Farmers & Merchants Bank (now F&M Bank) is a community bank and has remained community focused since 1897. The Bank’s first office was a single room located in the Vernier Hotel Building, currently occupied by the Archbold Barber Shop in Archbold, Ohio.

The Bank’s first structure was built on the corner of Depot and North Defiance Streets. The bank was heralded as one of the most unusual and attractive banks in the area, featuring a marble interior, brass-trimmed teller cages, tile floor, leaded windows, and a high-vaulted ceiling.

The founding directors elected to change from a private bank to a state-chartered bank and at this time changed its name from Farmers & Merchants Bank to The Farmers & Merchants State Bank (now F&M Bank) as required in the state charter.

The Farmers & Merchants State Bank (now F&M Bank) moved to N. Defiance Street, greatly improving service to its customers and offering drive-up banking, electronic bookkeeping, convenient parking and a social room for the community to use.

With resources over $23 million in 1969, Farmers & Merchants State Bank (now F&M Bank) again realized the need for additional space and inaugurated a building expansion, which nearly doubled the original structure built in 1958 in Archbold, Ohio. 

In 1985, the conversion of the former bank, The Farmers & Merchants State Bank, into a holding company structure was performed to provide greater flexibility for expanding the bank’s business into activities closely related to banking.

1994 was a very special year for The Farmers & Merchants State Bank (now F&M Bank). Earnings were very strong, asset quality remained outstanding and the bank expanded its presence within its market area.

In June of 1996, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (the bank holding company for Farmers & Merchants State Bank) split its stock, 5 for 1. The goal was to bring the price per share down so it would be more affordable and possibly encourage trading. 

Construction of the new Farmers & Merchants (“F&M”) Operations Center began on Clyde’s Way in Archbold, Ohio.

The Farmers & Merchants State Bank (“F&M”) made its first acquisition when it purchased Knisely Bank based in Butler, Indiana. Knisely Bank had offices in Auburn, Butler and St. Joe, Indiana at the time.

A significant time in Farmers & Merchants (“F&M”) history as the Bank passed the billion-dollar barrier in assets.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. announced its listing on NASDAQ (FMAO) and was added to the ABA NASDAQ Community Bank Index.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp agreed to acquire Limberlost Bancshares’ base in Geneva, Indiana.

The Bank added offices in Berne, Decatur, Geneva, Monroe, Monroeville and Portland, adding Adams and Jay Counties in Indiana to the F&M footprint.

The Bank purchased the assets and clients of Adams County Financial Resources located in Geneva, Indiana. “F&M” also opened three Loan Production Offices located in Oxford, Ohio and Muncie and West Bloomfield, Michigan.

Farmers & Merchants State Bank (now F&M Bank) announced the acquisition of Ossian Financial Services, Inc., adding two offices in Ossian and Bluffton, Indiana. F&M also announced its second acquisition of the year, Perpetual Federal Savings Bank of Urbana, adding one office in Urbana, Ohio. 

Farmers & Merchants State Bank (now F&M Bank) celebrated its 125^th Anniversary and completed the acquisition of Peoples Federal Savings and Loan Association, adding 3 new offices to the F&M footprint in Anna, Jackson Center and Sidney, Ohio. 

Farmers & Merchants State Bank officially celebrated its ever-evolving status by publicly converting its logo and name to F&M Bank. In this same year, the Bank opened several additional offices, including a downtown Toledo, Ohio office, a regional headquarters in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana, and its first full-service Michigan branch in Birmingham.