Ray City Home of Hod P. Clements

January 16, 2011 at 7:55 pm (Clements Family, Ray City Georgia)
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Hosea “Hod” P. Clements and his wife, Alma,  lived in a house on Jones Street, Ray City, GA, where they raised their daughters, Mildred and Frances.

According to a 1973 Valdosta Times interview, Hod Clements was born in 1890 in Milltown (now Lakeland), GA and moved to Ray City in the 1920s.

Home on Jones Street, Ray City, GA was the residence of Alma and Hosea

Home on Jones Street, Ray City, GA was the residence of Alma and Hosea “Hod” Peoples Clements.

Armed with a degree from the Georgia Normal College and Business Institute, Hod Clements went into business in Ray City.

 “From 1923 until 1945 Clements operated a general store named Swindle and Clements.”

In 1948, buying the old Ray City Bank and its equipment for $3,500 he began banking with a capital of $10,000.

The original Ray City Bank was begun by his uncle Jim Swindle who organized it around 1908.

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Lawson Fountain ~ Ray City Banker

December 9, 2010 at 1:24 am (Banking, Fountain Family, Historic Businesses)
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Lawson Fountain of Ray City, GA.

Lawson Fountain of Ray City, GA.

Lawson Fountain

Lawson Fountain grew up in Ray City, GA and was educated in the Ray City School.  He graduated with the Class of 1939  and later married his high school classmate, Mildred Clements.

In 1949,  Lawson’s father-in-law, H.P. Clements, opened a bank and named it the Bank of Ray City.  Mr. Hod P. Clements and Lawson Fountain operated the state chartered bank until Mr. Clements was forced to retire due to ill health. Then  Lawson Fountain served as President of the bank. His home was on the east side of town.

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In 1959, Lawson Fountain served on the City Council of Ray City.

Lawson Fountain, 1959, Ray City, GA Councilman

Lawson Fountain, 1959, Ray City, GA Councilman

From a 1973 bank newsletter:

    Lawson Fountain returned from Jacksonville, Florida to his hometown in 1956 and helped start the Bank of Ray City. He continued his banking career with the Citizens Bank after it purchased The Bank of Ray City.

    ” I have always enjoyed banking,” Lawson said, ” and knowing just about everybody in this area is an added pleasure in my work. People like banking at home because it saves out-of-town trips for banking services. We are open five days a week from 9 until 4, and the drive-in opens at 8:30 every morning.”

    Lawson is married to the former Mildred Clements, and they both grew up in Ray City. Their only son, James, now lives in Oregon.

    Fishing is Lawson’s favorite pastime, and he said he enjoys the many good fishing places around Ray City.

    The Fountains are active in Ray City United Methodist Church.

    Lawson Fountain’s knowledge of the people and their needs in the Ray City area adds a personal touch to banking at the Bank of Ray City Office of the Citizens Bank.

Grave marker of Lawson F. Fountain, Nov 7, 1922, Jan 23, 1989, Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA

Lawson F. Fountain, (1922-1989) Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA

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Bank of Ray City, GA through Optimism and Depression

December 7, 2010 at 12:48 am (Banking, Historic Businesses)
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The Citizens Bank of Ray City was among the first businesses to advertise in the town’s newspaper, The Ray City News, when it began circulation in 1929.

The Citizens Bank, Ray City, GA – 1929 newspaper advertisement from the Ray City News

In a newspaper clipping from the Jan 3, 1929 issue of the Ray City News the stockholders of the Citizens Bank of Ray City were pleased with the financial reports.

In a newspaper clipping from the Jan 3, 1929 issue of the Ray City News the stockholders of the Citizens Bank of Ray City were pleased with the financial reports.

Ray City News
Ray City, GA
January 3, 1929

 Bank Stockholders Hold Annual Meet

    The stockholders of the Citizens Bank of Ray City held their annual meeting on December 18th – illegible text –
    Examination of the – illegible text – well pleased at the report.
    The same officers and directors were elected for the new year.

In 1929, the Citizens Bank of Ray City, was optimistically advertising for new depositors.

When the stock market crashed, the bank managed to remain in business.  In fact, in July of 1930, the Atlanta Constitution reported that the banks of Berrien County, including the Ray City bank were financially sound.  But by the end of December 1930 the Citizens Bank of Ray City had failed.

 MORE BANKS CLOSED IN SOUTHERN STATES
New York Times.  Dec 21, 1930.

ATLANTA, Ga., Dec. 20 (AP) – A. B. Mobley, State Superintendent of Banks, announced today his department had been asked to take over the affairs of the Union Banking Company of Douglas, operating branches at Braxton and Nichols, the Toombs County Bank at Lyons and the Citizens Bank of Ray City. Cause of the closings was not stated.

“After that bank failed other banks were opened but they all  suffered from the nation’s economic troubles and none were successful. Until, in 1949, H.P. Clements opened a private bank and named it the Bank of Ray City.  It was a state chartered bank operated by Mr. Clements and his son-in-law,  Lawson Fountain. In later years Mr. Clements was forced to retire due to ill health. ”

Bank of Ray City

Bank of Ray City

The Bank of Ray City in 1972. In 1973 the bank was acquired by the Citizens Bank of Nashville. Georgia, and is now the Ray City office of that bank. The old bank building pictured above has since been demolished.

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