CITY BANK EMPLOYEES IN THE 1950s

Many Albion residents are wondering what will become of the former Huntington Bank building which closed in downtown Albion on January 8. Albion residents have fond memories of the years of banking service at this building, originally the Stone Mill of Jesse Crowell. Beginning on January 1, 1917, The Commercial & Savings Bank was located here. This bank became the only bank in town beginning in December, 1931 when the Albion State Bank closed, until the Bank of Albion opened in 1956. Many Albion residents had their accounts here and obtained loans from this financial institution.

The Commercial & Savings Bank merged with the Jackson City Bank & Trust Company on March 1, 1955, and became the City Bank & Trust Company, N. A. The final president of the Commercial & Savings Bank was Herschel Fox (1903-1984), who had come to the bank in 1938. He became a bank vice-president after the merger.

City Bank had numerous long-time employees here, and a local bank advisory board helped keep the bank active in the community and accountable to its residents. One of City Bank’s long-time employees was Phyllis (Geisen) Britton (1923-2018), who passed away last November 3 at the age of 95. Phyllis rose up the ranks to become Assistant Vice-President here.

From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photograph of the City Bank tellers, officers, and managers here in Albion during the 1950s. You may remember these men and women serving you at the teller’s window or in a loan room while growing up in Albion.

Front row, left to right: Irene Ray, Elaine Osmun, Lucile Heisler, Juanita Lutzke, Genevieve Konkle. Back row: Clarence Barnes, Charles Loud, Dorothy Johnson, Lavera Trask, Phyllis Britton, Dorothy Gilbert, Marian Railer, Frank Costello, Herschel Fox. How many of our readers remember these persons?

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