Fred Johnson: History of Brimfield Bank

Interview Date: 8 June 1993

Fred Johnson gave a presentation to the Brimfield Historical Society on the history of the Brimfield Bank on June 8, 1993. It was recorded on cassette tape. In April 2022, Kim (Claybaugh) Hanks converted the cassette to a digital recording. 

 Below is a tag and timestamp for this audio recording. The original cassette recording is not high quality. Because of this there are places in the digital recording that may not be audible or discernable. There are likely spelling issues with names and places in the timestamp. 

When searching for key words/tags, names, places, and dates use spelling variations if needed.  

*Audio begins around 01:55
00:20 Recording Begins
00:25 Introduction of Fred Johnson 00:25
01:00 Fred Johnson introduces his presentation; Exchange State Bank; 
02:08 Early history of banking in Brimfield; C T Heald; C W Hamilton; Henrietta Memler
03:18   Beginning of Exchange State Bank; Charles L Dungan; Henry A Blundy; Horace Cady; Exchange Bank; Joseph W Dungan; Carrie M Dungan; Charles C Carson; Lewis Tate; James King; Herman J Memler; Henry Memler; Thomas A Day; William W Harding; Charles W Wynn; Richard Pacey; A. Manville
11:00    Stock Market Crash of 1929; Bank closure 1931;  Lon Arnold; John Zern; Sam Neikirk; Robert F Tucker; Dr Knowlding [sp?]; Mildren Pacey; Dr Roberts; Earl Maher; G R Claypool; R D Savage; John Fuchs; Homer Tucker; Dr J E Walsh; Henry Reinhart; Charles Ekena; Jackson Reed; Fred Sloan; Earl Overing; Bert Cluskey; Fred Arber; Mildred Littlefield; Fred Wallacher; Ethel A Memler; C L McDonough; Clinton Day; M R Clark; John Finnigan; Rudy Bruniga; H R Johnson & Son; Henry Johnson; Dean H Johnson; Henry Arnold; Leonard Porter; C M Travis; Herman Greggs [sp.]; Roland Airs [sp?]; Cliff Blundy
17:04    1930s–1950s; Dungan; Blundy; M R Clark; Charlie Clinch; W P Star [sp?]; Charles Carson, C F “Ted” Dungan; 
19:01     Early 1960s; Johnson family ownership begins; Eublema Noris [sp?]; Tom Johnson; Arbor Johnson; D E Wilkins; Edgar Bloomingfeld; Chatham Bank; 
27:25     1962–1993; name change to Brimfield Bank; 
36:38     Q&A 

Brimfield Bank
Fred Johnson
Exchange State Bank
C T Heald
C W Hamilton
Henrietta Memler
Charles L Dungan
Henry A Blundy
Horace Cady
Exchange Bank
Joseph W Dungan
Carrie M Dungan
Charles C Carson
Lewis Tate
James King
Herman J Memler
Henry Memler
Thomas A Day
William W Harding
Charles W Wynn
Richard Pacey
Manville
Stock Market Crash of 1929
Bank closure 1931
Lon Arnold
John Zern
Sam Neikirk
Robert F Tucker
Dr Knowlding [sp?]
Mildren Pacey
Dr Roberts
Earl Maher
G R Claypool
R D Savage
John Fuchs
Homer Tucker
Dr J E Walsh
Henry Reinhart
Charles Ekena
Jackson Reed
Fred Sloan
Earl Overing
Bert Cluskey
Fred Arber
Mildred Littlefield
Fred Wallacher
Ethel A Memler
C L McDonough
Clinton Day
M R Clark
John Finnigan
Rudy Bruniga
H R Johnson & Son
Henry Johnson
Dean H Johnson
Henry Arnold
Leonard Porter
C M Travis
Herman Greggs [sp.]
Roland Airs [sp?]
Cliff Blundy
Charlie Clinch
W P Star [sp?]
C F “Ted” Dungan
Eublema Noris [sp?]
Tom Johnson
Arbor Johnson
D E Wilkins
Edgar Bloomingfeld
Chatham Bank 

Interviewed by: Brimfield Historical Society

Interview Format: mp3 Recording of Original Cassette Tape

Total Time : 43:50

The interview is archived at the Brimfield Public Library District in Brimfield, Illinois.

The Brimfield Oral History Project is a long-term effort to record the stories of Brimfield’s past in the voices of those who remember and make these original sources available for generations to come. This collaboration is a partnership between the Brimfield Public Library District, the Brimfield Historical Society, and the Peoria County Genealogical Society.

Readers of interview transcripts, if available, should bear in mind that this is a transcript of the spoken word and that the interviewer, interviewee, and editors sought to preserve the interview as recorded. Brimfield Public Library District and project volunteers are not responsible for the factual accuracy of this interview, nor for the opinions expressed within.

© Brimfield Public Library District 2023

This interview and accompanying documents may be used for educational and non-commercial purposes without the written permission of the Brimfield Public Library District. However, the Fair Use criteria of Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976 must be followed. These materials may not be deposited in other repositories or used for resale or commercial purposes without authorization from the Brimfield Public Library District Director.