| Summary: | MCVILLE BANKS In McVille's first year a bank was established in the building now occupied by Quanbeck's Variety. Called the First State Bank, its officers were: President-E.J. Lander; Vice-Pres.-J.E. Fodness; Cashier-CH. Simpson; these also comprised the Executive Board plus C.S. Dow. Even earlier, a granary had been moved into town and set onto the lot now occupied by the present Journal Office where E.C. Olsgard set up an office with desk and large iron safe to take care of the town's monetary needs on a temporary basis. James Pearson remembered mowing the grass and weeds on the lot with a team of horses and mower. By 1913, the Board had changed only slightly. Although Lander was still the president, C.S. Dow had advanced to Vice Pres. and the Cashier was W.J. Morgan, and assistant cashier was A.O. Moen. Miss Grace Long, Aneta, was also assisting. Also in 1906, an impressive brick building was being built on the west side of Main Street to house the State Bank of McVille. They moved into their permanent quarters on the corner, August 23,1906, and were ready to serve their patrons although the woodwork was not quite finished, and finishing was steadily going on. The woodwork of both fixtures and interior was finished in Golden Oak. The vault, though not yet erected, was to be put in by fall. Officers of this bank were: President-D.N. Tallman; V. President-N.B. Felton; Cashier-E.C Olsgard; and I.E. Hanson who arrived from Grand Forks to be assistant cashier. During the first winter of 1906, fire destroyed the Aneta Depot and later a J.M. Halvorson (unknown) was sentenced to a year and a half in the peneteniary for stealing an express package containing $500 in gold addressed to the State Bank of McVille. The thief was tracked by the trail of gold coins he left paying his way out of the country. In February, 1910, the State Bank had installed another great convenience for its customers by the purchase of a safe containing safety deposit boxes. The safe was rolled out of the vault every morning into the front office and each customer was furnished with a key for his individual box. A new corporation, the McVille Realty Co. was doing a general real estate business in May, 1910, buying and selling farm land and city property with headquarters at the State Bank of McVille and E.C. Olsgard as general manager. Local investors had purchased all the unsold lots and lands surrounding McVille, formerly owned by the Northern Town and Land Co. The new owners were E.C. Olsgard, F.W. McDougall, B.C. Berwick. Ole Walhood, A. MacMillan, who incorporated under the laws of N.D. with a capital of $15,000. The plan was to make an addition to the townsite on the northside of town on both sides of the high school throwing open for sale a large selection of choice residential lots. A number of 2 acre blocks were to be surveyed on the east side of town for the benefit of those who wished larger tracts of land than one or two lots. In 1913, Mr. Hanson left for Bismarck to become Deputy Bank Examiner, and Elma Helgeland (Fretheim) temporarily filled the position until the arrival of Arthur Robinson, Ringstad, Iowa, to accept the position of assistant cashier. In December, 1914, E.H. Norby replaced Robinson, and in 1917, Miss Ella Hoff was the bookkeeper at the State Bank of McVille. In 1913, McVille's third bank, the Security Bank opened its doors with President-E.L. Boyd; Vice Pres.-C.H. Simpson; Cashier-A.O. Moen, recently resigned from First State. The Security Bank was housed in the Palmquist building after much redecorating. In August that year Security Bank bought out First State, and Simpson and Moen became the active officers. Some time later the directors of Security met and decided to send the new furniture ordered before con solidating with First State to their Pingree Bank as the Bank here decided to continue business in the building of the First State (Quanbeck's Variety). April 15,1915, officers and directors of the Security Bank announced that the capital had been increased to $25,000, and the Comptroller of Currency at Washington, D.C. had issued them a National Bank charter. Contract for the construction of a new Bank building for First National was let to R.B. Marscke of Lucca, N.D. in 1915. This would be an extra high, one story, 25'x54' building with full basement located on the corner next to McVille Auto and Supply garage. In June, A.O. Moen. cashier of First National- went to Hebron to select brick for the new building. First National opened in October, 1915, and had a Grand Opening on October 13, from 7 to 9 p.m. Officers of the bank, C.H. Simpson, Pres. and Albert Moen, Cashier, presented visitors with cut flowers for the ladies, smokes for the men, and they opened a barrel of apples for all. Earlier, in July, 1915, officers of First National organized a new bank at Temple, N.D. and called it Security Bank of Temple. C.H. Simpson was also its president, and Glenn McDougall, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.D. McDougall was selected to be cashier. Mr. Simpson accompanied Glenn to Temple to help get the new bank under way. 1, t-- * intnSMA Looking south on Main Street, the First State is located on the left (in present Quanbeck Variety building) ^ifaP^ Both Banks on opposite corners are visible in this view of Main Street looking north. In February, 1916, they had a well sunk at the rear of their new building in McVille to supply water for the Club Rooms located in the basement. The big cistern originally installed didn't take care of the needs of the Club Room and bank service, and hauling water by tank was not satisfactory. The Pioneer Club, a social club of over 50 members used the well- furnished club rooms in the First National Bank for its meetings in 1916, in April, 1917, First National purchased the Pekin Bank. G.E. Nelson, Tolna, a McVille school teacher became assistant cashier at First National in July, 1917. In September, that year the Bank received full equipment for an elaborate street clock which was installed as soon as an expert arrived to place the large timepiece. In 1918 officers at First National were: Pres.-C.H. Simpson; V. Pres -Ole G. 51 Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited in Multi-page TIFF Editor.
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