People's State Bank, Coldwater, Comanche County, Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Hiram Lewis.
People's State Bank, Coldwater, Comanche County, Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Hiram Lewis.
People's State Bank, Coldwater, Comanche County, Kansas.
This is a view of the message side of the above postcard.
Photo courtesy of Hiram Lewis.
The postcard is addressed to Miss Ida Fish, Protection, Kansas. The message reads: "This is Sat. night and I don't have to work. I got back 4:5 this morning and have been feeling fine today." The card appears to be signed with the initials "W.R." or "W.B.". The card is postmarked January 20, the year is illegible. There appears to be a DW in the middle of the postmark where the city name should appear, thus the card was probably mailed from Coldwater, Kansas.
People's State Bank, Coldwater, Comanche County, Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Hiram Lewis.
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THE PEOPLES STATE BANK
The Peoples State Bank was organized and opened for business on December 5, 1905. The opening was delayed several weeks awaiting their safes arrival, making the bank unable to perform one of its most important functions of that time.
Its promoters and first officers were: J.R. Dominick, of the Traders Bank in Kansas City; F.L. Black of another bank in Kansas City; L.J. Solomon of Wichita and M.M. and Elmer Solomon of Kingfisher, Oklahoma.
Management changed in 1911 at the resignation of J.M. Cotton. A.C. Lambe served in that capacity until April 1919, when he sold his interests to Fred Jacks, who served as managing officer for 10 years, selling out to Garth McMillen of Leroy, Kansas, who served as president until his death, January 27, 1942. His son, Hobart McMillen, took over the management at the time of his death and continues to serve at the present time.
Since the year 1911, the following have served in the capacity of directors for various periods of time: A.H. Baker; J.W. York; J.M. McCay; J.M. Cotton; R.W. Scott; T.H. Crawford; A.C. Lambe; Fred Jacks; R.E. Parcel; Wilford Betzer; Garth McMillen; Mrs. Garth McMillen; Otha Landess; Ward H. Butcher; Martin Zerby; Walter Ferrin; Jack Helton; Harold Herd and Hobart McMillen.
-- From the Diamond Jubilee Historical Booklet, published 1959, Coldwater, Kansas.
People's Bank is still open today in 2007 in a different building than what is pictured below. The current address is 101 E. Main, Coldwater, Kansas 67029. The bank's web site is http://www.peoplesbankcoldwater.com/.
E-mail to Hiram Lewis from Jerry Ferrin, 18 November 2006:
What interesting photos those are! The style of the teller counter is nearly identical to the Wilmore Bank's counter.
The intaglio floral design on the the panel of the fluted "pod" beneath the teller & cashier windows in the People's State Bank photos & the marble countertops at the Wilmore bank are distinctive variations in what is obviously the same design for the bank counters.This suggests to me that the counters at each bank were made by the same company, a "bank outfitter" somewhere "back east" which supplied banks with premade, customized cages and counters of quartersawn oak which could be shipped in by train and assembled by local carpenters.
Also see:
Charles Daniel Bickford - "Charles continued his accomplishment of life here in Coldwater by becoming one of the first elected city councilmen. He also built the first hotel in Coldwater on the site where the People's Bank, which was built in 1949, now stands." - Memories of Charles Daniel Bickford by David & Mary (Kane) Bickford.
Walter W. Ferrin - "Walter W. Ferrin was county treasurer, county clerk, a retired employee of the People's State Bank, Coldwater city clerk, the treasurer of Camp Lark, treasurer of the Red Cross, a member of the American Legion, Coldwater Lion's Club, Masonic Lodge and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Walter also served for many years as elder in the Presbyterian church." - Obituary, The Western Star, 11 September 1975.
Dr. Ronald McCoy - "Dad's community involvement included Research Club, Lions' Club, Bridge Club, People's State Bank Board, Boy Scout Leader, CHS Football Trainer, and Iroquois Medical League." -- Melanie McCoy
Thanks to Hiram Lewis for contributing the above photos from postcards and comments about the photos to this web site!
This website is being created by Jerry Ferrin with the able assistance of many Contributors. Your comments, suggestions and contributions of historical information and photographs to this site are welcome. Please sign the Guest Book. This page was created 08 July 2007.