Banks in Winfield

State Bank of Winfield. Was chartered in 1905 with L. P. King as President. Mr. King left the State bank in 1912 and was succeeded by M. B. Light as President. L. B. King received a charter for the Progressive State Bank of Winfield and it opened in 1913. In 1924 these two banks merged under the name of the State Bank of Winfield and are still in business.

Winfield Bank — The first banking house established in Cowley County was the Winfield Bank of J. C. Fuller. It was privately owned. This institution opened its doors in the fall of 1870. Col. J. C. McMullen opened his (privately owned) Citizens bank in 1871 in Arkansas City. In January of 1878, Col. J. C. McMullen went to Winfield and started another Citizens' Bank. At the same time he started closing his bank in Arkansas City. On April 1, 1879, the Citizens Band and the Winfield Bank consolidated and formed the Winfield State Bank, chartered under the State law. The officers were J. C. McMullen, President; B. F. Baldwin, vice-president; J. C. Fuller, cashier; and D. A. Millington, secretary. They announced that they will immediately begin the erection of a brick building, 25 x 140, on the lot at 901 Main street. The first floor was occupied by the bank, the second story for offices, and the basement by the Winfield Courier. In 1884 owing to poor health Mr. J. C. McMullen was compelled to retire from active business and his interest in the bank was sold to H. B. Schuler who became President. This bank was nationalized and became Winfield National Bank in 1885. It was purchased in 1891 by William E. Otis, Dr. Cornelius Perry and James Lorton. Winfield National Bank is listed in the 1903 Winfield city directory as having capital and surplus as $90,000. The officers were W. E. Otis, president, J. L. Parsons, vice-president, James Lorton, cashier and W. G. Robbins as asst. cashier. James Lorton and Henry Kibbe bought control in 1911 from W. E. Otis. In 1942, shortly after James Lorton's death, Jimmy H. Koons became president. Koons has been with the bank since 1923, first as a vice-president and finally as president. Henry Kibbe became affiliated with the bank in 1903.

August 7, 1945 it was announced that the Mullendore brothers of Howard, Kansas have bought controlling interest. The Mullendore family was prominent in southeastern Kansas and northern Oklahoma in the cattle and banking business. Noel Mullendore, a long time attorney from Howard, will be President and his brother C. H. Mullendore, presently executive vice-president and cashier of the First National Bank of Miami, Oklahoma. will be one of the Directors. D. C. Compton will continue with the bank as vice-president and cashier. E.D. Youle, Foster Newland, and F. E. Parcel will continue with the bank.

The Winfield National Bank was purchased by and absorbed into the First National Bank of Winfield on September 1, 1945.

Winfield Courier, July 3, 1884.

An Accession to the Winfield Bank.

Mr. H. B. Schuler has purchased an interest in the Winfield Bank and will immediately move to this city and attend to business in the bank. Mr. Schuler has a capital of two hundred thousand dollars, which he will bring to this city, and invest in bank stock and other property and help build up the interests of the city and county. He has been in the banking business for the last thirteen years, ten years as cashier of the First National Bank of Lincoln, Illinois, and three years as cashier of the Laclede bank of St. Louis. He comes here because he has a son to whom he expects to leave his business in a few years and prefers that he shall be located in a smaller town than St. Louis, where he may have an equal chance with the wealthiest and grow up with the country. Mr. Schuler is recommended by the best men and financiers of Chicago, Lincoln, and St. Louis as a man of a high order of intelligence, honor, and business sagacity. He will be a very valuable acquisition to the business of this city and his family a very pleasant acquisition to Winfield society. Mr. Schuler came here in April last while on a trip of observation to find a location to suit him, and he concluded that Winfield suited him best, all things considered. The proprietors of the Winfield Bank encouraged him and concluded to sell him an interest, which was concluded Tuesday. There will be no change in the organization of the bank other than Mr. Schuler will be one of the directors and officers in the bank.

Winfield Courier, July 3, 1884.

Some of the Winfield bank stock was sold this week for sixty percent premium. This is a record that the officers of that institution may well be proud of. Beginning with the early history of the town, the Winfield Bank has grown and prospered until it is known all over the west and by banking institutions everywhere as one of the soundest and most conservative banks in the country.

Read's Bank was started in 1872, by M. L. Read as a private bank. The Bank building, on Main Street, near Ninth Avenue, was erected in 1871-72. This was the first brick building in the county, and the bricks used in it were the first manufactured in Winfield, the brick—makers being imported for that purpose. June 25, 1884 Read's bank was reorganized as the First National Bank of Winfield with capital of $125,000. The officers were M. L. Read, president, M. L. Robinson, vice-president, W. C. Robinson, cashier, Chas. F. Bahntge, teller and Geo. W. Robinson, asst. cashier. The First National Bank of Winfield is listed in Winfield city directory of 1903 as being on the south east corner of (900 Main) Ninth and Main. Capital and surplus were $150,000 with the officers being W. C. Robinson, president, J. M. Donley, vice-president and E. W. Bolinger, cashier. On November 22, 1922 the Cowley County National Bank purchased the First National Bank of Winfield and moved to its location. The name of the First National Bank of Winfield was retained. On September 1, 1945, The First National Bank of Winfield bought and absorbed the Winfield National Bank.

