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The bank opened for business on July 5, 1892, in downtown Holcomb. A new building was erected in 1892 to house the newly established bank at a cost of $2,113.68. The original building was donated to Midway Village, Rockford, IL in the 1970’s. The original partnership continued for 29 years until January 1, 1921. The only changes during those years were when Walter Sheadle withdrew in 1895, when Frank E. Sheaf was admitted in 1911 and when Edger E. Stanbury and George W. Yeo were admitted in 1913. The partnership was incorporated under the laws of the state of Illinois as the Holcomb State Bank on January 1, 1921. A second bank building was constructed during the depression in 1930 and completed in May of 1931. Further expansions to the building were completed in 1957, 1980 and 2005. During the 1930’s the bank received a taste of notoriety. First, it was one of only three banks in the county to survive the great depression of 1929-1932. Secondly, in 1936, when a couple of machine-gun wielding bandits decided to test the bank’s bullet proof windows, which had just been recently installed. The bullets bounced harmlessly off the bank windows, the employees were unharmed and the bandits ran away empty-handed. They were later caught and sentenced to long terms in prison. In 1984 Holcomb State Bank expanded its operation and moved into the Rochelle market by building a branch office just north of Rochelle on Highway 251 in Hillcrest. After 13 years and substantial growth Holcomb State Bank relocated to its current location at 233 E IL Route 38, Rochelle. In 1986, Holcomb State Bank purchased a bank facility in New Milford. The current location located at 7035 11th St, New Milford was then built in 1991. Growth continued for Holcomb State Bank as a fourth branch was opened in Creston in March of 2005. It is located at 400 E. IL Route 38, Creston. After celebrating the 125th year of banking during 2017, Holcomb State Bank looked to rebrand itself for the next century. On January 1, 2018 the bank officially changed its name to Holcomb Bank and converted to the more secure web domain of www. Holcomb.bank. To serve new markets and provide more options for customers, a fifth branch was constructed and opened at 504 W. Blackhawk Dr, Byron in March of 2018. In 2019 the main office was moved to Rochelle and due to the deterioration of the original building in Holcomb it was closed in August 2019. The bank has had only nine presidents in its 128 years of business: W.D. Oakes, Charles Eyster, Edgar E. Stanbury, Frank E. Sheaff, Howard N. Johnston, John Eyster, Donald W. Bett, Richard J. Harms and current president Perry W. Byers.
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