First Security National Bank

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. You're rolling through Jefferson County, and if you've got a notion that the oldest bank between Houston and the Louisiana border must have a story worth tellin', well, friend, you are not wrong. Pull up a chair around this campfire and let's go back to April 9, 1889.

That's the day First National Bank of Beaumont was organized, with capital of a hundred thousand dollars and National Bank Charter No. 4017 in hand. Beaumont in those days was a sawmill town of thirty-two hundred people. Thirty-two hundred.

You could probably holler from one end to the other on a quiet morning. But somebody looked at that little town and saw something bigger comin'. First president was Valentine Wiess, a lumber man, which fits the scenery just fine.

The directors were W. A. Fletcher, John N.

Gilbert, John L. Keith, L. P.

Ogden, H. Solinsky, V. Wiess, and W.

Wiess. Fletcher served as vice-president, and J. P.

Alvey held the cashier's post. Now, a bank is only as interesting as the times it lives through, and this one was about to live through some times. The corporate annals of First National reflect participation in the great Spindletop oil boom.

Spindletop. That name alone ought to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. The bank was also woven into the opening of the Sabine-Neches Ship Channel and the development of the rice industry.

That sawmill town of thirty-two hundred was becoming something else entirely, and First National was right there in the thick of it. Along the way, the bank kept growing by pulling others into the fold. Gulf National Bank merged with First National in July 1919.

Texas National Bank followed in April 1932. And then, in October 1961, First National Bank and Security State Bank consolidated to become First Security National Bank. New name, old roots.

When 1964 arrived, First Security National Bank celebrated its diamond anniversary of service to Texans. From a sawmill town to a center of commerce and industry, the largest and oldest bank and financial institution in the Golden Triangle area of Texas. That, right there, is what it looks like when a story and a community grow up together.

What the marker says

Oldest bank between Houston and the Louisiana border. Organized on April 9, 1889, with capital of $100,000, as First National Bank of Beaumont, it was granted National Bank Charter No. 4017. First president was Valentine Wiess, a lumber man. Directors were W. A. Fletcher, John N. Gilbert, John L. Keith, L. P. Ogden, H. Solinsky, V. Wiess and W. Wiess. Fletcher was vice-president, J. P. Alvey, cashier. During the course of its history, other banks to merge with First National were Gulf National Bank in July 1919 and Texas National Bank in April 1932. The First National Bank and the Security State Bank were consolidated in October 1961 as First Security National Bank, which celebrated in 1964 its diamond anniversary of service to Texans. Activities of this financial institution have been interwoven with the growth of the community from a sawmill town of 3,200 people to a center of commerce and industry. Its corporate annals reflect participation in the great Spindletop oil boom, in the opening of the Sabine-Neches Ship Channel, and in development of the rice industry. Now the largest and oldest bank and financial institution in Golden Triangle area of Texas.