The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-07-23
First National Bank.

This splendid financial institution was
first started as the Benton County bank,
June Fl, 1887, by M. S. Woodcock. 1t
was succeeded by the First National
bank, organized under the national
banking system, which opened business
on May 26, 1890. The officers and di-
rectors are: M. S. Woodcock, presi-
dent; {. E. Moor, vice-president; Wal
ter Wiles, cashier; George E. Lilly,
assistant cashier; and John Wiles, di-
rector. The other stockholders are
John Foster, estate of ]. B. Lee, Peter
Rickard and Martha Peet Nearly all
the officers, directors and stockholders
of the bank are early pioneers OF Ore
gon or native sons of the state, who
have witnessed much of the transforma-
ton of our now beautiful state, from its
condition of uncultivated and unim-
proved lands, with its wild grasses and
grains and heavy forests of trees, to its
present condition of Improvement and
advancement. John Wiles arrived in
Oregon in I847, young man, and
settled on the farm which is his present
home, near Wells, this county He
has been pre-eminently successful as an
|agriculturist. c. E. Moor arrived in
Oregon in 1851, settling first in Polk
county, near Dallas, on his donation
land claim. He taught school success
fully and ably served that county as
county judge. He conducted his farm
on business and profitable methods.
Later he purchased his present farm in
this county, where he has since been an
honored citizen. He was postmaster of
Corvallis under the Harrison admins
tration. George E. Lilly was born on
a farm near Corvallis, in 1862. and con-
tinued there, except during the time
he attended college, until he entered the
service of the bank, about six years ago.
Walter T. Wiles was born near Wells,
on his fathers farm, in 1860, and was a
successful farmer for several years. He
was afterward with Foshay & Mason,
druggists, at Albany, and began his
connection with the bank in 1890. Nj.
is. Woodcock, to whose excellent man
agement the bank owes its present
splendid condition, is man of unusual
iy good business judgment, prudent and
careful in all matters. He crossed the
plains with his parents in 1853, locating
in Lane county, Oregon. He removed
| to Monroe, this county, in 1850, and in
1879 came to Corvallis He was in the
hardware business for several years
and at one time owned and edited the
Corvallis Gazette. He was admitted to
Tie OItSOil DdT III 1878, dHu cIlSdSeQ III
active practice for IL years. John Fos-
ter crossed the plains, arriving in Ore
gon in I845, settling on his donation
land claim in this county, south of Cor
wallis. He engaged in stock raising
and farming on large scale, and is one
of our weather. citizens. A sketch of
Mr. Rickard appears elsewhere. Most
of the gentlemen started with nothing
but their bare hands and willingness to
work. Their present prosperous condi-
ton has been brought about by their
constantly applied industry, skill and
perseverance, and their determination to
be busy at some useful line of work.
The banks last report to the comptrol-
ler of currency showed the amount OF
deposits to be $I55,233 6I. The lawful
money reserve in bank was $5I ,4oS 55,
and it had in other banks, cash items,
ETC., $5o,734 os. The loans and dis
counts footed UP $ooo74 OF; stocks, etc,
$o4, ,666 AZ, while the clearinghouse,
furniture and fixtures amounted to
$I4,3I3 IS. These figures exhibit the
safe and conservative methods of the
institution The bank is remodeling its
large building on the corner of Madison
and Second streets, and will this fall
occupy as handsome and convenient
quarters as any bank in the valley.