History of The State Bank of Fellsmere
The Fellsmere Farms Company began developing the Town of Fellsmere in late December 1910. The first commercial building erected in Fellsmere was a branch store of the W. C. Braddock Sebastian Mercantile Company completed in December 1910, at the southeast corner of Broadway and South Carolina Avenue.1 On May 2, 1911, approximately 12 weeks later, the Fellsmere Farms Company Board of Directors set aside a 50-foot lot for the erection of a bank building.2 During the early development stages of Fellsmere, the nearest bank in St. Lucie County was in the City of Ft. Pierce.
To get to the bank closest to Fellsmere meant taking a 45-minute trip on the Fellsmere Railroad to Sebastian and then taking a one hour train ride on the Florida East Coast Railway to Ft. Pierce. Of course, there was additional time involved waiting for the trains to arrive at the Fellsmere and Sebastian Stations to make the connection. Going to the bank from Fellsmere and returning would take a minimum of approximately four hours, if the connections were good. Although the Fellsmere Farms Company took an early initiative to establish a bank in Fellsmere, in 1911, there was simply not enough people and businesses to support a bank.
By 1912, several businesses and many residential homes had been constructed. Fellsmere was developing rapidly and on its way to becoming a thriving agricultural community on the east coast of Florida.3 There was an ever growing need for a bank. On May 19, 1912, Attorney Patrick Vans Agnew (Marian Fell’s future husband) and State Senator Arthur Donogan traveled from Kissimmee to Fellsmere for the purpose of establishing a bank. They met with Fellsmere Farms Company General Manager Ernest H. Every. Both Attorney Agnew and Senator Donogan were so encouraged by the development of Fellsmere that they started a stock subscription list and selected a site for the bank on the northwest corner of Broadway and Colorado Avenue.4 The site comprised lots 24, 25, and 26 in Block 98 (75 feet wide by 140 feet long) for a total of 10,500 square feet in the prime business section of Broadway, the main street in town where the commercial businesses were located and two blocks south of the Fellsmere Railroad.5
Also, in 1912, Edward Nelson Fell, founder of Fellsmere, persuaded his friend and business associate, Charles Piffard (pronounced Piff-ard) who had accompanied him to Siberia from 1904-1908, to open up a bank in Fellsmere. Charles Piffard was 38 years old and living in New York City at the time, and was active in the banking business. Charles did not come to Fellsmere in 1912, probably because he had other interests that he wanted to bring to a satisfactory conclusion before leaving New York. Charles married Helen Louise Brown of Plainfield, New Jersey, on December 31, 1912.6 Shortly after his honeymoon in January 1913, he made plans for himself and his new bride to journey to Fellsmere, but first the Piffards stayed with relatives in Winter Park.7 Charles was the son of Mrs. Charles H. (Helen Piffard) Morse. Mr. Morse was a partner with Mr. Fairbanks in the world-renowned Fairbanks-Morse Company which manufactured diesel engines.8 A Fairbanks-Morse diesel engine was installed in the Fellsmere Electric Light and Ice Plant in March 1916, through the efforts of Charles Piffard.9
By January 1, 1913, Fellsmere had a population of 503 and 61 buildings. During 1911, 14 buildings had been built and during 1912, 36 more residences, three stores, and eight other buildings had been constructed. In January and February 1913, construction of a dozen more buildings including a restaurant, a store, a freight depot, two warehouses, and a number of residences were scheduled to start.10 In two years, Fellsmere had grown from a small settlement to the second largest town within St. Lucie County.11
On March 27, 1913, E. Nelson Fell along with 19 other men incorporated “The State Bank of Fellsmere” prior to Charles Piffard coming to Fellsmere. Not only was the bank incorporated but the contract for the construction of the building was let, notice of the incorporation of the institution was published, and the capital stock of $25,000 was oversubscribed.12
