American Fletcher National Bank

American Fletcher National Bank was an Indianapolis-based bank founded in 1839 that was eventually absorbed by Bank One and later Chase Bank.

In the 1970s and 1980s, they were well known for owning every 222-prefixed number in the 317 area code. Officially, this number was 222-AFNB (2362), but since any combination would work, most people just dialed seven 2s. This line would provide a recorded message with the time, weather, and other announcements. This service was discontinued in 1986 and the number 222-2222 was later used by the Indianapolis radio station WIBC for use as their weather line.

History

American Fletcher National Bank (AFNB) was formed on December 31, 1954 upon the merger of the Fletcher Trust Company with the American National Bank to form the second largest bank in the state at that time. Evan Woollen Jr., former president of Fletcher Trust, became president on the combined company. With the merger with the Fidelity Bank & Trust Company into the company on July 31, 1959, AFNB became the largest bank in the state. Woollen had died just month prior to the completion of the merger. Frank E. McKinney, the leader of Fidelity since 1935, became in charged of AFNB.

In 1968, a holding corporation called American Fletcher Corporation (AFC) was formed to be the new parent company for the bank and allow the company to acquire banks outside its home county once the Indiana Legislature pass legislation that would allow such actions.

McKinney's son, Frank E. McKinney, Jr. was named president in 1972 and chairman of the board in 1973. He had helped to greatly expand the bank through acquisition of other banks, especially when banking restrictions were relaxed.

In May 1986, it was announced that AFC was going to merge with the Columbus, Ohio based Banc One Corporation with American Fletcher National Bank being renamed Bank One Indianapolis and American Fletcher Corporation renamed Banc One, Indiana Corporation.

The result gave American Fletcher executives 20% of the voting stock in the Banc One Corporation parent company and Frank E. McKinney, Jr. became president of Banc One while still remaining be president and chairman of Banc One Indiana Corp.