History of Farmers State Bank

The History of Farmers State Bank of Parkston

Farmers State Bank was founded July 19, 1919 in Beardsley, South Dakota. The original stockholders of the bank were: Fred G., Ernest, John, Ann and Anna Bormann who were all siblings. Their respective titles were President, Cashier and Vice President. The original capital stock issued was $15,000.00.

The original bank in Beardsley, SD.

In 1933 the Bormann brothers moved the bank from Beardsley to Stickney, South Dakota, and increased the capital stock to $25,000.00. On December 11, 1954, Vern Bormann, who was the son of Fred G. Bormann, opened a bank in Parkston, South Dakota, and together with his father and brothers operated the two banks until 1959 when Fred G. Bormann along with his sons Marvin and Donald applied for and received a charter for the Stickney location. In that same year, Vern acquired the original Farmers State Bank charter and increased the capital stock to $75,000.00. The original officers of the Parkston location were Vern E. Bormann, President; Chris Schmidt, Vice President; Emanuel Litz, Vice President; and Marvin Bormann, Cashier. The original directors of Farmers State Bank, Parkston were Fred G. Bormann, Chairman of the Board, Vern E. Bormann, H.J. Schumaker, Chris Schmidt, Marvin F. Bormann, Emanuel Litz and Donald W. Bormann.

The first building that the Parkston office occupied was the old NuWay Cleaners building on Main Street. In 1960 the bank built a 50' by 88' brick facility on the building site that was formerly occupied by the K & K Store, which was gutted by fire.


Firemen attempt to put out the fire at the old K&K Department Store. Picture taken by Marvin (Money) Thuringer, June 1958	Another angle of the fire at the old K&K Department Store. Picture taken by Marvin (Money) Thuringer, June 1958

circa 1960

In 1960, the new modern building operated a full service bank with an in-house insurance agency. At that time the bank had total assets of $3,162,832.66 and employed 11 people. Vern operated the bank until his death on July 19, 1992. Vern's son, Robert Bormann, who joined the bank in July of 1971, assumed the Presidential duties in August of 1992. In 2001, another one of Vern's sons, Scott Bormann, assumed the Presidential duties from his brother, Robert, who then became CEO and Chairman of the Board.

Farmers State Bank in Parkston before the remodeling project in 1998

In 1997 the bank purchased the adjoining lot that was being used by the Farmers Home Administration and that building was demolished. In October of that year a complete remodeling and expansion project was started on Farmers State Bank.
	The completed bank in Parkston as it looks in 2000

Renovation was completed in August of 1998 and the bank doubled its physical size, while also adding a two-stall drive-up. At that time the bank employed 25 full-time staff people and one part-time person and had assets in excess of $96 million. The current officers and the year they joined the bank are:

Robert Bormann (1971), Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
Scott Bormann (1985), President
J.D. Bormann (2001), Vice President
Timothy J. Alley (2000), Vice President
Ed Rembold (2000), Vice President
Gladys Billars (2000), Vice President, Cashier
Paul Bormann (1996), Assistant Vice President
Leslie Mechtenberg (1991), Assistant Vice President
Vicki Letcher (1992), Controller
Gerry Sudbeck (1978), Cashier.

J.D. Bormann is also a fourth generation Bormann to join the bank. The current board of directors are Robert Bormann, Scott Bormann, Paul Bormann, Timothy J. Alley, J.D. Bormann and Wayne Tilberg.

In April of 2000, Farmers State Bank acquired substantially all of the assets and assumed the deposit liabilities of Farmers State Bank of Kaylor. Farmers State Bank of Kaylor was purchased from the William Billars, Sr. family, who had been serving the Kaylor area for more than seventy-five years.

History of Farmers State Bank of Kaylor

When the Kaylor State Bank failed in the 1920's, Frank Billars encouraged area farmers to get together and reorganize as the Farmers State Bank in Kaylor. The superintendent of Banking officially declared the Farmers State Bank open on September 12, 1924 with a capital of $15,000 and a surplus of $1,000.

The original Board of Directors were Frank Billars, Andrew Baltzer, Fred Magstadt, Gus Boettcher and John Schlechter. Frank Billars' son, William Billars, worked full time with Andrew Voll helping part time. The William Billars Insurance Agency was also run through the Farmers State Bank from 1925 to 1992.

The old bank building is located on the southwest corner of Kaylor Main Street. In the 1960's an addition was built on the west side of the structure. The interior was remodeled several times.

In 2000, when Kaylor became a branch of Farmers State Bank of Parkston, the board of directors were William Billars, Sr., Clara Billars, William R. Billars Jr., Edwin Ziegler and Keith Noe. Employees were William Billars Sr., William Billars Jr., Gladys Billars, Ed Rembold, Connie Mueller and Teresa Bartlett.

In 2003, Farmers State Bank of Kaylor remodeled the old Country Store building, located directly north of the original bank building on Main Street. In January of 2004, Farmers State Bank of Kaylor officially moved into their new facility.

Farmers State Bank of Kaylor will continue to operate in Kaylor as a branch bank of Farmers State Bank of Parkston. Customers of Parkston and Kaylor can access their account information and conduct transactions from either office.