The 20 incorporators of the State Bank of Fellsmere included Charles Piffard, E. Nelson Fell, R. C. Conkling (son of the Demonstration Farms Superintendent R. A. Conkling), J. G. White (President of the New York engineering firm that designed Fellsmere), Fred Kettle (editor of the Fellsmere Farmer), W. R. Reynolds of Jackson Michigan; W. L. Davis of C. C. Quinian of Detroit, Michigan; Victor J. Hedin (local builder and builder of the Fellsmere Union Church), Reverend Fletcher D. Baker (pastor of the Fellsmere Union Church); F. C. and George Vickers (brothers who owned a mercantile store in town); E. E. Thompson; William Dreier (Director of Sales for the Fellsmere Sales Company), H. D. Saunders, who operated the East Coast Lumber Yard in Fellsmere; James Martell (Florida Manager of the Security Underwriters Corporation); R. J. Dunnam; and G. M. Chambers. Also, at a meeting in February, the following officers were elected:
Charles Piffard – Bank President
Richard A. Conkling – First Vice President (Superintendent of the Fellsmere Farms Demonstration Farm)
- J. Hedin – Second Vice President
- L. James – Cashier (an accountant who later became one of the first Town Commissioners)
The directors included the president and vice president together with E. Nelson Fell, founder of Fellsmere, and Fred Kettle, editor of the Fellsmere Farmer.13
Charles and Helen Louise Piffard arrived at Fellsmere on April 8, 1913, to make Fellsmere their permanent home. They were temporary guests of Mr. and Mrs. F. G. Green before and while their new Fellsmere home was being built on North Maple Street.14 Later that month, Charles and Helen traveled to Jacksonville for a three-day annual meeting of the State Bankers Association of which Charles was a member.15
On April 10, 1913, construction began on the State Bank of Fellsmere building with a force of bricklayers and cement masons under the direction of W. V. Henry, a contractor from Jacksonville. It was estimated that the building would be completed within five or six weeks, sometime in May, 1913.16
In May, 1913, Mr. F. E. De Loe, General Superintendent of the Florida Building and Supply Company of Orlando arranged for the construction of the Piffard five room bungalow on seven lots at 99 North Maple Street.17 The home was completed and ready for occupancy by the end of September 1913.18
The State Bank of Fellsmere building was constructed on the northwest corner of Broadway and Colorado Avenue (56 North Broadway). The building was “L” shaped, having a frontage of 27 feet set back 64 feet from the west edge of Broadway. On the south side, there was an 11-foot outcropping 21 feet west from the front of the building. The total length of the building was 48 feet from front to back. Overall, the one-story bank had a total of 1,593 square feet under roof and was built at a cost of $6,000 ($3.77 per square foot).19
It was a Spanish bungalow type designed by architect C. F. Streeter from Jacksonville, Florida, and was built by W. V. Henry.20 The exterior of the building was faced with a cream colored Shawnee brick with red terra cotta tile roof and trimmings. The interior was finished in Beaver board with red gum woodwork. The banking fixtures were mahogany with bronze lattice work. The floor and ceiling were made of concrete, so as to be nearly as fireproof as possible and with the idea that a second story could be added as necessity demanded.21 The roof and gables had red tiles.22
The bank had mosaic tiled floors and marble trimmings around the teller’s desk. There was a large steel safe made of Bessemer steel equipped with a triple time lock and there were ten large and forty small magnesium safe deposit boxes.23 Several of the safe deposit boxes removed from the bank are presently on display at Marsh Landing Restaurant and the door to the vault was relocated to the Finance Department at Fellsmere City Hall at 22 South Orange Street.
