State National Bank, Texarkana, AR (Charter 7138)
State National Bank, Texarkana, AR (Chartered 1904 - Closed (Merger) 1998)
Town History
Texarkana is a city in the U.S. state of Arkansas and the county seat of Miller County, on the southwest border of the state. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 29,387. The city is located across the state line from its twin city of Texarkana, Texas. The city was founded at a railroad intersection on December 8, 1873, and was incorporated in Arkansas on August 10, 1880. Texarkana and its Texas counterpart are the principal cities of the Texarkana metropolitan area, which in 2021 was ranked 289th in the United States with a population of 147,174, according to the United States Census Bureau. In 1900 the population was 4,914, growing to 10,764 by 1930.
Within the Ark-La-Tex sub-region of southwest Arkansas, Texarkana is located in the Piney Woods, an oak–hickory forest that dominates the flat Gulf Coastal Plain. Texarkana's economy is based on agriculture. The city has long been a trading center, first located at the intersection of major railroads serving Texas, Arkansas and north into Missouri. Since then three major Interstate highways constructed crossroads here: Interstate 30 (I-30), I-49, and the future I-69. Outdoor tourism, such as fishing at Lake Millwood and related activities, is important economically in the region. The Red River Army Depot & Tenants comprise the largest single employer in the city.
Miller County was formed in 1820 in the Arkansas Territory; it was named in honor of James Miller, Arkansas' first territorial governor and a general during the War of 1812. Much of its eastern border is formed by the Red River. At the time, there was considerable uncertainty among Americans as to the location of the boundary between the county (and the United States) and national territory of Mexico. (Mexico then included Texas).
Consequently, settlers believed that Arkansas levied and collected taxes on land that eventually might be held by Mexico. Moreover, many who resented what they considered Mexican oppression of European-American Texans were openly declaring allegiance to the Texans. After the Texas Republic gained independence from Mexico, regional unrest increased. In 1838, Governor James Conway proposed that the "easiest and most effective remedy is the abolition of Miller County to an area which is more patriotic." Miller County was dissolved and its land was made part of Lafayette County, Arkansas.
In 1873 town lots were sold in Texarkana, Arkansas, at the intersection of two railroads, which stimulated its growth as a trading center. In this area and time period, railroads had replaced rivers as the preferred method of transportation and shipping, and new towns were sited for best advantage via the railroad. The next year (1874), Texarkana, Texas, was founded on the rail line on June 12 across the state border.
That same year, the Arkansas legislature re-established Miller County. Efforts of the young town in Arkansas to be incorporated were not realized until October 17, 1880, nearly seven years after Texarkana, Texas, was formed. Both Texarkana cities generally recognize December 8, 1873, as the date of organization.
Texarkana, Arkansas had two National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and both of those banks issued National Bank Notes. Texarkana, Texas had four National Banks and all of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized February 2, 1904
- Chartered February 13, 1904
- Succeeded State Bank of Texarkana
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Merged into Regions Bank in Birmingham, AL, August 27, 1998
On February 13, 1904, the comptroller of the currency authorized the State National Bank of Texarkana, Ark. to begin business. The capital stock was $100,000 and E.K. Smith was the cashier.
In May 1909, E.K. Smith, vice president and manager of the State National Bank and State Savings and Trust Company, accepted the position of vice president and manager of the Commercial National Bank of Shreveport. He would continue with his holdings in the banks in Texarkana, but would make Shreveport his home and begin his new work starting July 1st.
In December 1909, William Miller & Sons, contractors, secured the contract to complete the new statehouse in Little Rock. The company built the State National Bank building at Texarkana.
On Saturday, February 23, 1918, the purchase by E.A. Frost, president of the Frost-Johnson Lumber Company, of the entire interest in the concern of C.D. Johnson of St. Louis, its first vice president, and the retirement of Mr. Johnson from the lumber business became known in Shreveport. Mr. Frost also acquired Mr. Johnson's stock in the Union Saw Mill Co. for an undisclosed amount. The Frost-Johnson Lumber Co. had capital stock of $6 million and offices in St. Louis and Shreveport, operating six big mills, two at Huttig, Ark., and one each at Montrose, Mansfield and Campti, Louisiana, and Nacogdoches, Texas. The firm's name would remain unchanged. Mr. Frost was the president of the State National Bank of Texarkana, Ark. and president of the Merchants Building Co., owner of Shreveport's newest skyscraper. He was a director in the Southern Pine Association.
In February 1994, shareholders of First Commercial Corp., parent company of Tyler Bank & Trust NA, and State First Financial Corp., Texarkana, approved a merger agreement. FCC shareholders approved the transaction at a Feb. 28 special meeting while State First shareholders approved the proposal on Feb. 25. The transaction was expected to close March 10. State First was the parent of State First National Bank of Texarkana, Ark.; American National Bank of Texarkana, Texas; First National Bank of Nashville, Ark.; First National Bank of Ashdown, Ark.; and Atlanta National Bank of Atlanta, Texas. State First also had an agreement to acquire First National Bank of New Boston, Texas. Upon completion of the FCC-State First transaction and State First's completion of the New Boston acquisition, FCC's total number of affiliate banks would be 21, 12 of which were in Arkansas, seven in Texas, one in Tennessee and one in Oklahoma. FCC's total assets would increase to approximately $4.3 billion. State First stockholders would receive 1.9240 shares of First Commercial stock for each share of stock in the Texarkana company making the deal worth about $110 million. State First would become a subsidiary of First Commercial. Worthen Banking Corp. was Arkansas' largest bank holding company with $3.6 billion in assets.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The State National Bank of Texarkana, AR
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $3,517,600 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1904 and 1998. This consisted of a total of 287,016 notes (184,576 large size and 102,440 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 1440 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 12200 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 12201 - 44704 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 13280 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 2950 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 4160 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 900
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1904 - 1998):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
- Edmund Kirby Smith, 1904-1908
- Robert Lee Dalby, 1909-1909
- Joseph Stuart Wilson, 1911-1919
- William Barr Oglesby, 1920-1935
Other Known Bank Note Signers
- No other known bank note signers for this bank
Bank Note History Links
Sources
- Texarkana, AR, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texarkana,_Arkansas
- Don C. Kelly, National Bank Notes, A Guide with Prices. 6th Edition (Oxford, OH: The Paper Money Institute, 2008).
- Dean Oakes and John Hickman, Standard Catalog of National Bank Notes. 2nd Edition (Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1990).
- Banks & Bankers Historical Database (1782-1935), https://spmc.org/bank-note-history-project
- Daily Arkansas Gazette, Little Rock, AR, Tue., Feb. 16, 1904.
- Arkansas Democrat, Little Rock, AR, Mon. May 24, 1909.
- Arkansas Democrat, Little Rock, AR, Thu., Dec. 9, 1909.
- The Shreveport Journal, Shreveport, LA, Sat., Feb. 23, 1918.
- The Tyler Courier-Times, Tyler, TX, Sun., Mar. 6, 1994.
- Longview News-Journal, Longview, TX, Thu., Mar. 3, 1994.