Bank Story Is a Family Story
Halfway Worth Mentioning
The Times-Tribune--Nov. 24, 1982
By Bill Gladstone

The story of the Citizens Bank building is really the story of a Dawson family beginning with the older of several Dawson brothers, Christopher R. Dawson. Crit Dawson began his career as a merchant by establishing a store in Denver in the year 1856. In 1867 he and his younger brother, Jesse B., opened a store on the southeast corner of the square in Grant City where the Citizens Bank building now (1982) stands. The name of the grant City store, C.R. Dawson & Bro. Would indicate that Crit was the senior member at that time. The store building, along with every other building on the south side of the square was destroyed by the fire of August 13, 1882.
John C. Dawson, another brother, and some 15 years younger than Crit, began working in the store of his brother in Denver when he was about fourteen years of age. He continued to work for his brothers, and at times operated his own store, until 1870 when he was elected to the office of County Clerk of Worth County. He held this position for 12 years.
In 1881 John C. Dawson, in connection with W.D. Winslow, established the Citizens Bank. When it was first organized the bank was a private bank. In addition to Dawson and Winslow the other shareholders in the new bank were John Costin, Chas. H. Kent, Chas. R. Murray, Simeon Davidson and Robert S. Wilhite. Mr. Dawson was elected as president of the bank and Mr. Winslow as the cashier.
The bank was housed in a wooden structure on the east side of the square and most likely was near the south end of the block.