First State Bank History

Larned Background up to July 5, 1896 ● Founders of the Bank - 1900 ● Larned Business - 1904 ● H. H. Reed - World War I ● John Wagner - 1933 ● 1933-1949 ● 1949-1959 ● 1959-1967 ● Reed Peters - 1975 ● New Building - 1989 ● 1986-1996 ● 100 years ● Begin the Next 100 Years ● 2000's

1949-1959

VIRGINIA LUPFER

Virginia Lupfer began working at First State Bank in August of 1949. She was promoted to Assistant Cashier on January 7, 1965, and retired on December 30, 1987. Virginia was with First State Bank for thirty-seven years and five months.

She served as the President of the Larned Chamber of Commerce in 1976, was a member of P.E.O., and serves on the Board of Directors of the Fort Larned Historical Society. She has served for many years as treasurer of the First Presbyterian Church in Larned.

BETTY NAUERT

Betty was an employee of First State Bank for twenty-eight years. Her career began in 1949. She quit in 1954 to begin her family of five daughters. She then returned to work in 1959, and worked until 1963, when she again left to be home with her family. She returned to work at the bank in 1971 and stayed until her retirement. Betty held the position of Assistant Cashier from 1982 until her retirement in 1990. Betty still works at the bank on a part-time basis.

In the 1950's the Ed Sullivan Show became the toast of the town as a "really big show".

Dedication and ceremonies for the formal opening of the St. Joseph Memorial Hospital were held on April 21 - 22, 1951. This fifty-two bed hospital was built at an approximate cost of $800,000.

Workmen put the finishing touches on Larned's R.V. Phinney School at 12th and Park Streets in August 1952. The school was built at a cost of $223,000 and was ready for the start of school on September 2.

The Korean War lasted from 1950 to 1953, and Dwight D. Eisenhower was inaugurated President in 1953.

Larned's population reached over 5,000 for the first time in its history in 1954. The population for the city of Larned was 5,098 and 9,605 Pawnee County.

The Financial Statement of First State Bank on
December 31,1951 read as follows:

Board of Directors

H. LEON REED

H.L. Reed became the eighth President of First State Bank in 1951 and held that position through 1963.

He was born in Larned, Kansas, on July 20, 1890, the son of H.H. Reed. Upon attending Larned schools, he finished his education at Colorado College. In 1922, he married Mae Couchman of Garfield and they had two daughters: Mrs. Bill R. (JoAnn) Cole, and Mrs. Walter (Norma) Crawford.

He began working at First State Bank in 1912, and served 65 years with the bank until his death in 1977. He started at the bottom - collecting past due notes for businesses that had bank accounts. From January 4, 1921, to October 8, 1931, he was the Assistant Cashier; from October 8, 1931 to January 6, 1936, he was Cashier; from January 6, 1937 to January 10, 1951, he was Vice President; from January 10, 1951 to January 9, 1964, he served as President; and from January 9, 1964 until his death in 1977, he served as Chairman of the Board. H.L. Reed was director of First State Bank from 1932 to 1977.

H.L. Reed had a keen interest in what was going on in the community. He was a Legion of Honor member and a charter member of the Larned Kiwanis club. He also served as the financial advisor to Henry and J.D. Jordaan who left a nearly $2 million estate to Larned and Pawnee County.

For many years Mr. Reed gave away hundreds of autographed $1 bills during the Christmas season to friends and acquaintances.

The following is an article from the Wichita Eagle and Beacon dated Sunday, August 10, 1975, entitled Town Banks on 'Hopper,' epitomizes the spirit of H. L. Reed:

"LARNED, Kans. - They used to call H.L. Reed "Hopper" back in the 1900s when he hopped around the state on his Indian motorcycle. But most people here associate him with the First State Bank.

Reed, who has been with the bank for 63 years, said in an interview that people started calling him "Hopper" when he raced his motorcycle in Denver for the Indian motorcycle company. He said he was 18 when he rode his Indian from Larned to Denver on unpaved, rutted roads.

He gave up motorcycles a long time ago, but he stayed with the banking business and is Chairman of the Board of First State Bank.

He said he moved up the ladder to teller and then loan officer when the bank still kept accounts with pen and ink, red ink for the checks and black ink for the deposits. Reed said he had enjoyed watching his native town grow, although he was a little reluctant to discuss some of his contributions to that growth. Reed helped establish a fund that give 20 students $1,000, four-year college scholarship. He even helped lay out the first three holes of Larned's golf course. He also has been active in many civic organizations and was treasurer of the school board for many years.

"A banker ought to be of good character and have a good reputation in the community," he said. "Honesty, that's what you must have. People have to trust the bankers you know."

On May 17, 1954, the United State Supreme Court's decision on the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka said that school segregation violated the constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the 14th Amendment.

HOWARD J. HARBERT

Beginning his career with First State Bank on February 1, 1955, as Assistant Cashier, Howard J. Harbert served at the bank for 32 years.

Harbert was born July 1, 1922, in Shelby County, Illinois. He became a Larned resident in 1946, and married Frances E. Fulcher on June 7, 1946. During World War II he served first as an X-ray technician with the Army Air Corp stationed at Great Bend, and then was transferred to the United States Infantry serving with the First Division proudly known as the Big Red One, and participated in the Battle of the Bulge in France. At the time of his discharge following the War he had reached the rank of Master Sergeant.

At the time of his death on May 17, 1987, he was executive Vice President and Trust Officer of First State Bank, and a member of the board of directors. He was also a member of the Presbyterian Church, the Masonic Lodge, the American Legion, the Community Hospital Committee, and the Larned Country Club. He was active with the Larned Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, and served as Commander.

In 1956, Eisenhower won a second term at the presidency, and the Kansas Turnpike was completed.

CHARLES E. ECKERT

Charles Eckert began his career with First State Bank on April 1, 1957, his first job was filing checks.

Born July 10, 1916, as a Larned native, Charles spent his entire life in Larned except for a few years on tour during World War II. After World War II, Eckert took over his father's job as a credit manager at Doerr's.

His father, Harvey Eckert and A.A. Doerr, purchased The Tiller and Toiler in the 1890s, and ran the newspaper until Leslie Wallace purchased it in 1914, at which time he went to work for Doerrs.

When Charles Eckert retired on April 1, 1981, he was executive Vice President and Trust Officer and had been with the bank for 24 years. He died October 26, 1988.

By June 1959, the following people were the officers at First State Bank: H.M. Reed - chairman of the board, H.L. Reed - President, K.H. Peters - Vice President and Cashier, Nelle Shiplett, Assistant Cashier, and H.J. Harbert - Assistant Cashier.

The exterior of the bank building had remained unchanged since the time it had been built, but in 1959, the exterior was remodeled to give the building a more modern look.

In 1959, Castro became the leader of Cuba, and Alaska and Hawaii became states as part of the United States.

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