Evening star., 1922-10-06
Succeeds Albert F. Fox as
Columbia National Bank
President.
LAUD CAREER OF Mr.. FOX
One of Outstanding Banking Of
ficials of City-0ther New Of
ficers Are Named.

five years. The board accepted Mr.
Fox's resignation with regret.
ANY one assuming a position as
usual honor" declared Mr.. Messer to-
day, voicing. the opinion of all those
who have been privileged to be as
sociated with Mr.. Fox during his long
business and banking career In Wash
ington.
Assumes Duties October Ii.
Mr.. Messer. who is president Of the
James A. Messer Company, Inc, 10th
street and Pennsylvania avenue north
west, will automatically become head
OF the Columbia National Bank at the
close of business October II. Charles
b. Bailey. vice president. also will re-
tire at that time. after faithful serv-
ice of fourteen years.
Frank j. Stryker. at present assist
ant cashier of the Federal National
Bank and recently elected cashier of
the consolidated Federal-American
National Bank, will succeed Mr.. Bal
ley. Walter b. Guy was elected at
torney.
The resignation of Mr.. Fox as pres
ident of the Columbia National Bank
removes from the head of that in
stitution one of the outstanding
banking figures in Washington, al
though he will remain in close touch
with the institution as a member of
the board of directors.
Long Career.
Mr.. Fox came to the District of
Columbia July 10. 1863. and since
that date has been closely connected
with the real estate and banking
business of the National Capital. AT
the same time he has a record in
church and fraternal work which is
believed scarcely eQualled by any
o:!er man in Washington today.
Fir. Fox believes in the gospel OF
hard work. Work. properly carried
and points to his own health at the
age Of seventy-seVen years. He has
not a gray hair in his head and
never has taken any physical cul-
ture exercises. he says. His work
keeps him healthy.
Born in York County.
He was born in York county: Pa.
December %, 1916. Work on the
farm gave him a rugged foundation
of health.
He became clerk in the real es-
tate office of the late James F.
Kelley. located on Sth street be-
tween I and X streets. He remained
with Mr.. Kelley until 1876. when he
started in the real estate business
forty-two and a half years.
During that long period he saw the
end of the civil war initiate real estate
prices here. and he saw the panic of
1873 drop them down again He has
been living at 16 Grant place since
1881. He left the business January l.
1906.
One of Bank Organizers.
Mr.. Fox was one of the organizers
ToJ, hi Nosf Do j.,
1887, as he was later one of the found
ers Of the Washington Loan and
Trust Company and of the Equitable
Building Association. He was vice
president of the Columbia Bank for
five years. assuming the office of pres
ident Of the institution July /. 1897,
having been elected to that position
by the board several weeks previous
to his assuming the office.
He has been president of the Ma
tional Union Fire Insurance Company
for the past twenty years, and will
devote himself wholly to
his duties as head of that organiza-
tion.
Active Church Worker.
For the past twenty years Mr. Fox
has been president of the official board
Of St. Paurs Lutheran Church. where
he holds the record of having been
a member Of the Sunday school for
fifty-nine years. He has been treas
urer of the Sunday school there for
half century. He is also a treas
urer of the Lutheran Home for the
Aged, which position he has held for
the past eleven years.
Mr.. Fox became a master Mason fifty
one years ago. He is member of
La Fayette Lodge. No. 10, F. A. A. NJ.
He was master of that lodge forty
three years ago. He has been treasurer
Of the lodge for forty years. He is a
former high priest of La Fayette Chap
ter of Royal Arch Masons of which he
has been treasurer for thirty-f1ve years.
On July IL next he will celebrate his
fftieth year as a member Of Wash
ington Commandery. X. T.
AS a member OF the Washington
Board Of Trade. he has always taken
an active interest in all matters per-
tanning to the welfare and Identification
Of the National Capital.
Entered Plumbing Business.
Mr.. Messer came to the District of
Columbia in 1898 and entered the
business as a bookkeeper
His rise in the business and banking
world has followed his strict applica-
ton to business, and his personality,
which has won for him scores of
friends in the National Capital He is
a member of many trade bodies and
in some of them is one of the Of
fcials.
His business ability won for him
grades until he now is president of
the James A. Messer Company. 10th
street and Pennsylvania avenue
He Is a thirty-second de-
gree Mason. Scottish Rite, being a
of Temple-Noyes Lodge, No.
80, F. A. A. NJ. He is a member Of the
Washington Board Of Trade. Wash
ington Association Of Credit Men,
in the Eastern Supply Asso-
citation of New York city, member of
the National Pipe and Supply Associa-
tion Of Pittsburgh, City Club, Kiwanis
Club, st. Andrews Society, Royal Or
der of Scotland. Gavel Club and vice
the Central Presbyterian Church.
II Years. Banking Experience.
Mr.. Stryker. who will assume the
position of vice president and cashier
of the Columbia National Bank. has
been in the banking business for
city and educated in the Washington
public schools. He has been in the
business during practically
the entire time since he left school
He is the son of Francis B. Stryker,
one-time prominent architect here,
and is a brother Of Burdette stryker.
general manager of the Chesapeake
and Potomac Telephone Company.
He first entered the banking busi-
ness with the Commercial National
Bank as secretary to George w.
White and was subsequently secre-
tary to John Poole, then cashier of
the Commercial National Bank. When
the Federal National Bank was or
ganixed Mr.. Stryker went with Mr..
Poole as his secretary and later be-
came note teller and then assistant
cashier.
When the Federal recently was