Scott State Bank, originally named The Exchange Bank, was established in 1887.  A. R. Scott, the founder, had an iron safe in his mill office and a number of his customers would leave money in it for safekeeping. He also cashed grain checks, and in this manner he "drifted" into the banking business. He hired a cashier, Smith Walker, a Bethany native who had been working in a Decatur bank. The banking business was conducted in the mill office until the office at 108 West Main (now Crowder Insurance Agency) was built in 1898.  

 

The Exchange Bank continued to grow, and in 1904 the bank was incorporated and titled as it remains today, Scott State Bank. Capitalized at $30,000, the stock was owned by A.R. Scott and his wife, Mary Jane Scott, and their sons Hugh, Troy and Samuel J., with the youngest son, Smith, coming into the bank in 1907. 

 

In 1919 Scott constructed a new building at the corner of Main and Lincoln streets where the bank remains today. Measuring 100 by 90 feet, the two story brick structure was trimmed with Indiana limestone. The building was erected by Hagerman and Harshman of Sullivan at a cost of $75,000 and the formal opening was held June 30, 1920. From time to time over the years, changes and improvements have been made to the building. In 1976 the building was extensively remodeled and expanded, and another smaller expansion project was completed in 1997. The building stands today as a monument to A.R. Scott and his vision for a bank that would continue to service the financial needs of the community for generations to come.  

 

After A.R. Scott, the position of president passed on to family members throughout the years. Past presidents were: Troy Scott, Joe Scott, Rodney Scott and Mary Scott Woods. Sam Scott currently serves as president and has held this position since 1975. Tod Jeffers, senior vice president and the Sullivan Branch manager, represents the fifth generation of the Scott family to be involved in the family banking business and continues the tradition of a "Scott with an iron safe." 

 

SULLIVAN BRANCH 

Scott State Bank's Sullivan Branch opened in June, 2000. This full service facility consists of approximately 2,800 square feet with three drive up lanes, three private loan offices, safety deposit boxes and a conference room that is available to the public for evening and weekend meetings. 

 

DALTON CITY BRANCH 

The Dalton City branch of Scott State Bank was previously known as The Hight State Bank which was founded in 1892 as the Dalton City Bank. On October 3, 1917 an application for permission to organize the Hight State Bank was filed in the office of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Illinois. The application was signed by G.E. Hight, P.J. Vollmer, J.H. Uppendahl, Clarence R. Hight and Guy P. Lewis. The original bank building was destroyed in the fire of September, 1936 along with several other buildings located in the same block. The present brick building was erected after the fire and a complete remodeling of the interior was undertaken in 1962. The Hight State Bank was purchased by Scott Bancshares, Inc. on February 28, 1989 from Mt. Zion Bancorp, Inc. and was merged into Scott State Bank on October 1, 1998. 

 

MAROA BRANCH 

 

In early 1951 a group of local businessmen and interested citizens of Maroa met and discussed the possibility of forming a bank. The community had been without a bank since 1932.  

 

On July 13, 1951 Maroa received a new banking charter as the Bank of Maroa. The organizers purchased the former bank building located at 101 E. Main Street that was built in 1916 by Crocker and Company. In 1972, the Board of Directors determined it was wise to purchase the two buildings adjacent to the bank building that had been on the market for some period of time. These two buildings were purchased and one of them was torn down and replaced with a new drive-up facility which was placed in service in July, 1974.  

 

George H. Waller served as the bank's first chairman and president and remained chairman and president until January, 1977. Mr. Waller continued as president and Robert Stoutenborough served as chairman until Mr. Waller's death in 1981. Upon Mr. Waller's death, Mr. Robert Stoutenborough served as both chairman and president until the annual stockholders meeting in April, 1982. On April 26, 1982 Robert Leinhart was elected as the chairman of the board of directors, and Lawrence E. Thicksten was elected as the first active president and chief executive officer of the bank. Mr. Lienhart passed away in 2003 and Mr. Thicksten was elected to replace him as chairman in 2004. At that time, Mr. Larry Otis was elected president of the bank and held that position until his retirement in April of 2007. Gary Bohner currently serves as president of the bank.  

