Walters settling into bank position

Ewing Bank - Branch of Chambers State Bank has remained successful since its opening in 1927, even though it has undergone several changes.

Ewing Bank, which was known as Farmers State Bank until 2016, was established by assets from both the Pioneer Bank and the Ewing State Bank, which were both in receivership and closed. The Pioneer Bank was located at the current Ewing Bank location, while the Ewing State Bank was located at the current post office.

Kirk Knapp, who worked at the bank from April 15, 1991, until he retired Jan. 1, 2022, shared the financial institution's history.

Farmers State Bank was incorporated Aug. 27, 1927. The doors opened four months later, on Dec. 1. Henry A. Wegner was the first president, serving from Aug. 27, 1927, to Jan. 5, 1949. Records show he was also the chairman of the board of directors; he died in 1949.

W.M. Costello was cashier and secretary of the board from the incorporation date until 1938.

Following Wegner's death, the bank experienced several shifts between presidents during the following years.

S.W. Brion became president Jan. 10, 1949, and served until Christmas Day in 1950, when he, too, died.

Brion's wife, Maud Brion, was made president Jan. 1, 1951, and she held the position until Jan. 11, 1954.

M.B. Huffman was appointed the next president Jan. 11, 1954, serving until Dec. 31, 1957.

On Jan. 1, 1958, Richard Brion became president until 1975, when the bank was sold to Ewing Agency, Inc.

Ralph Adams bought Farmers State Bank in 1989. He served as a longtime board member of the bank.

Ed Vackiner became the next president, from 1975 to December 1990.

In January 1991, Kenneth Krahulik took over as president until May 1993.

The next month, Jerry Cordes became president until January 1995.

Richard Hammer took over as president, from February 1995 until February 12, 2016.

According to Knapp, Farmers State Bank became a branch of Chambers State Bank on Sept. 21, 2016. The name changed to Ewing Bank - Branch of Chambers State Bank, and Larry Adams has been serving as president since then.

"It has been a solid bank for all those years. It never had to be captivated," Knapp said.

Upon Knapp's retirement, Morgan Walters was hired and started as the new loan officer on Jan. 1, 2022. Walters is originally from Elgin and she currently resides in O'Neill.

"I chose The Ewing Bank because of the laid-back culture. It has that small-town atmosphere," Walters said.

The Ewing Bank acts as a full-service bank and offers loans, checking and savings accounts, safety deposit boxes and more.

The bank is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with only three employees: Scott Young, Connie Kaczor and Walters.

"The whole time the main objective (of the bank) was trying to serve the people there. The objective has stayed on," Knapp said.