Levancia Holcomb Plumb

Levancia Holcomb Plumb
Born	1841-06-23 Sand Lake, New York, U.S.
Died	1923-04-10 Streator, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, financier, temperance reform advocate
Known for	President of Union National Bank; temperance activism

Levancia Holcomb Plumb (1841–1923) was an influential American entrepreneur, financier, and advocate for temperance reform. As president and principal shareholder of the Union National Bank in Streator, Illinois, she stood among the rare women leading banking institutions in the United States during her era.

Early life and education

Plumb was born on June 23, 1841, in Sand Lake, New York. At age 12, her family moved to Illinois. She completed her undergraduate studies at Oberlin College in 1861 and obtained a master's degree four years afterward. It was during her time at Oberlin that she met Samuel Plumb, a banker.

Career

Following her marriage to Samuel Plumb in 1868, she relocated to Streator, Illinois, where Samuel established what would become the Union National Bank. After his passing in 1889, Levancia assumed the role of vice-president and was later elected president of the bank in 1899, a leadership position she maintained for 24 years. She also administered her husband's estate during this period.

Plumb played a prominent role within the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) of Illinois and was among the founding members of the Woman's Temperance Publishing Association. Additionally, she contributed to founding Chicago's National Temperance Hospital. Beginning in 1890, she lived in Wheaton, Illinois, to supervise her children's education while continuing to oversee her business affairs in Streator.

Death and legacy

A devoted member of Streator's Presbyterian church, Plumb endured more than ten years as an invalid, largely confined to bed. She passed away at her residence in Streator on April 10, 1923, aged 81.

To commemorate her contributions, Fisk University established the Levancia H. Plumb Scholarship fund.