Bank

E. D. Wright opened the first bank in Chester Township in 1904. Mr. Wright operated the bank as a private, sole proprietorship until 1912 when the bank was reorganized as corporation and stock was sold to increase the bank’s financial base. An article in the July 31, 1931 Coopersville Observer states, “The capital stock of the Conklin State bank is $20,000 and the surplus and undivided profits on the first day of July was $9,335.99. The commercial deposits at this date were $27,479.71 and the savings deposits were $95,902.00.”

Conklin State Bank Ad from the Conklin Enterprise Newspaper

Conklin State Bank Ad

Stockholders elected Charles L. Bean, Thomas Hines, Robert Lange, Carlos Muni, and E. D. Wright as the first board of directors, with Thomas Hines as President. Charles L. Bean became president in 1919 following the death of Thomas Hines.

The bank managed to survive the depression then was purchased by the Coopersville State Bank shortly after the end of WWII. Coopersville State Bank operated it as a branch for a short period of time, then closed it. Coopersville State Bank again opened and then closed the branch office in the same building during the 1970s. This was the last bank to operate in Chester Township.