 The above was contributed by Margaret Condy. The two are back-to-back on a card. The card belonged to Effie Condy. The Condys lived in Traill County from about 1882 for about 20 years. [ Click Picture for Larger View ] 
 The above two pictures are from "Silent Towns on the Prairie" By Ken C. Brovald, 1999 [ Click Picture for Larger View ] Index to "Buxton Centennial 1880 - 1980" is listed here A 1963/64 Red River Valley History which includes Buxton history and biographies. Reeve Cemetery
Adapted from the History of First State Bank. Date and Author is unknown  Some of the records for First State Bank are dated in 1879 when North
Dakota was still a part of Dakota Territory. Opened by L. G. Phelps, the
bank was sold to A. L. Hanson, A.L. Plummer and O. S. Hanson in 1884.
They chartered it as the Bank of Buxton in 1885. It obtained a national
charter in 1916 when it became First National Bank. In 1938 the name was
changed to First State Bank of Buxton. This name was used until 1985 when
it became First State Bank.
Several area banks became a part of this bank. Farmers State Bank in
Buxton was added in 1927 and First State Bank of Thompson in 1936. The
deposits and liabilities of the State Bank of Reynolds were assumed in
1939.
O. S. Hanson became its first president when he was only 22 years old.
He remained in that office for 56 years. The Hanson family also had banking
interests in many North Dakota and Minnesota towns.
A member of the early board of directors was Buxton's first physician,
Dr. James Grassick. He later moved to Grand Forks, but continued to serve
as a bank director. Dr. Grassick was known for his work in the fight against
tuberculosis. Camp Grassick, located near Dawson, ND which serves handicapped
children, is named in his honor.
Two
armed robberies are part of the bank's history. The first occurred in
1928 when three men made off with $8,500 after locking a salesman, a customer
and three bank employees in the vault. In the second robbery, three robbers
entered the bank, took a woman and her daughter hostage and fired shots
over the heads of some men who were across the street. Leonard Hanson,
bank cashier and son of O.S. Hanson, apparently tried to activate the
tear gas system that had been installed following the earlier robbery.
He was shot and killed. The robbers made off with $1,000 spreading tacks
and nails on the road as they fled. These armed robberies and a 1959 burglary
at the Thompson branch remain unsolved. Fingerprints of a man found at
the bottom of a well in Oklahoma matched those found at the Thompson bank.
Apparently this man had been thrown into the well by his partners. He
had been on the "Ten Most Wanted List
The stone building in Buxton used from 1882 to 1976 was turned over to
the Buxton Historical Society following construction of its new bank building.
The bullet holes from the robbery are still evident.
Through its long history, there have been many changes, but the bank
has had only three presidents. O. S. Hanson was president for 56 years.
S. N Lommen followed him in 1940. He served until 1972 when the bank was
sold to a group of area investors including current president, Paul H.
Marchell.
Excerpt from A 1963/64 Red River Valley History: "Budd Reeve was born at La Porte, Indiana on February 26, 1842. He came to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in July, 1868. Here he met Harriet Eliza
Tanner, whom he married on December 14, 1869. Mrs. Reeve had come to Minneapolis in 1865.
According to information given by a son, Budd Reeve, Jr. his father,
Budd Reeve, Sr., at one time owned the site of the Old Union Depot at Minneapolis. He sold the property to James J. Hill in 1880, and was given an option on Section 25-148-51, Traill
County, Dakota, for a townsite, in the transaction. Mr. Reeve came out to Traill County and later viewing the location, went back to Minneapolis well satisfied.
The prospects for a growing town were pleasing and he formed the Buxton Townsite Company of which Thomas J. Buxton was President, and
he, Mr. Reeve, was general manager.
Mr. and Mrs. Reeve and three children left Minneapolis in August, 1880 for their new home in Dakota.
Mr. Reeve settled on the NE 1/4 of Section 25, West Buxton Township [Township 148, Range 51]in 1880.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Reeve: Louise Tanner, Edward, and Budd Reeve, Jr.. Mrs. Reeve died September 23, 1927 and Mr. Reeve died April 5, 1933. Mr. Budd Reeve
was a member of the Episcopal Church."
Budd's Burial, Tombstone, Picture, Article Harriet's Burial, Tombstone, Article
Please contact the County Coordinator if you have interesting additional items on the history of Buxton. |
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