During the course of construction of the bank, there was an incident that occurred on a dark night on the premises in April 1913 that resulted in two men being knocked unconscious. The May 1, 1913, edition of the Fellsmere Farmer ran a story on two young men who collided when playing a game called “Hunting for the Negro”, similar to the game “manhunt” that is played in Scouting. The article read as follows: “Two young men of Fellsmere are recovering from black eyes and bruises as the outcome of a collision at a recent gathering. The young folks were playing a game known as “Hunting for the Negro” which necessitates chasing around the building. Mr. J. D. Ray, who is building the Fellsmere bank (State Bank of Fellsmere), and Mr. Troy Harper, chorister of the Fellsmere Union Church, were “it”. In running at top speed around the house in the dark and in opposite directions, they met in a “head-on” collision. Both were knocked senseless, and Mr. Ray took half an hour to “come to”. After the injuries were carefully tabulated, it was found that Mr. Harper negotiated a severe bruise on his forehead, while Mr. Ray came in for a cut on his temple and a very much blackened eye. The game of “hunting for the Negro” will not be indulged in again until after the electric light plant is in operation“.24 There were no further incidents of a similar nature reported in any succeeding editions of the Fellsmere Farmer.
The State Bank of Fellsmere was projected to open on June 1, 1913, but did not actually open until a month later on July 1, 1913.25 Stockholders representing 228 of the 250 shares assembled in the director’s room on the morning of June 21, 1913, and transacted the necessary routine business including the election of the board of directors: Charles Piffard, E. Nelson Fell, Richard A. Conkling, J.M. Bell, and Fred Kettle. A motion was made at the meeting that the bank should be open on July 1, 1913. The vault and safe deposit boxes had been installed but the furniture and fixtures wouldn’t be installed until the last week in June 1913.26
Following the adjournment of the stockholders meeting, the board of directors met and elected the following officers: Charles Piffard, president; Richard A. Conkling, 1st vice president; Fred Kettle, 2nd vice president, and W.P. Dunn, cashier.27 Although R. L. James was voted in as the first cashier of the bank in February 2013, W. P. Dunn, who arrived in Fellsmere on June 13, 1913 from Iron City, Georgia, became the first cashier.28
Mr. Charles Piffard was also a real estate and insurance agent who periodically placed large advertisements in the Fellsmere Farmer, with his first advertisement placed in the September 18, 1913 edition.29 In addition to being the bank president, realtor, and insurance agent, Charles Piffard helped organize the Fellsmere Producers Union and the Fellsmere Preserving and Canning Company.30 The bank, as well as the Town of Fellsmere, prospered for three years. Unfortunately, on July 31 and August 1, 1913, Fellsmere experienced a heavy deluge of 8.8” of rain causing landowners to abandon their lots and stop paying their loans.31 At the end of 1915, on December 31, the State Bank of Fellsmere cashier B. D. Atkisson reported a total of $73,363.64 in Total Resources and $73,363.64 in Total Liabilities.32
Consequently, the State Bank of Fellsmere Board of Directors held a meeting at the bank on January 18, 1916, and unanimously voted to pay a 5% dividend on the capital stock to the shareholders. They also decided to transfer $1,500 from the undivided profits account to surplus. At the annual meeting of the stockholders, Charles Piffard, E. Nelson Fell, Richard A. Conkling, John M. Bell, and Fred Kettle were unanimously elected to the Board of Directors for 1916.33
Because of the heavy rains and resultant flooding in 1915, land sales all but ceased, yet expenses continued to mount. On July 1, 1916, the Fellsmere Farms Company failed to meet its interest payment, and Columbia Trust Company of New York filed suit. The Circuit Court of Ft. Pierce placed the Fellsmere Farms Company in receivership on January 4, 1917, and W. H. Tallis, a New York accountant who was the Vice President and Treasurer of the Fellsmere Farms Company, was appointed as the receiver.34
As a result of the Fellsmere Farms Company going into receivership and landowners forfeiting payment on their loans, the State Bank of Fellsmere accumulated some $15,000 in debts between 1916 and 1921 that it could not pay off.35 The bank was in serious financial trouble.
