Page 40 - The History of Watertown Savings Bank_Neat

Jacob F. Amos, who served as president of It was a job offer at the Taggart Brothers Paper
Watertown Savings Bank from 1934 to 1953, Manufacturing Co. that brought Mr. Amos to
was faithful to the end. Watertown in 1905. He accepted a job as the
Jacob F. Amos His obituary in the Watertown Daily Times company’s secretary and treasurer, and at one point,

Watertown Savings Bank reported the day before his death, Mr. Amos had had worked under Byron B. Taggart Jr., the son of
the first WSB president, Byron B. Taggart Sr.
President attended the annual meeting of the Watertown He worked there for nearly 23 years before
Savings Bank and was re-elected honorary board
1934 - 1953 chairman. accepting a position as vice-president at
Watertown Savings Bank. Mr. Amos later became
He left the bank at 3:30 pm that day and president, and served for 19 years. When he
“enjoyed an automobile ride and appeared as retired, he was elected chairman of the WSB
well as usual” when he returned home, although board of trustees, a newly created position, and
he had recently complained of a heart ailment, remained a bank trustee until his death.
according to the newspaper.
Just a few years before joining Watertown
Mr. Amos was later stricken at home and lapsed Savings Bank, Mr. Amos was serving as a director
into a coma that evening. He passed away the of the Northern New York Trust Company, having
following morning on Jan. 22, 1958. He was 90 been elected to the board in 1924 to fill a vacancy
years old.
He ended his affiliation with the Northern
Even after retiring as bank president, he New York Trust Company bank when he became
remained active as a trustee and continued to president of WSB in 1934. Mr. Amos had also
visit the bank almost daily. He was in the habit of served on the executive committee of the New
spending a short time each morning at his desk York State Association of Savings Banks.
and then returning home, and “only occasionally Mr. Amos was a former president of the
did he miss putting in an appearance at his bank YMCA, an active member of First Presbyterian
office,” his obituary stated. Church, and an honorary trustee of the Jefferson

Mr. Amos was born in Syracuse in 1867 and County Historical Society. He served on the
was educated in Syracuse public schools. He later Watertown City Council and the city’s Board of
joined the family business, the Amos flour mills, Safety. During World War I, Mr. Amos was a
and worked as general manager, overseeing the fuel commissioner for Jefferson County and was
operations in Syracuse, Buffalo and Baldwinsville prominent in Liberty Loan and other war time
for 20 years. campaigns.

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