First National Bank of Hallettsville

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm gonna give it to you straight off this Lavaca County block. You know, some stories start with a railroad and end with a dynasty. This one does both.

Friench Simpson, born in 1848, and Carey Shaw, born in 1854, had been working over at the J. H. Simpson Bank in Columbus.

They knew the business. They knew each other. And when the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad started layin' track through Hallettsville in 1888, well, a construction gang moving through a town has a way of making certain needs very plain.

The need for a local bank became apparent, and Simpson and Shaw answered that call. They organized something called The Lavaca Bank, a private institution, and they set up shop right there in the southeast corner of the Kroschel General Merchandise Store, on this very city block. Not a grand marble hall.

A corner of a general store. That's where it started. Two years later, in 1890, they weren't rentin' a corner anymore.

They chartered the Lavaca County National Bank of Hallettsville and took over the entire Kroschel Building. Shaw stepped in as president. T.

Y. Hill as vice president. Friench Simpson as cashier.

H. M. Tippett as assistant cashier.

And Joe Kahn and T. H. James serving as directors.

Now, Carey Shaw was no small figure in Texas banking. He was one of the original officers of the Texas Bankers Association, founded in 1885. The man had roots in this industry that ran deep and wide.

The bank rechartered on May 21, 1910, and that's when it took the name it carries today, the First National Bank of Hallettsville. Shaw stayed on as a director until 1909. Friench Simpson held his seat until October 13, 1914.

Simpson passed in 1923. Shaw lived all the way to 1944. But the Simpson name didn't leave when Friench did.

Succeeding generations of the Simpson family kept on, serving in staff and management, keeping that founding presence alive in the building long after the founder was gone. The building you see now, erected in 1973, sits on the original site and the lots beside it. New walls, same ground.

Oldest bank in Lavaca County, still standin' right where two former bank employees once borrowed a corner of a general store and decided that was enough to build something that would last.

What the marker says

Oldest bank in Lavaca County; has operated in this city block continuously since its establishment by Friench Simpson (1848-1923) and Carey Shaw (1854-1944), former employees of the J. H. Simpson Bank, Columbus. Shaw was also one of the original officers in the Texas Bankers Association, founded in 1885. In 1888, the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railroad was being built through Hallettsville. When S. A. A. P. construction gang reached here, the need for a local bank became apparent, and Simpson and Shaw organized "The Lavaca Bank" as a private institution, opening for business in southeast corner of the Kroschel General Merchandise Store, in this block. In 1890, they chartered the Lavaca County National Bank of Hallettsville, and took over entire Kroschel Building. In this bank, Shaw was president; T. Y. Hill, vice president; Friench Simpson, cashier; H. M. Tippett, assistant cashier; Joe Kahn and T. H. James, directors. Present name was adopted at bank's rechartering on May 21, 1910. Carey Shaw continued as a director until 1909; Friench Simpson until October 13, 1914. Succeeding generations of the Simpson family have also served in staff and management. New building, erected 1973, occupies the original site and adjacent lots. (1973)