Despite the financial woes at his bank, bank president Charles Piffard, was elected as Chief Commissioner of the Town of Fellsmere on February 11, 1919. On March 4, 1919, less than a month later, B. D. Atkisson, cashier for the State Bank of Fellsmere, was sworn into office as Secretary Commissioner.36
Almost three years later, Cashier B. D. Atkisson died in a tragic accident on February 25, 1922, after both of his legs were run over by a train in Sebastian while he was trying to catch a moving train to go to Jacksonville. Immediately following the funeral, State Bank of Fellsmere President Charles Piffard declared that B. D. Atkisson was a thief who had stolen $36,000 from the bank causing the bank to close its doors on March 16, 1922.37
On March 17, 1922, Charles Piffard addressed a mass meeting of the stockholders stating that while the condition of the bank justified closing, the process of reorganization was ongoing. The citizens and depositors of Fellsmere agreed to cooperate fully and a committee was appointed to assist in every way possible.38
On March 30, 1922, the Vero Press reported that T. E. Jordan, formerly a banker in Appalachicola, Florida, was appointed receiver for the State Bank of Fellsmere by State Comptroller Ernest Amos.39 After a thorough investigation, C. N. Smith, another receiver of the State Bank of Fellsmere, ordered both Charles Piffard and his wife, Helen Louise, on July 2, 1923, to appear in the Circuit Court of the 15th Judicial Circuit in St. Lucie County.40 By that time, the Piffards had been long gone from Fellsmere.
According to long-time Fellsmere resident Gail Kinney Griffin, when she was only 5 years old in 1922, Charles Piffard was ordered by the citizens of Fellsmere to leave town within three days following the discovery of the missing money at the bank. Apparently, Piffard had embezzled money from the bank. Helen Piffard, who was friends with Gail Griffin’s mother, came to Gail’s parents, the Kinneys, and told them they could move into the Piffard house on Maple Street immediately because the Piffards had to leave town.41 Mr. and Mrs. Piffard left town and were never seen again.
On April 27, 1922, the Vero Press reported that C. H. Piffard and family had recently moved to Daytona to make their home.42 Later, they left the country for Paris, France, where Charles Piffard died on November 24, 1925, at age 51. Charles wife, Helen, died on October 11, 1957.43
B. D. Atkisson’s widow, Viola, bought a $19,500 property in Palm Beach, Florida, in May 15, 1922, approximately three months after her husband died.44 She and her two children had lived in a home on Colorado Avenue west of the State Bank of Fellsmere.45 By the end of 1925, Viola and her children had moved to St. Louis, Missouri.46
It was reported in August 1923 that financing of a new bank in Fellsmere was under way and the promoters expected to have it ready to open in December 1923.47 In February of 1924, John Sutherland, vice president of the Fellsmere Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Building Committee, called a meeting for the organization of a new Fellsmere bank. He announced that sufficient stock had been subscribed to form the bank and the next move was to obtain a charter for the bank.48
The new bank was planned to be located in the former State Bank of Fellsmere building and operating by April 1924.49 Despite the fact that the Citizens Bank of Fellsmere was shown on the May 1924 Sanborn Map of Fellsmere at the location of the old State Bank of Fellsmere, it wasn’t formally incorporated until June 6, 1924.50 The bank experienced only moderate success for about one year and then closed.51 It wasn’t until February 12, 2007, when the Oculina Bank opened immediately to the west of the old State Bank of Fellsmere that there was another permanent bank in Fellsmere. Oculina Bank merged with “iTHINK Financial” on March 3, 2019, and then the Fellsmere branch of Oculina Bank became a branch of the iTHINK Financial credit union.52
On February 27, 1927, the Fellsmere City Council voted to have the Merchants State Bank of Melbourne and Indian River County Bank of Sebastian be designated as depositories of the City of Fellsmere. Both institutions were to guarantee 100% security.53
Sometime after the Citizens Bank of Fellsmere closed, there was a real estate office that was located in the old State Bank of Fellsmere but it closed in about 1928.54
The State Bank of Fellsmere remained vacant for many years during the Great Depression years of the 1930s and into the early 1940s. During this time, the State of Florida acquired title for the building and property for non-payment of taxes.55 In 1944, Indian River County acquired the property from the state.56 On September 15, 1944, Edward King appeared before the Fellsmere City Council to ask if the City cared to buy 47 safety deposit boxes that he was in charge of selling. The City Council asked for 10 days to discuss the matter.57
