Cyrus D. Crites
Cyrus D. Crites, cashier of The First National Bank of Lima and a leading citizen of Lima and Allen County, is a member of one of the best known and most highly respected families of the county. He was born in German township, Allen County, Ohio, May 11, 1855, and is a son of Jacob and Mary J. (Cremean) Crites. He remained on his father's farm working in summer and attending the district school in winter until 2 years of age, except that the last three winters he taught school in Amanda township.
He then left the farm to accept the principalship of the schools at Cridersville. Auglaize County, in which position he served four consecutive years, during which time he served as secretary and president of the Auglaize County Teachers' Institute. His last year in educational work was as principal of the schools at Beaver Dam, Allen County. In 1881 he entered the office of the county auditor of Allen County as chief deputy. He served for a period as deputy United States marshal for the Northern District of Ohio under the first Cleveland Administration, relinquishing this position to assume the duties of county auditor of Allen County. Having accepted the appointment of national bank examiner for Northern Ohio under the second Cleveland administration, he resigned the county auditorship September 1, 1894, six weeks before the expiration of his second term. On April 1, 1895, he resigned the bank examinership to assume the management of The First National Bank of Lima as its cashier, which position he still holds.
Mr. Crites has always been active in Democratic politics of the State, district and county. He served as a member of the Democratic State Central Committee form 1889 to 1904 and as its chairman from 1892 to 1894. He directed as chairman the Ohio campaign of 1892, which resulted in a division of the electoral vote. He was a member of the Ohio Democratic Executive Committee of 1901, when Col. James Kilbourn was the candidate for Governor.
On June 17, 1891, Mr. Crites was married to Grace A. Cass, daughter of Dr. D. W. Cass, of Findlay, Ohio. He has two bright sons: Clarence Daniel, born January 23, 1893; and Virgil Cass, born January 15, 1895, both now enrolled at the Cloyne School, Newport, Rhode Island. Mr. and Ms. Crites are prominent in the social life of Lima.
Mr. Crites is a truly representative citizen of Lima and Allen County, active in all things looking to the good of the city and community. He was one of a committee of three to plan the successful reception for th e State commission and the presentation before this body of the claims of Lima for the proposed new State Hospital for the Insane. He is regarded as one of the best financiers in Ohio and has made The First National Bank what it is to day one of the soundest institutions in Ohio.