Dutchess County Historical Society Yearbook Vol 054 1969

IXTAPPINGER SAVINGS BANK 1869-1969 An important financial institution of Dutchess County celebrated its 100th birthday on April 25th 1969. On the 25th day of April 1869 af group of prominent men of Wappingers Falls were successful in obtaining a charter from the New York State Legislature for the establishment of a mutual savings bank in the village. A hundred years ago the Village of Wappingers Falls was in the Town of Fishkill. That Township later was broken into three townships, namely Fishkill, East Fishkill and Wappinger.

The Village government of Wappingers Falls was established in 1871.

The twenty-three founders and incorporators had varied occupations, several merchants, a former postmaster, a village Trustee, a Supervisor, a school teacher, the pastor of St. Mary' Roman Catholic Church, farmers and manufacturers, truly a cross section of occupations and interests in the prosperous village. Their names were as follows: A. W. Armstrong, Elias Brown, Samuel Brown, Benjamin Clapp, Edward M. Goring, Irving Grinnell, Joseph Faulkner, Z. V. Hasbrouck, j. D. Harcourt, Andrew Jackson, Samuel W. Johnston, Thomas W. Jaycox, J. Nelson Luckey, Daniel McKinley, Henry Mesier, William B. Millard, Francis Myers, I. T. Nichols, John R. Phillips, Rev Dennis Sheehan, Abraham D. Smith, Henry Suydam and Clayton W. Sweet.

Samuel W. Johnson, the first president of the Wappinger Savings Bank, was a native of Stratford, Connecticut, and after graduating from Trinity College, came to Wappingers Falls to become a partner of Thomas Garner in the Dutchess Company. "Old Resurrection", a two wheel hose cart was given the fire company by Mr. Johnson, and the fire company today bears his name, The S. W. Johnson Engine Company. Mr. Johnson was a prominent member of the Zion Episcopal Church and his interests were many in the development of the Village. The site of the Dutchess Company is now an industrial center with several factories in operation. Prominent industries of Wappingers Falls in 1869, in addition to the Dutchess Company, were the Franindale Cotton Mill, Disbrow and Goring Iron and Brass Company, and the Independent Comb Company.

The organization meeting of the Wappinger Savings Bank was held in the Circulating Library, now known as the Grinnell Library Association, and after receiving the charter, the first deposits were accepted in Sweet and Barlow's store. In July 1871 banking operations were moved to the building now occupied by the Town of Wappinger offices, and these quarters were utilized until 1956 when the present bank building was built next door at 9-11 Mill Street. In 1869 the massive stone bridge in the heart of the Village was in use but somewhat narrower than today; the Wappingers Union School was in the alley now known as Reservoir Place; the Post Office was in Chan37