Marceline State Bank

The charter of the Marceline State Bank was issued December 23, 1907, by Hon. John E. Swanger, Secretary of State of Missouri. The capital stock was $20,000. A building was erected and opened for business at 107 North Kansas Avenue, where Reece’s confectionery was located. In May 1909, the present building was purchased. The new bank front and improvements of the Howell Street side wall were made in 1930-31. The original shareholders and temporary directors were W. C. Hume and five men who were non-residents. W. C. Hume was the first cashier and served until 1913. J. A. Neal served as cashier from 1913 to 1928 except the years 1917-18. In January 1917, a large interest was purchased by Dan Wester of Kansas City and he was elected cashier. In January, 1919, the Wester interest was purchased by J. A. Hamler and associates, and Mr. Hamler was elected president. On April 27, 1922, the interest of J. A. Hamler was purchased by H. E. Trader and associates, and Mr. Trader was elected president, a position he held until his death in November, 1960. In October 1938, E. B. Moorman, replacing J. A. Neal, came to the bank after completing a course at the Gem City Business College. Through the years Mr. Moorman served as Assistant Cashier, Cashier and Vice-President. In November 1960, Mr. Moorman purchased controlling interest from the estate of H. E. Trader, was elected President, and still holds that position. The present board of directors are E. B. Moorman, Agnes B. Trader, George R. Lohmar, Dorothy H. Moorman, and Alys M. Culler. The bank is well appointed, occupying a modern building at the corner of Howell and Kansas Avenues. The interior of the building was thoroughly remodeled and completed in 1961. The interior is handsomely furnished and artistically decorated with walnut paneling, terrazzo floor, acoustical ceiling with indirect lighting and is equipped with the most modern fixtures and equipment. The Marceline Trust Company began business in 1920. In May 1924, its business was taken over by the Marceline State Bank and the First National Bank, each bank purchasing one-half of the assets and assuming one-half of the deposits. Its depositors were thus paid in full. In the dark days of November 1931, the bank’s remaining contemporary was closed. An immediate organization movement of business men and citizens, and the fine cooperation of the State Bank’s city correspondents enabled the bank to withstand the shock without trouble. Instead of having a “run” as occurred in many similar cases, the bank made a good gain in deposits in three days’ time, and continued gaining. At the close of the ten-day National Banking Holiday, ordered by the President of the United States in March 1933, the bank was permitted to open for business without restrictions. Since then its business has grown steadily. The bank now has total deposits $3,008,000.

Reece’s Confectionery

Edgar Reece started the business some years before his marriage to Allie Williams in 1912. At that time the firm was located at 108 South Kansas Avenue. The business was destroyed by fire in 1928 and it was about six months before the Reeces’ opened up again in the present location of 107 North Kansas Avenue. Mr. Reece died in 1930 but Mrs. Reece and her daughter, Ernestine, continued to operate the concern together until June 1957, when another change took place with the marriage of her daughter to Jean Hirsch and the couple left Marceline to reside in Texas. Mrs. Reece continued to operate alone until the confectionery was sold in 1960 to Mrs. Della Lake. In Marceline, Reece’s has been considered by patrons here and in towns surrounding the area as “the place to go” for good wholesome refreshments and sandwiches. One merchant in Marceline of many years said, ”In my early days when a young man walked his date for a treat at Reece’s, it really made an impression and it would be interesting to know how many successful marriages culminated by couples whose future plans took form while on dates at Reece’s.” Mrs. Reece is a native of Marceline and graduated from the Park High School in 1909. Her first employment was with a local newspaper, The Marceline Mirror, then owned by J. D. Mendenhall. Afterwards she worked as a clerk at the Marceline Post Office for about two years until her marriage. She has one sister, Mrs. Lillian Shannon, Kansas City, Kansas.