On October 6, 1944, Fellsmere City Councilman Dixon made a motion to designate the old Fellsmere State Bank building for municipal and recreational purposes.58 At its meeting of November 1, 1944, the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners adopted the City of Fellsmere’s October 6, 1944, resolution dedicating the old State Bank of Fellsmere property for a municipal and recreation center and public park in the form of a resolution. The Commissioners unanimously approved the dedication of the former bank property to the City of Fellsmere as long as it “remained dedicated or devoted to public use, and that said lands be exempt from taxes”.59
Following the dedication of the old State Bank of Fellsmere building and property to the City of Fellsmere, the old wooden City Hall building at the north end of Broadway north of New York Avenue, was sold at auction for $1,000 to the F & A Union on December 8, 1944.60 In 1945, the old State Bank of Fellsmere City became Fellsmere City Hall and Police Station. The building was also used as a community center. On April 4, 1974, Mayor Frank W. Kramer recommended that the Boy Scouts, Junior Grange, Founders Club, and similar groups would be exempt from paying any amount for using the facility.61 Chris Cosner, a former employee of the City of Fellsmere, said that there were ping pong tables and a bumper pool table in the building in the 1970s.62
On February 23, 1981, an exchange agreement was signed between the Indian River County School Board and the City of Fellsmere whereby the City-owned Washington Park would be transferred to the School Board in exchange for obtaining the old Fellsmere Public School at 22 S. Orange Street. However, the exchange wouldn’t take place until such time as the new elementary school was completed and the Fellsmere Public School was vacated by the School Board.63
On March 29, 1982, students left the old Fellsmere Public School and walked over to the new Fellsmere Elementary School at 50 North Cypress Street.64 At the June 10, 1982, Fellsmere City Council meeting, Mayor Joe Suit requested permission to activate the old school to move in the administration and the police department. At the meeting, City Attorney Dan Kilbride stated that the City of Fellsmere never owned the building because no one at the Indian River County administration ever recorded the deed despite having the County transfer it to the City by resolution. Attorney Kilbride said it would take about three weeks to clear up the matter.65
Regardless, Fellsmere City Hall and the Fellsmere Police Department were relocated to the old Public School building in June of 1982.66 In October 1982, the City of Fellsmere City Council made a request to the Indian River County Commissioners that old City Hall (the old State Bank of Fellsmere building) be given to the City by the County to be used specifically as a “Community Center”. Fire Department officials said it would be an ideal building for a future Fellsmere ambulance squad.67
On February 17, 1983, it was announced at the Fellsmere City Council meeting that a sign made by Paul Flores of Flores Graphics would be installed at the old State Bank of Fellsmere building reading:”Fellsmere Community Building”.68 During February 1983, it was announced that aerobics, tap dancing, ballet, and teen jazz would be held monthly at the community building.69
On April 13, 1983, the organizational meeting of the Fellsmere Area Sportsman’s Club was held at the Fellsmere Community Center.70 Also, in April 1983, the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners approved the formation of a Fellsmere Volunteer Ambulance Squad to provide emergency medical service to the northwestern part of Indian River County.71
On July 6, 1983, a lease agreement between Indian River County and the City of Fellsmere was signed whereby both parties agreed that the November 2, 1944, resolution was null and void, and that the City could use the property for a period of 50 years for public purposes at all times for $1.00 per year. Also, the City had to make use of the facility for the purpose of providing space for an ambulance service, and could construct additions but all improvements would become property of the County.72
On June 4, 1985, the Fellsmere Volunteer Ambulance Service, Inc. was incorporated, and on June 29, 1985, the new ambulance costing $6,500 arrived via police escort.73
On September 11, 1986, the Fellsmere City Council approved the use of the Community Building (old State Bank of Fellsmere) building by the Fellsmere Volunteer Ambulance Squad to coincide with the lease the City had on the building from Indian River County. The building was to be utilized with the training area and the front room was to be maintained for the public’s use.74 The 60 charter members of the Fellsmere Volunteer Ambulance Squad established their headquarters in a former Fellsmere city garage building just behind the old bank building and spent hundreds of hours converting it into the squad station.75
