Snapshots of History: Mount Ayr Bank
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Mount Ayr Bank in 1895.
By Mike Avitt
This week’s photo was taken in 1895 or 1896 by professional photographer J. A. McClanahan. This picture and many others by McClanahan appeared in the June 12, 1896 edition of the Twice-A-Week News, which was an extended, souvenir edition featuring many of Ringgold County’s business leaders and commercial enterprises.
Pictured here is a street view of the Mount Ayr Bank and Oliver Ingram’s Dry Goods Store which was located on the lots where the Mount Ayr Public Library is today.
Andrew Ingram was born in Scotland and came to Ringgold County in 1869.
Ingram was one of Ringgold County’s most successful stock breeders and when he died in 1893, was one of the county’s largest landowners. He was also engaged in the dry goods trade and this business was passed on to his son Adalska Oliver Ingram. Oliver Ingram’s dry goods store is on the left side of the bank building. The basement was first occupied by Imus and Woodmansee Barber Shop in March 1891. The upstairs was mostly law offices. Oliver was in the retail business many years and also served as Mount Ayr’s Postmaster before moving on to greener pastures in 1904.
In May 1890, brothers George and John Allyn purchased lots on the southwest corner of the square for the construction of their new bank building. George had started the business with his partner, C. B. Morris, in 1880 and John Allyn bought the interest of Morris in 1886. John was the silent partner spending much time in Clinton Township supervising the operations of the many farms owned by Allyn Brothers. The Mount Ayr Bank was often referred to as, “Allyn Brothers Bank.”
George Allyn was one of Ringgold County’s wealthiest and most successful citizens.
Allyn served as a state representative and twice served as a state senator. He was a 50-year member of the Mount Ayr School Board, a member of the Iowa State Board of Education, and served several decades as Superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday School in Mount Ayr. George had been a farmer, a teacher, Mount Ayr’s Postmaster, landowner, real estate agent, Clerk of the Ringgold County Courts (three terms), a Trustee of the Mount Ayr Methodist Church, and numerous other positions, especially in fraternal orders. George Sidney Allyn died in July 1928.
The Mount Ayr Bank opened in their new building in March 1891. The entire building was 60 feet by 90 feet in size with the bank lobby being 20×30. The real estate off was 16×20 and the bank’s new safe weighed an amazing 2,600 pounds. There was an abstract office in the back for new employee Frank Sheldon. Mr. Sheldon would later climb the ladder to become Mount Ayr Bank’s president. On November 14, 1900, fire swept through the Mount Ayr Bank and everything was a total loss; building, businesses, everything.
At the time of the fire, E. A. Holden had the dry goods store and attorney R. H. Spence and Judge R. C. Henry were located upstairs.
The Mount Ayr Bank employees were able to get some papers and documents into the safe before fleeing the flaming building. Frank Sheldon was able to save his chair and his typewriter.
This was the second time the Mount Ayr Bank was burned out; the first being in April 1890 on the north side of the square.
The Mount Ayr Bank started up business again across the square but wouldn’t erect a new building until 1912 at 101 S. Fillmore.
The lots where the burned-out bank was would stay empty until 1916 when the Mount Ayr Public Library was constructed by the Creston firm of Woodard & Young.
After the November 1900 fire, the Mount Ayr square would not see another major fire until 1927.