 

In 1982, the directors of the Bank of Maroa determined that it was appropriate to apply for a bank holding company charter and in December, 1983 Maroa Bancshares, Inc. was established and chartered as the parent company of Bank of Maroa. Bank of Maroa was the only subsidiary of the holding company. 

 

In early 1994, Sam Scott, president of Scott Bancshares, Inc., contacted Mr. Thicksten about the possibility of purchasing the Bank of Maroa. After several negotiating sessions between the two parties which included the officers and directors of Maroa, an agreement was reached in late 1994 for Maroa Bancshares, Inc. to sell 100% of their shares to Scott Bancshares, Inc. The acquisition was consummated on June 30, 1995. Effective October 1, 2000 the name of the bank was changed to Maroa Forsyth Community Bank. 

 

Effective July 1, 2011, Maroa Forsyth Community Bank merged in with Scott State Bank, Bethany, IL.   

 

SCOTT BANCSHARES, INC. 

 

Scott Bancshares, Inc. was formed in 1982 when shareholders of Scott State Bank exchanged  

their shares for holding company stock. Scott Bancshares, Inc. is the parent of three subsidiary banks, Scott State Bank, State Bank of Niantic and Maroa Forsyth Community Bank.  As of December 31, 2010 Scott Bancshares, Inc. recorded on a consolidated basis:  

 

 

Board of Directors: 

 

     Sam Scott, Chairman and President 

     President, Scott State Bank 

 

     Tod Jeffers, Vice President and Treasurer 

     Senior Vice President, Scott State Bank 

 

     Barbara M. Scott 

     Director, Scott State Bank 

 

     Lawrence Thicksten 

     Retired President, Maroa Forsyth Community Bank 

 

     Arthur Wilkinson 

     Chief Executive Officer, State Bank of Bement 

 

     Brad Jackson 

     CEO/President, State Bank of Niantic 

 

Officers: 

 

     Sam Scott, Chairman and President 

     Tod Jeffers, Vice President and Treasurer 

     Nancy Mueller, Secretary 

 

SCOTT STATE BANK  

 

Directors: 

 

     Sam Scott, Chairman 

     President, Scott State Bank 

 

     Tom Fitzgerald 

     Bethany Farmer 

 

     Tod Jeffers 

     Senior Vice President, Scott State Bank 

 

     David Reed 

     Co-Owner, Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan 

 

     Jerome Rowe 

     Manager, Heritage Grain, Dalton City and Bethany 

 

     Barbara Scott 

     Senior Medical Technologist, Cancer Care Specialist of Central Illinois, Decatur 

 

     Arthur Wilkinson 

     Chief Executive Officer, State Bank of Bement 

 

     Gary Bohner 

     Vice President  

 

     Lawrence Thicksten, Chairman 

     Retired President, Maroa Forsyth Community Bank 

 

     Larry Otis 

     Retired President, Maroa Forsyth Community Bank 

 

     Elmer Hawkins 

     Attorney, Brown, Hawkins, & Basola 

 

     Laverne Malone 

     Retired Vice President, Agriserve, Inc. 

 

Officers: 

 

Bethany Office: 

 

     Sam Scott, President 

     Nancy Mueller, Vice President 

     Roger Dearman, Assistant Vice President, Loans 

     Debbie Hilligoss, Trust Officer 

     Kyle Ogden, Agriculture Loan Officer, Farm Manager, Assistant Trust Officer      

     Chris Gibbons, Assistant Cashier 

     Beth Cotner, Compliance, Human Resources 

 

Dalton City Branch: 

 

     Darla Tuttle, Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager 

          

Sullivan Branch: 

 

     Tod Jeffers, Senior Vice President, Branch Manager 

     Philip Meyer, Assistant Vice President, Assistant Branch Manager 

 

Maroa Branch: 

 

     Gary Bohner, Vice President & Branch Manager 

     Susie Alexander, Assistant Cashier 

     Linda Heckman, Assistant Vice President 

     Laura Grider, Assistant Vice President, Loan Officer