Finally, on Sunday, October 6, 1985, Fellsmere Volunteer Ambulance Squad opened its doors after going through several inspections, insurance papers, and certifications that cause considerable delay. Fellsmere Mayor Leonard Tyson, who was instrumental in getting the ambulance service, became president of the 24 hour ambulance service.76 An office for the squad was built within the old bank building.77
In April 1987, two open bays for the existing ambulance and another future ambulance were added on the south side of the old bank building.78
On November 14, 1991, Indian River County and the City of Fellsmere cancelled the July 6, 1983, lease agreement, and on December 3, 1991, Indian River County entered into a lease agreement with the Fellsmere Volunteer Ambulance Squad for the old bank building for 10 years at a $1.00 per year. The purpose of the lease was to use the building for office space and facilities to support the functions of the ambulance service.79
On December 30, 1995, a little more than four years later after the lease agreement between Indian River County and the Fellsmere Volunteer Ambulance was signed, the Fellsmere Volunteer Ambulance Squad ceased operations. It donated a major part of its assets to Indian River County to ensure the continuation of an emergency service station in the northwest part of Indian River County.80 The lease agreement between the Fellsmere Volunteer Ambulance Squad and Indian River County was officially canceled on April 23, 1996.81
Also, in April 1996, Indian River County officials agreed to give the old State Bank of Fellsmere building back to the City of Fellsmere instead of entering into another long term lease.82 On May 9, 1996, Indian River County deeded Lots 24, 25, and 26, Block 98, of the Town of Fellsmere (the old State Bank of Fellsmere property) to the City of Fellsmere.
Following receipt of the old State Bank of Fellsmere property, the Fellsmere City Council pledged $75,000 toward a Florida Historic Preservation Small Category matching grant through the state’s Bureau of Historic Preservation to convert the old building back into a community center.83 One of the challenges was to bring the building into compliance with the 1990 Americans with Disability Act (ADA), especially the bathrooms so they would be handicap accessible.84
The City of Fellsmere applied for and received a $300,000 grant from the Florida Legislature and Department of Environmental Protection in Memory of Harry T. and Harriet V. Moore. The Moores were an African American couple who were very active in the civil rights movement. While home during Christmas Day in 1951, they were killed by Ku Klux Klan members who had detonated three pounds of dynamite under the house. The State of Florida established a grant in their memory.85
The grant money was split to be used on the former bank building and the old Fellsmere Public School (which was also being renovated at the time). In August 2000, the Fellsmere City Council awarded Chilberg Construction Company of Vero Beach $123,000 to do the renovation work. The renovated building featured two large community rooms, a kitchen, and handicap accessible bathrooms. A new concrete sidewalk in the front of the building was constructed by Southern Masonry of Fellsmere. The renovation work was completed in January 2001, and the Fellsmere Beautification Committee under the chairmanship of Clarence F. “Korky” Korker dedicated the building immediately after the Fellsmere Day parade on February 24, 2001, to coincide with the City of Fellsmere’s 90th birthday.86
When the old bank was renovated, the door to the vault was removed. It was later installed in the City of Fellsmere Finance Department at the northeast corner of City Hall at 22 South Orange Street where it remains to this day. The safe deposit boxes from the old bank are now inside Marsh Landing Restaurant (the old Fellsmere Estates Corporation building) at 44 North Broadway. They are located just to the left of the front doors to the restaurant.
Today, the old State Bank of Fellsmere has been re-purposed as the Fellsmere Community Center in memory of Harry T. and Harriet V. Moore. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic which shut down many public and private facilities in Florida starting in March 2020, there were many activities at the Fellsmere Community Center. The Fellsmere Property Owners Association met there once per month and the annual pancake breakfast was served there on Fellsmere Day, the first Saturday in April. Unfortunately, neither has resumed after the pandemic subsided. However, the Community Center is still available for community activities and organizations by making arrangements through Fellsmere City Hall.