Farmers Bank of Winfield was created in 1884 with P. H. Albright as Vice President. He was the only local owner. He disassociated himself with the bank in 1886. Farmers State Bank of Winfield was purchased in 1891 by J. E. Jarvis. The Farmers State Bank bought the Cowley County National Bank June 3, 1896 and moved into its location at the north east corner of Ninth Avenue and Main Street. The 1903 Winfield City directory lists the Cowley County National Bank with a capital of $50,000, surplus and undivided profits, $25,000. The officers were J. E. Jarvis, president, J. M. Keck, vice-president, J. F. Ballient, cashier and M. F. Jarvis, assistant cashier. On November 22, 1922 the Cowley County National Bank Bank purchased the First National Bank of Winfield and moved to its location. The name of Cowley County National Bank was discontinued.

Arkansas City Republican, September 25, 1886.

Semblance to Bunke-shop.

The Visitor relates a queer story regarding the First National Bank of Winfield. It appears from the columns of the journal mentioned above that Jarvis & Hunt have been having little "differences of opinions," until they had gotten to be big ones. Jarvis wanted to buy or sell the other’s interest in the business. Hunt refused. One day when Jarvis was out, Hunt took all of the firm’s papers and went to the First National Bank and was in the act of signing them all over to it when the first mentioned gentleman happened in. Jarvis demanded to know what Hunt was doing with the firm’s papers without his knowledge and made a grab for them and obtained most of them. Hunt also grabbed, but he was not quick enough.

The story is best told now in the Visitor’s own words.

"Hunt then jumped at him, trying to take the papers away from him, Jarvis declaring that half of the papers were his and he would not give them up until he knew what disposition was being made of them and held on and refused to give them up. At this, Mart Robinson, the president of the bank, proceeded to take a hand and while he and Hunt were scuffling with Jarvis, trying to get the papers, Geo. Robinson, the cashier, ran in from behind the bank counters and grabbed Jarvis by the throat, choking him and demanding the papers. All three were at him at the same time; but in spite of the garroting and scuffling, Jarvis succeeded in keeping a fast hold on the papers.

"Between the scuffling and choking, the voice of Mart rose high, telling Jarvis that ‘he had no business to come into their place of business and gather up papers--that the papers were in Hunt’s possession and he had no right to them.’

"Jarvis also took occasion, as the pressure of George’s fingers from time to time let up to tell them ‘that he proposed to take his property whenever he found a set of d____d thieves and robbers like they were undertook to down him.’

"Finally Jarvis told them to let him loose, that he wanted to speak to Hunt. They released him and he asked Hunt ‘what he was going to do with the papers and why he had taken them out of the office unbeknownst to him and without his consent?’

"Hunt answered that ‘he was signing them over to the bank to keep him from robbing him.’

"Jarvis said that ‘no one wanted to rob him, that he believed it all a scheme of a set of thieves to rob him.’

"The Robinsons then made a show of apologizing, saying that ‘they didn’t know what papers they were when he picked them up.’

"Words followed words until Mart locked the door and informed Jarvis that he should never go out of the bank while he kept possession of the papers and finally he and George again attacked him: Mart going for the papers and George, taking his favorite hold, tried to shut off his wind. He still clung to them and they again desisted and blankly apologized to Jarvis, assuring Jarvis that they were very sorry to have any trouble. Jarvis then told them that they would never get the papers out of his hands as long as he lived, and finally after a third unsuccessful tussle and choking, they agreed that he should send after an attorney. Frank Jennings was sent for and it was settled by a list of the papers being prepared for Jarvis and the bank retaining them."

The Building and Loan Association in Winfield was organized on January 1, 1882, with H. G. Fuller, President; A. H. Hendricks, Vice President; J. E. Platter, Treasurer; J. F. MuMullen, Secretary.

CHARTERS FILED. The following charter was filed yesterday in the office of the secretary of State: "Winfield Building and Loan Association," capital stock $200,000. Board of Directors for the first year: J. E. Platter, R. E. Wallis, H. G. Fuller, J. F. McMullen, E. P. Greer, A. D. Hendricks, J. W. Connor, A. B. Steinberger, C. A. Bliss, J. A. McGuire, and I. W. Randall. Commonwealth.

Winfield Courier, June 26, 1884.

M. L. Read’s Bank, of this city, have the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to organize the First National Bank of Winfield, Kansas, with a paid up capital of $50,000.00, with an authorized capital of $250,000.00. The stock has all been subscribed and paid for, and the organization completed, and as soon as the necessary preliminary steps can be completed the First National Bank of Winfield, Kansas, will open for business, and with the addition of a National Bank to our already large and conservative banks, Winfield will be as well supplied with sound and reliable banking facilities as any city in the State. Surely we are putting on metropolitan airs with our gas works, street railway, National Bank, etc.