The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-04-06

This week the First National bank
of Missoula celebrates it's fortieth
birthday anniversary. The original
charter under which the First National
operates, through the several renewals
which have been made under the terms
of the banking law, was issued April
II, 1873. This charter was issued to
the "Missoula National bank" which
was the first name of the organization.
Though the name of the institution was
changed in 1889, the organization has
been continuous. This makes the
First National the oldest national bank
in Montana.
On this account, especially, the birth
day anniversary which will be cele-
bated next Saturday is a noteworthy
occasion. But from this seniority in
age, the great Influence which the First
National has welded in the develop
ment of western Montana entities it to
the congratulations which will be
showered upon it from bankers and
business men and farmers in this re-
gion and in other parts Of the state.
The First National bank and the men
who AVE been connected with it
since it's establishment are intimately
identified with he progress of Mis-
soula and the country about it. The
name of the institution and the men
who ave directed it's destinies will he.
found in every mention of the steps of
western Montana's progress.
For -four decades this bank and its
people have been enlisted in the fur
therance of projects which have been
made for the good of the state. The
record of the institution is the record
of the growth of western Montana.
The w have been ~inseparably allied
from the start. The pioneer banking
institution in Missoula, the First Ma
tional is the parent of others of the
city's financial houses, formed as the
business of the city grew sufficiently
to demand a multiplication of the
banks.
And it is interesting to note that this,
the oldest of the national banks of the
state, is one of the. first ten banking
institutions in Montana. 1t has grown
with the city. 1t has kept pace with
the needs of the country which has
witnessed such marvellous changes dur
ing he forty years Of history which
have been written since that old char
ter was granted in 1873.
The first home of the old bank vas
in a modest building on West Main
street; temporary quarters had been in
the rear of Worden & Co.'S store. 1t
now occupies one of the handsomest
banking rooms in the northwest; it's
building is one Of the most substantial
in M%issoula; it's location is in the heart
of the city's business life.
Associated with the history of the
First National bank are the names Of
some of the b~est-known of the men
who have builded the northwest. The
first stockholders were: c. P. Higgins,
Dan J. WEIGH, A. G. England, John r.
Higgins, James p. Re1nhard, Frank l..
Worden, Hiram Knowles, Sam r.
Hauser, Daniel C. Corbin, F'erd Ken
nett.
In the list are the names of the men
who founded Missoula, Frank L.. Wor-
den and Captain Higgins. Their as
soclates were men whose names are
connected with the business and COM
mercial history of Montana-and even
of a wider range of territory than that.
Some of these names appear upon the
brightest pages of Montana history.
Later in the history of the bank APP
pear the m of G. A.. Wolf A. B.
Hammond, E.. l.. Bonner, r. L. Eddy
j. NJ. Keith, Marcus DAILY, r.. l.. Green
ough, c. H. Mcleod and T. C. Marshall.
Succeeding them are the names of the
men who are now actively connected
with the administration of the banks
affairs.
The first directors of the bank, then
the M%issoula National, We're: c. p.
Higgins, D. j. Weleh, A, G. England,
F. 1. Worden, j.. P. Reinhard. S. T.
Hauser and Hiram Knowles. The first
officers We're: President. c. p. Hig-
gins; vice president, D. J. WEIGH;
cashier, Ferd Kenneth.
1t is a far cry from the modest be-
ginning of the institution, with it's cap
ital of $4,000, it's humble quarters and
its rural surroundings, to the present
influential organization with a capital
of $1,000 00, a modern building and the
environment of an active, progressive
city. The steps which nave marked
this progress are the steps of the de-
Velopmsnt of a city out of a village, a
great agricultural empire out Of a com
paratiye wilderness and an industrial