The Organization of the Sicily Island State Bank

Sicily Island State Bank in background - circa late 1950s

The original Charter of the Sicily Island State Bank was filed on April 26, 1918.  Directors, officers and stockholders were listed in Article 7 of the charter.

Directors

Thomas Jefferson Chisum, Sicily Island

William Smith Peck, Sicily Island

Thomas Benjamin Gilbert, Wisner

Isham Alfonso "I. A." Steele, Sicily Island

Charles Acia Cornick, Sicily Island

Claus Robert Wilson, Peck

Henry Guice, Sicily Island

Officers

William Smith Peck, President, Sicily Island

Thomas Jefferson Chisum, Vice President, Sicily Island

Fred Falkenheiner, Cashier, Vidalia

Stockholders:  Yancey Brothers, Kleiser & Causey, Thomas Jefferson Peniston, Henry J. Disch, Clarence Edward Enright, Charleas Acia Cornick, Yelverton Bondurant, H. B. DeWitt, Edgar E. Garrison, Henry M. Krause, Zebulon York, Sr., W. T. Woodward, Dave Stafford, J. A. Kiper, William Smith Peck, Thomas Jefferson Chisum, Isham Alfonso "I. A." Steele, Henry E. Guice, W. A. Squyres, E. D. Miles, John Henry Knight, Edward Dorsey Smith, John W. Peniston, L. Saltzman, Edmon Chambers, A. F. Patterson, Felex Burt, C. W. Rogers, Willie Woodward, Myrtis Woodward, P. H. Wailes, Estelle Woodward Peck, Charles J. Gordon, Augustus "Gus" S. Krause, J. W. D. Summers, Fred T. Chambliss, Gladys Kendrick, Sadie Kendrick, Edward Walling Chisum, Laura Ballard Chisum, Elijah V. Bourke, Henry Peniston, David P. Ford, Fred Korn, C. R. Wilson, Lee W. Furr, Pearl Ensminger Bondurant, John C. Hardin, Sr., Thomas L. McKay, Joseph S. Francis, F. H. Grayson, Thomas C. McKay, A. Lenigam, Dwight E. Woodin, W. E. McGraw, Thomas Benjamin Gilbert, J. M. Henagen, P. V. Leddell, L. L. Anding

Sicily Island State Bank - 1978 

Many a high school homecoming parade was viewed from the concrete sidewalk that ran in front and down the side of this building in the 1960s.  One memory that stands out in my mind is the silver aluminum Christmas Tree that always graced the windows of this building during the Christmas season.

Back in the 1960s, there were no drive-through windows and there certainly weren't any ATM machines.  I remember it being a big deal when an after-hour deposit slot was installed on the side of the building.

Below is a photograph of my grandfather, Bruce Edmonds, who was a cashier at the Sicily Island State Bank for many years; beginning in 1944.  He was also the son-in-law of one of the original directors and stockholders, Isham Alfonso "I. A." Steele.

A portrait of the founder of the bank, Williams Smith Peck can be seen in the background of the photograph.

Ken Clark, Miss Laura "Hat" Harris and Will Peck, IV worked in the bank during my grandfather's tenure.  I also remember Mrs. Patsy Jackson and Mrs. Evelyn Miller being cashiers some years later.

Bruce Edmonds, Cashier - Sicily Island State Bank

The photograph below was taken in 2010.  The Sicily Island State Bank building has been remodeled and enlarged to include a drive-through window.

On the left side of the photograph you can see a separate building across the street which has now become part of the bank.  Years ago, this building was the Pan-Am Station.  If you look just over the shoulders of the men in the top photograph, you can see the station and part of the name.

Sicily Island State Bank - 2010

Source:  A History of Sicily Island, Will S. Peck, IV