The present First National Bank of El Paso was organized as the National Bank of El Paso in 1883. The old bank of El Paso owned by P. H. Tompkins, failed in April of that year and steps were taken within a few days to start the present bank. Many offers of aid and money were made by outside parties but the intention from the start was to make this a home bank, owned, organized and managed by home men and in this the promoters finally succeeded, though for a time it looked as if the necessary subscriptions could not be had. The stock was offered to almost every prominent business man or capitalist in or near El Paso. Many who had lost so heavily in the Tompkins failure did not feel able to subscribe and a few looked at the organization with doubting eyes. A. S. McKinney, Dr. Cole, C. Schafer, J. M. Dunn, George Thorpe, W. A. Johnston, Dr. J. Q. Adams, J. Gilmore, David Evans, W. H. McClelan were among the more prominent of the backers and promoters of the new concern but probably to S. T. Rogers was due more than to any other one person the success of its organization. He had for years believed that an organization of this kind might be carried forward to success even with the old bank in the field and its failure gave the opportunity which was eagerly seized and the National bank of El Paso was the fulfillment of his dream.

The capital of the new bank was fixed at $50,000 and is still that figure though a surplus fund has been gradually accumulated and is practically working capital. The original list of subscribers as recorded on organization day was as follows: A. S. McKinney, J. Q. Adams, F. Cole, W. H. McClelan, Walter Bennett, W. A. Johnston, J. M. Dunn, Andrew Johnson, John Ellis, Sr., W. M. Jenkins, David Evans, August Strathman, H. L. McOmber, Henry Greiner, J. S. Hammers, J. Gilmore, S. W. Myers, C. Schafer, J. W. Slocum, J. I. Kerr, J. L. Boner, Mrs. B. Thompson, M. V. Rogers, Reinhold Punke, R. Schofield, E. A. Gardner, C. M. Clute, F. B. Stitt, Geo. Hanthorn, J. B. Swartz, Robert Hitch, George Thorpe and J. L. Patton. A number of changes in
the personnel of that list has been made, but the great majority of the stock still remains in the hands of the original subscribers or their families. So closely is the stock held that in the past five years only one actual transfer of the stock--involving ten shares--has been made, all other transfers having been made on some family agreement or arrangement.

F. B. STITT, CASHIER.
 

The organization was completed in June, 1883, and the required payments on the capital made early in July. On July 10 the Comptroller of the Currency issued the charter and the next day the bank was opened for business with A. S. McKinney, president; J. Q. Adams, vice-president; S. T. Rogers, cashier, and Chas. Cockel, bookkeeper. Cockel was employed for two months only to open the books and start the clerical part of the work and his place was taken by F. B. Stitt, who has remained with the

(Continued on page 91.)
 
 

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