Farmers Bank Heritage

A charter was granted in the name of Farmers Bank and Trust Company on August 6, 1904 by the Superintendent of Banks of the State of Ohio.  The Bank was organized on Court Street, and it was opened to the public for business on December 4, 1904.  In 1921, the word "Trust" was replaced with the word "Savings" in the name of the Bank.  The Bank had steady growth from the beginning and reached the first million in deposits in 1943.

During the history of the Bank, it has had five Presidents, namely W.F. Reed, founder, Theodore T. Reed, his son, Theodore T. Reed, Jr., his grandson, Paul E. Kloes, president at the death of Theodore T. Reed, Jr., and Paul M. Reed, the great grandson of the founder.

In 1963, plans were made for the construction of a new facility.  In 1965, the property located on Second Street thru to Main Street was purchased, and seven buildings were torn down.  In 1967, plans for the new facility were approved and in 1968, construction began on what was to become the future "home" of the Farmers Bank.  The location of the bank remained on Court Street until it moved to its present location at 211 West Second Street, Pomeroy, Ohio on April 1, 1969.

On August 30, 1985, a one-bank holding company formed, known as Farmers Bancshares, Inc.

In May, 1987, the Farmers Bank acquired through purchase, the Tuppers Plains Branch of BankOne.  This purchase represented the first branch of the Farmers Bank, and enabled us to better serve the needs of Meigs County.  In 1995, the Farmers Bank purchased a lot on Upper River Road, Gallipolis, for the purpose of branching into Gallia County, Ohio.

In October of 2002, ground was broken in Mason County, West Virginia for the first out of state branch of Farmers Bank.  Under the name of Farmers Bank and Savings Company of West Virginia, the building was completed and the grand opening was held in April of 2003 at 424 Second Street, Mason, West Virginia.