About Us
On August 4th 1911, thirty-five gentlemen attended a meeting in the Lincoln County Courthouse to be addressed by John B. Walker, of Sparta, Georgia. Mr. Walker articulated the “detailed workings and advantages of the Walker system of banking.” That very night, the assembly elected John B. Cullars, W.B. Crawford, Joe Powell, A.S. Willingham, B.S. Florence, B.H. Dunaway, W.C. Powell, W.N. Albea, and James H. Boykin as the banks initial Board of Directors and empowered them to pursue the establishment of a banking institution in Lincoln County.
Five days after this initial gathering on August 9th 1911, the majority of these men would meet again. During this second meeting, the directors announced the purchase of a parcel of land for the sum of two hundred dollars. The lot is the location on which the first Farmers State Bank would be erected. The old bank now sits on the corner across from Papa’s Pizza and Bells. However, you can still clearly see an engraved nameplate above the door that simply reads “BANK.” Next on the assembly’s agenda was to label their new venture. The unanimously voted name, “Farmers State Bank,” has remained a constant symbol of integrity and community pride for over ninety-five years of reliable service.
With the location in hand, a suitable moniker established, and twenty-five thousand dollars in capital at their disposal, the group resolved to petition the State of Georgia for a legal charter under which to operate. The above mentioned directors began overseeing the operation of Farmers State Bank on September 26th 1911, the day that FSB’s charter was approved and enacted. Their first order of business was to elect Mr. James H. Boykin to serve as the initial president of Farmers State Bank, a role that he would retain for over thirty years. Sometime in the late thirties, the bank’s directors, along with Mr. Boykin, decided that the time had come for a change of venue. However, they didn’t go too far. FSB made its second home in the building that now houses City Hall. This building would be the home of Farmers State Bank for over forty years. During which time, active presidents included C.J. Perryman, J.J. Harnesberger, W.B. Albea Sr., and George C. Leverett Sr., affectionately known as “Big George.” Leading up to and during Big George’s time as president, the bank prospered and grew enough to require yet another change in location.
On July 1st 1978, Farmers State Bank began conducting business at our current home of 115 North Washington Street. Big George retired in 1980 and was immediately followed by James “Jimmy” Rigsby. In 1984, George Leverett III assumed his current position as President of FSB. Farmers State Bank expanded into Washington, Georgia and opened for business on June 23rd 1997 under the leadership of Mr. Leverett. Since our inception, FSB has been proudly serving Lincoln, Wilkes, and neighboring counties through active involvement in local charities such as the American Cancer Society, Golden Harvest Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation, and local Educational and Civic Organizations. Also, we understand and embrace our role as a fiscal leader concerning economic development and growth of the surrounding area. We at Farmers State Bank promise to continue serving both Lincoln and Wilkes County, through our steadfast dedication to support of the local community and a long-standing tradition of exceptional customer service that only a community bank can offer.