Farmers National to Observe 50th Anniversary
Many Prominent Citizens Figured In It’s History
Forney Herald
Friday, 14 April 1939, Page 1
From the time George W. Voiers announced to a group of farmers on the front gallery of the old F.M. Adams Drug Store that enough money had been subscribed to organize a bank for Forney until the golden anniversary year of 1939, persons connected with the Farmers National Bank throughout the years have made local and state history.
Captain W.H. Gaston, first president and his corps of able directors in 1889, Royal A. Ferris, C.M. Dobbs, T.H. Dailey and Mr. Voiers, were able financiers. Mr. Voiers, an engineer aiding in the construction of the Texas & Pacific Railway, did not confine his banking business to Forney. He organized the First National bank at Kaufman. Mr. Ferris and Mr. Gaston made their homes in Dallas and helped to build that town into the metropolitan city of today. The beautiful fountain decorated with many colored lights in front of the Union Terminal in Dallas was given to that city by Mr. Ferris. Mr. Dailey was a prominent druggist of Forney and served on the school board.
George T. Bondies, D.G. McKellar and Wm. Burgett, the man who did banking business from his pocket before there were banks, were big land owners, the Bondies league of land being known for its valuable hay crops.
Mr. McKellar was vice-president of the National Bank of Forney in 1896-97 and was one of the officers and directors of the City National Bank which was organized in 1902.
Bonner Alexander, director from 1893-1909 served on the board with Tom Layden, J.K. Brooks, and his brother, W.A. Brooks, all four big land owners.
M. Spellman, J.M. Davis, Jr., T.J. Pinson, prosperous farmers became directors when the National Bank became the Farmers National in March 1909. Grover G. Fix, in the hay and grain business in Forney, is in the grain business in Dallas – O.J. Ledbetter, whose son is the new manager of the Forney Cooperative Gin has been an energetic farmer. B.B. Hulsey, on the board from 1924 to 1930, is general manager of the East Texas Cotton Oil Co. M.P. Layden, a farmer and landowner, was born on Irish Ridge, and spent his life in and near Forney.
W.A. Brooks, Jr., C.C. Jordan, George R. Jordan, C.F. O’Donnell, M.M. Layden, and Gordon T. West are among Texas most prominent citizens today. Mr. Brooks, president of the Farmers National Bank, is vice-president and general manager of the Farmers and Merchants Compress and Warehouse Co., of Dallas. C.C. Jordan, George R. Jordan and C.F. O’Donnell are connected with widely known insurance companies, and Gordon T. West is in the oil business. Mr. Layden is in the real estate business in Dallas.
