The Comanche National Bank

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. The Comanche National Bank. Now that's a name that carries some weight out here in Comanche County, and the story behind it goes all the way back to December of 1889.

That's when a man named John B. Chilton gathered some local businessmen up in his second-floor downtown living quarters, and right there in those rooms, they organized a bank. Fifty thousand dollars in beginning capital.

A board of directors elected on the spot. And when they picked their officers, Chilton himself took the president's chair. T.J.

Holmsley stepped in as Vice President. W.B. Cunningham took the cashier's post, and R.V.

Neely came in as Assistant Cashier. Not a bad night's work for a meeting above a downtown street. The bank opened to the public in March of 1890, and it saw immediate success.

Comanche was poised for economic growth, the marker says, and the early 1890s proved that right. The railroad arrived in 1891. That same year, the county constructed a new courthouse.

And also in 1891, the bank directors bought the lot on the southwest corner of the courthouse square and put up a building that would serve the bank's operations for the better part of eight decades, all the way until 1969. Now, Holmsley followed Chilton as bank president, from 1891 until 1901. Then Chilton came back.

And he didn't just come back for a visit. He served for the next thirty-two years, right up until his death in 1933. That's the kind of man who builds an institution.

William C. Chilton then took the presidency and served until retiring in 1959. With a change in control that same year, Dr.

J.C. Terrell was elected chairman of the board of directors. He served until his death in 1980, and during his tenure the bank kept moving forward.

Jack W. Moore served as president from 1960 to 1972. Reginald K.

Waggoner carried it from 1973 to 1979. Together they helped the institution weather economic downturns and prosper during periods of growth. Since 1987, the Comanche National Bank has been located at this very site, still serving the community, still standing as a significant part of Comanche's business history.

From a second-floor meeting room in 1889 to right here, right now. Some things in Texas are built to last.

What the marker says

The Comanche National Bank The Comanche National Bank was organized in December 1889 with beginning capital of $50,000. The primary organizer was John B. Chilton, who met with other local businessmen in his second-floor downtown living quarters to establish the bank and elect a board of directors. The first elected officers were J.B. Chilton, President; T.J. Holmsley, Vice President; W.B. Cunningham, Cashier; and R.V. Neely, Assistant Cashier. Opened to the public in March 1890, the Comanche National Bank saw immediate success, as Comanche was poised for economic growth by the early 1890s. The railroad arrived in 1891, the same year in which the county constructed a new courthouse. Also in 1891, the bank directors purchased the lot on the southwest corner of the courthouse square and constructed a building that served the bank's operations until 1969. T.J. Holmsley followed J.B. Chilton as bank president from 1891 until 1901. Chilton returned and served for the next 32 years, until his death in 1933. William C. Chilton then became president and served until retiring in 1959. With a change in control, Dr. J.C. Terrell was elected chairman of the bank's board of directors in 1959. He served until his death in 1980. During his tenure, presidents Jack W. Moore, from 1960 to 1972, and Reginald K. Waggoner, from 1973 to 1979, continued to provide strong leadership that helped the financial institution weather economic downturns and prosper during periods of growth. Located at this site since 1987, Comanche National Bank continues to serve the community as a significant part of Comanche's business history. (2004)