The Barnsdall State Bank was the successor to the Bank of Commerce in Barnsdall. On December 7, 1925, through a telegram received from O. M. Motherhead, Bank Commissioner, the Barnsdall State Bank was given authority to open it's business in a two story building at the corner of 5th and Main. On December 22, 1925 the first meeting of the board of directors was held with L.F. Roberts - president, John Kennedy - secretary, Sam Ingram-director in attendance. Changes in the bank officers came frequently in the next few years. Sam Ingram was elected president in July, 1926, Roberts became vice-president and Kennedy remained secretary. By January of 1928, John Kennedy had become president, Fred Kennedy became lead cashier and N. R. Hutchison became cashier. John Kennedy was re-elected in 1936 as president, N. R. Hutchison was elected vice-president, lead cashier and managing officer. During January of 1941, John Kennedy was elected chairman of the board. N. R. Hutchison was elected president and C. A. McKibben was named lead cashier.
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1928 Barnsdall State Bank employees: L-R, John Kennedy-president, N. H. Hutchison-cashier, Fred Kennedy-lead cashier.
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John Kennedy sold his controlling interest in the bank in July 1959 and a special stockholders meeting was set up in August of that year. New directors were elected and Matthew J. Kane of Pawhuska, H.T, Stoabs, J. Fred Stoabs Jr. and A. L. Moore of Barnsdall became board members. H.T. Stoabs was president from 1962 until 1969 when he became chairman of the board. Joe Edgington, a cashier from November 1960 became president in 1969. Also in 1969, Robert L. Fowler joined the bank as a cashier and member of the board of directors.
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| Barnsdall State Bank around 1931 at the corner of 5th and Main. |
By July 1971, a new bank had been built at the corner of 4th and Main to house the Barnsdall State Bank. In December 1973, Joe Edgington, president of the bank died. Robert L. Fowler was named his successor in January 1974.
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Barnsdall State Bank 1971
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Robert L. Fowler remained president of the bank until his retirement. He died in September 2008. The Barnsdall State Bank was acquired by Osage Federal Bank out of Pawhuska, Oklahoma and operates as such to this day.
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| In operation since 1925 the Barnsdall State Bank has seen many changes including the acquisition by Osage Federal Bank of Pawhuska, Ok. This is the bank as it looks in 2012 on the corner of 4th and Main. |
Hi: I am - through adoption - the great grandson of one of the founders (Aciel E. Selby) of the Bank of Commerce - the predecessor to the Barnsdall State Bank which was in existence from December 1925 (having taken over from the failed Bank of Commerce) through 2008 (when it was taken over by the Osage Federal Bank).
ReplyDeleteI can add a little bit of history here and I am hoping that you or someone can add more. My great grandfather died in May 1925 while in the "mezzanine" (2nd floor?) of the Bank of Commerce in its original location. He was a great businessman and entrepreneur in the area, having lived in nearby Nelalgoney, OK. In fact, Aciel owned the Selby Hotel, a general store, and farm / ranch land in Nelagoney. The Bank of Commerce of Barnsdall was originally the First State Bank in Nelagoney before Aciel moved it to Barnsdall for unknown reasons circa 1924. After Aciel died, the town of Nelagoney slowly faded away into a handful of ranch homes and abandoned structures as it is today. Many of Aciel's brothers and sisters and other family lived with him in Nelagoney and in nearby Barnsdall and many of their descendents continued as residents - some of them perhaps into today.
I am searching for more information on his life and his businesses and would appreciate anything that you or anyone else might have. In turn, I will share whatever I have as his story and that of Osage County during this period has captivated me.
Thanks, Don Hagstrom .......... I can be reached at e-mail don_002@yahoo.com