law changes and reorga­nizations.
Grover Dunn was president from 1940 until his retire­ment in 1958. Grover and Lucien Dunn sold their interests to the Docking family in 1956. George Docking was elected President and his son Robert Docking served as vice-president and cashier. Robert chose to be vice-president in order to make a smooth transition and because he was involved sucessfully in campaigning for his father, George Docking, for Governor of Kansas. George Docking served two terms from 1957 to 1959 and 1959 to 1961. 
Robert Docking was elected President in January of 1959 at the age of 34.
William Docking was elected President on July 1, 1983, and is still serving.
 1890.
American National Bank was under construction in May of 1890 at the northwest corner of Summit and Washington.
1919.
Traders State Bank of Arkansas City. In 1919 the bank bought the Johnson building at the southeast corner of Summit and Fifth Avenue. The president was V. E. Creighton and the cashier was named Hayden.
1884.
Cowley County Bank.
Arkansas City Traveler, January 16, 1884.
                                                COWLEY COUNTY BANK.
                                      The Finest Bank Building in Southern Kansas.


Last Monday morning the Cowley County Bank, one of the oldest and most substantial financial institutions of this county, opened up in their new building on the northwest corner of Summit Street and Fifth Avenue. The progress of this building has been watched with unflagging interest by all of our citizens, as from the first it gave promise of being the finest thing of its kind in the southwest, and is something of which our city may justly feel proud. It is a two-story building with basement, built of the finest pressed brick and dressed stone, surmounted by a tower twenty feet in height, the whole presenting a most imposing appearance. Every detail of its construction points to superior workmanship, good judgment, and taste, with a most admirable arrangement for the transaction of the bank’s business and for the accommodation of those renting the office departments upstairs and down.
The basement (half of which is above ground) consists of two large, well lighted and ventilated rooms, with none of the drawbacks of an ordinary basement. One of these rooms is already rented. The first floor proper consists of three rooms. The front room is 25 x 37 feet, and is used for the public business of the bank. The interior finish of this room is in keeping with the general neatness of the entire building, the office furniture, counters, etc., being of cherry wood finished in finest French plate and ornamental tops. In the southeast corner of this room is a neat alcove compartment handsomely carpeted and separated from the main room by a heavy, low railing, for the accommodation of customers desiring to wait a few minutes. In the rear of the main room is the bank’s private room, 25 x 18 feet, and adjoining this room, with its entrance on Fifth Avenue, is an office room, 20 x 25 feet, which will be for rent when finished. The second story contains seven commodious office rooms, which for the use of professional men have no equal in this county.
Altogether it is the finest bank edifice in Southern Kansas, not excepting those of Wichita even, and speaks volumes for the credit, stability, and enterprise of Messrs. Farrar and Sleeth. The expenses of its construction so far has been about $12,000, in return for which outlay these gentlemen have now a building that would do credit to any city in the land, and one whose rental will bring in a handsome revenue.