A Sad Day In the Grove

A note from cousin Jack Jensen:

"Yesterday, after 107 years in Clarks Grove, I was the last customer in the door at the Clarks Grove branch of the State Bank of Clarks Grove. The doors closed forever at 3:00 p.m. Banker Sue cracked open a bottle of Champagne and the 8 of in attendance had a toast to the memory of the Bank.

Joe was not there."


When we got married we bought a little house.  It was locally referred to as "The Doll house".  It cost us $4,500. We went up to the bank and talked to the banker, Ruben Johnson. He asked if we had a down payment and how much we wanted our payments to be. We had $500 and we agreed to $100 a month payments. I don't recall what the interest rate was. Later my father advised me to borrow some money with an unsecured note and pay it back early to establish our credit. It was no problem getting the money. Ruben said if your parents honor their obligations, you'll probably pay yours too. That was small town banking the old way. Times change. I'm sorry to see the old ways pass.

It just dawned on me; the bill for tree removal from the last storm was more than the cost of our first house. Of course they were vastly different dollars.