The History of Stockgrowers State Bank

    Clark County Bank was established in 1885 by George Theis Jr. with paid-in capital of $4,000.  This was the first bank in Clark County, and the success of the Clark County Bank did not go unnoticed.  By the spring of 1887, James A. Blair and Oliver E. Ewart of Medicine Lodge had chartered a new bank in Ashland and named it The First National Bank of Ashland.  By the time they were ready to open the new bank for business, Mr. Blair and Mr. Ewart had negotiated a merger with George Theis Jr. and his Clark County Bank.  The two banks merged in 1887, and Mr. Theis served as the Cashier of the new First National Bank. 

     The new bank prospered until the drought of 1889 and was reorganized as a State bank in 1891 due to capital limitations.  The name was changed to the Farmers and Stockgrowers Bank of Ashland.  Mr. Theis operated the bank until 1899, when he sold all of the assets and stock to two local businessmen, C.Q. Chandler and J.W. Berryman.  In 1900, the bank was rechartered as The Stockgrowers National Bank.  Mr. J.W. Berryman purchased the other interests and assumed complete control of the bank in 1907.  In 1933, the national charter was relinquished once more as the bank was reorganized under a state charter and the name of the bank was changed to the current name today, Stockgrowers State Bank.  The total assets of Stockgrowers State Bank today exceed $108,000,000.

    Since 1899, the bank has had only seven presidents.  They are as follows:

In 1995, the Stockgrowers State Bank established it's first branch, Meade State Bank, located in Meade, Kansas.

Currently there are over 25 employees that are employed by Stockgrowers State Bank.