Francis G. Banker, formerly a well-known capitalist of Greenfield and for years one of this city's most active and progressive business men, is a native son of Indiana, having been born at Brazil, this state, November 15, 1862, son of Amos and Francis N. (Eubanks) Banker, both natives of Darke county, Ohio, where they were married.

Amos Banker was a merchant in Ohio, later coming to Indiana. After a sometime residence at Brazil, he moved to Winchester, this state, where he died in 1864, leaving two small sons, Kansas, now living at Knightstown, Indiana, and Francis G., the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Banker married Stephen W. Deibert, of Shelby county, this state, and to that union five children were born, of whom two survive, Erie, of Butte, Montana, and Wallace, of Greenfield. Mrs. Deibert died at Morristown, in Shelby county, in 1901, at the age of sixty-seven years.

Francis G. Banker was reared at Morristown and there under the direction of his stepfather learned the trade of brick-maker. In 1882 he and Mr. Deibert formed a partnership in the brick-making business and began operating a plant at Morristown. In 1884 they moved the plant to Greenfield and the next year Mr. Banker became the sole owner of the same. His business continued to grow from the very start and in 1890 he moved his plant to a site in West Tague street, where he had more room for expansion. Five years later he was compelled to seek an even larger field for expansion and moved to an eligible site in West Greenfield, where he operated one of the largest and best-equipped brick manufacturing plants in central Indiana, and during which time he not only supplied the larger part of the local demand, but made heavy shipments to all parts of Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. Mr. Banker's business interests were not confined wholly to his brick factory. He became heavily interested in the gas business and was a stockholder in the old Indianapolis & Eastern Railway Company, having been one of the promoters of that road and president of the company which constructed it in 1890-1891. In 1907 he organized the Brooklyn Brick Company, at Brooklyn, this state, and erected one of the most complete brick factories in the state at that place, the product of which, on account of the superior quality of the day hereabout, immediately met a large demand, which is increasing each year. To the management of this plant he now devotes the major part of his time. Mr. Banker is a Republican and for four years, 1892-1896, served as councilman from the second ward in the Greenfield city council. He also for some time served as a member of the city school board.

On September 22, 1882, at Shelbyville, this state, Francis G. Banker was united in marriage to Laura Griffey, who was born in that city, and to that union five children were born, of whom but one now survives, Harry C. Banker, of Greenfield. Mr. Banker married, secondly, at Indianapolis, July 15, 1907, Anna C. Clyman, who was born in Kentucky and who came to Indiana in 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Banker are members of the Methodist church. They now reside at No. 4711 East Washington street, Indianapolis.

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Pages 1128-1129.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI November 28, 2001.

Return to 1916 Index | Return to Hancock Co. Main Page