Obituary - Mount Pulaski Times-News, 16 January 1958 THOS. A. SCROGGIN, 90, VETERAN BANKER, DIED MONDAY MORNING Had Been Failing in Health for Several Years Thomas Arthur Scroggin, well known and esteemed resident of Mount Pulaski and vicinity all his life, and retired bank official, died at 7:45 a.m. Monday, Jan. 13, 1958, in the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Lincoln, at the age of 90 years, 2 months, and 26 days. His health began failing several years ago, but his last illness was the result of a fall in his home on South Spring St., Dec. 4, when he was taken to the hospital. Mr. Scroggin was born Oct. 17, 1867 on a farm two miles south of Mount Pulaski, Ill., a son of Leonard K. and Rhoda Alice Girtman Scroggin, Logan County pioneers. His father was born on Jan. 25, 1819, in Gallatin County, Illinois, a son of Carter and Phoebe Scroggin and, as a lad, came with the family to Logan County, locating on a farm in the Mount Pulaski township. He became an extensive landowner and, in 1872, engaged in the banking business with other citizens, under the name of Scroggin, Warner, & Co. When Mr. Warner retired, the style was changed to Scroggin & Sawyer, Walter P. Sawyer being the junior member. The bank was then located in the building across the alley north of the present Times-News building. Along about 1877, the Scroggin building was constructed on the west side of the public square, a half block in length, to house the banking business, the Scroggin Opera House, and the Scroggin Hotel. Mr. Sawyer retired in 1881 and the bank was then named Scroggin & Son. When Thomas A. Scroggin, who had attended school in the township, was 15 years old, his father had him enter the bank as an office boy, then clerk, teller, bookkeeper, cashier, and finally president of this well-known central Illinois banking institution. In 1912, the name of the bank was changed to The Farmers Bank. Mr. Scroggin served as cashier from 1914 to 1918, and then as president from 1918 to 1947, when he retired from active duty in the bank. On the observance of his 80th birthday anniversary Oct. 17, 1947, Mr. Scroggin arrived at the bank to find his desk decorated with several bouquets of beautiful flowers, gifts of friendship and esteem from members of the bank staff, from other banks, as well as old friends. He then went into retirement, but remained as chairman of the board of directors until the time of his death. Mr. Scroggin made frequent trips to the bank until his health began failing. He always proved courteous, obliging, and a capable official, whose personal popularity thru about 70 years at the bank constituted one of the attributes of success for this banking institution. Since he had always lived in the community, his fellow townsmen knew that his career had been characterized by fidelity to duty and by honor in all his relations with them. On Oct. 6, 1891, he married Miss Anna Mary Weisenberger, daughter of Charles and Johannah Weisenberger, who moved from Alexander, Morgan County to the Mount Pulaski vicinity in 1874. They were wedded in a double wedding ceremony in Springfield, the second couple being his brother Hubert Scroggin and Miss Luella Shoup. The minister was Rev. Joseph Deal. Mr. and Mrs. Scroggin went to housekeeping in the Beam House, corner of Cooke and Spring Streets, that had been built about 15 years before as one of the largest ever constructed in Logan County for residential purposes. They occupied part of the building, remaining there until the family home was built just to the south of the site of the present high school. Mr. and Mrs. Scroggin quietly observed their 67th wedding anniversary on Oct. 6, 1957. Mr. Scroggin was a member of the Mount Pulaski Christian Church. Besides his wife, decedent is survived by the following children: one son, Wilford K. Scroggin Sr., of Mount Pulaski; three daughters, Mrs. Baxter R. Foster, Portland, Oregon; Mrs. Harry S. Martin Sr. and Mrs. Austin Schaffenacker, Mount Pulaski; nine grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren; and one sister, Mrs. Edna Anderson of Lincoln, the last of the large Scroggin family. The body was removed to the Schahl Funeral Home. Funeral services were held this Thursday, Jan. 16 at 2 p.m. in the Mount Pulaski Christian Church, conducted by the pastor, Rev. Paul Burdick. Appropriate organ music was rendered by Mrs. Frank Turley. Burial was in Steenbergen Cemetery, four miles southwest of Mount Pulaski. The pallbearers were: Wilford Scroggin Jr., Harry S. Martin Jr., Thomas Arthur Scroggin, John T. Martin, all of Mount Pulaski; Robert Hemphill and Hubert Scroggin.