City’s financial roots connect back to Haynes family

Many longtime Fremonters are well aware of the Haynes family connection to banking locally.

But, do they realize that that link to banking dates back almost to the very beginning of that financial business in the city?

Col. William Haynes, who served the community and country in many ways during his life, became cashier of the Bank of Fremont in 1873. He was associated with F.S. White in that early banking enterprise and in the private banking firm of White and Haynes; then in 1888, he became vice president and manager of Fremont Savings Bank. In these positions, he managed the affairs of the bank and eventually succeeded James W. Wilson as president in 1904.

Col. Haynes and Fremont Savings Bank were widely respected in business circles and among the general public.

The colonel earned that respect beyond his banking expertise and successes.

In the 1850s, he served two terms as auditor of Sandusky County and then served the Union cause through most of the Civil War, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel of the 10th Ohio Cavalry after having served with the 8th Regiment of the Ohio Infantry.

He was a longtime member of the Fremont City Council and was president of the Fremont Water Works Board during the construction of the water works.

A delegate to the Democratic national convention in 1880 and 1884, he was elected to two terms in Congress, where he was instrumental in securing funding for rivers and harbors in the district as a member of the committee on rivers and harbors. When the district was changed, he declined to run again and later turned down another attempt to nominate him because of his business interests.

He served as a trustee of the Toledo Asylum for the Insane – later the Toledo State Hospital -- during its construction; was a longtime president of the board of Birchard Public Library; and was involved in a variety of mercantile businesses during his life.

When Col. Haynes was named president of Fremont Savings Bank in 1904, both of his sons were also named to offices at the bank: William P. Haynes was named cashier and George W. Haynes was named assistant cashier.

William P. Haynes became president of the bank in 1915 after the death of his father and George’s son, William M. Haynes, succeeded his uncle as president in 1940.

The Fremont Savings Bank became an affiliate of Society Corporation of Cleveland in 1965. The Croghan Street building was closed in May of 1993. In November of the same year, the building was sold to the Fremont Federal Credit Union.

Due to a subsequent merger, Society became officially known as Key Bank.

Roy Wilhelm started a 40-year career at The News-Messenger in 1965, as a reporter. Now retired, he is writing about the history of Sandusky County and Fremont.