USA > New Mexico > History of New Mexico : its resources and people, Volume I > Part 60
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In 1889 Mr. Carter was married to Miss May Allen, a native of Iowa, and they have one daughter, Ruth. From his boyhood days he has been a member of the Episcopal church and has served as vestryman in Silver City. He has also been town treasurer for seven years and is interested in those public measures and movements which are justly a matter of civic pride and civic virtue.
The American National Bank of Silver City is the latest financial insti- tution to be organized in New Mexico, It was incorporated March 2,
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1906, with a capital stock of $50,000, and opened its doors for business a few days later. J. B. Herndon, cashier of the State National Bank of Albu- querque, was the prime mover in its organization. The first directors were C. C. Shoemaker, R. M. Turner, Arthur S. Goodell, T. M. Jones, A. F. Lee, A. F. Kerr and J. B. Herndon. C. C. Shoemaker was elected president, R. M. Turner and J. B. Herndon, vice-presidents, and A. F. Kerr, cashier.
The first banking institution to be organized in Doña Ana county was the Doña Ana County Bank of Las Cruces, which was incorporated under the laws of New Mexico in 1881 by A. H. Raynolds and others, Mr. Ray- nolds being the head of the institution. He sold his interest to D. M. and J. M. Evans, who conducted the bank under the name of Evans Brothers until 1883, when they made an assignment.
In that year H. D. Bowman, who was then engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Las Cruces, purchased the fixtures of the old bank, and in 1884, in company with his father, George D. Bowman, and his brother. George R. Bowman, began accepting deposits for the accommo- dation of the business men of Las Cruces. A few weeks later the firm of George D. Bowman & Sons, bankers, was regularly organized for the transaction of a general banking business. This association continued until 1894, when H. D. Bowman purchased the interest of his brother, the busi- ness being thereafter continued under the name of George D. Bowman & Son until 1903, when H. D. Bowman purchased from the heirs the interest of his father, who had died in 1902. H. D. Bowman is now the sole owner of the business, which was incorporated under an act of 1899, and which is conducted under the style of Bowman's Bank. For twenty-one years this was the only bank in Doña Ana county.
George D. Bowman, for many years the head of this concern, was born in Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, March 11, 1827, and was descended from old English stock, the family having been founded in Boston in 1630. His paternal grandfather, Ebenezer Bowman, served in the Revolution, par- ticipating in the Battle of Lexington. He finally removed to Wilkesbarre, where he practiced law until his death in 1830. His son, James Watson Bowman, father of George D., was a graduate of Harvard and a lawyer of note in Pennsylvania. George D. Bowman removed to Minnesota in 1850, soon afterward becoming editor of the St. Anthony Express. He gave the city of Minneapolis its name. He afterward conducted influential newspapers in Pennsylvania until 1876, when President Grant appointed him first register of the Mesilla land office, now the Las Cruces land office. He was reappointed by President Hayes, serving in all eight years. In the meantime he and his son, H. D., established themselves in the real estate and insurance business, George R. Bowman becoming clerk of the district court. Mr. Bowman was a stanch Republican and active in the Episcopal church, in which he served as warden. H. D. Bowman has served continu- ously for nine years as receiver of the land office at Las Cruces, in connec- tion with his banking interests. He is known as one of the most sagacious financiers of the Territory.
The first banks to start in business in Raton enjoyed a comparatively brief career. The Citizens' National and the Bank of Marcy, Geer & McCarn consolidated in the early '8os and continued business until July 1, 1904, when the concern was sold to the First National Bank, which was char- tered April 26, 1892. The present bank was organized by C. N. Blackwell,
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with a capital stock of $50,000, paid in, and was opened for business May I, 1892. The capital stock was increased to $75,000 July 1, 1900; and again increased to $100,000 July 1, 1904, to enable it to purchase the busi- ness and assets of the Citizens' National. At that time it was moved into its present commodious quarters. When the bank was organized Captain William M. Eads was made president and C. N. Blackwell, cashier ; a few years later Captain Eads was succeeded by Charles Springer, who was succeeded by Henry Goke, who has continued to act as president since that date. The directors are Mr. Goke, Mr. Blackwell. John Jelfs, the vice- president ; William T. Degner, John Van Houten, A. G. Dawson and James. K. Hunt.
Christopher N. Blackwell, cashier of the First National Bank of Raton, New Mexico, was born in Carroll county, Missouri, April 20, 1847, son of A. C. and Eliza Ann (Earickson) Blackwell, of that state. After receiving a common school education young Blackwell entered the employ of Chick, Browne & Co., in a wholesale and forwarding business, first being located at Kit Carson, Colorado, in 1873. In 1879 he came to New Mexico. After being with the firm of Chick, Browne & Co., which was succeeded by Browne & Manzenares Co., for twenty years, he severed his connection with them to engage in banking, and helped organize the San Miguel National Bank of Las Vegas. In 1892 he organized the First National Bank of Raton, and was elected cashier, and has continued to hold that posi- tion.
Mr. Blackwell was initiated into the mysteries of the ancient and hon- ored order of Masonry in Missouri in 1870. In 1881, while a resident of Socorro, lie assisted in the organization of Socorro Lodge No. 9, A. F. and A. M. He was elected grand master in 1886 and grand commander, K. T., in 1903. He is a charter member of Ballut Abyad Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Albuquerque. Also, Mr. Blackwell is prominent and active in church work, being a trustee and treasurer of the Presbyterian church of Raton.
He was married January 22, 1879, to Miss Ruth A. Browne, daughter of Lawrence P. Browne, of Las Vegas, and they have two children-Eliza- beth and Marion.
The first banking house to be established in Socorro was organized in 1881, and was known as the Socorro County Bank. It was a private enterprise, and closed its doors in 1889.
In February, 1882, John W. Terry founded the First National Bank under sanction of the federal authorities. This bank also had a brief career. After the closing of this institution a Mr. Moore started the Bank of Socorro, which likewise enjoyed but a brief run. In 1890 the mer- cantile firm of Browne & Manzanares established a private bank in con- nection with their general store, afterward converting it into a national bank. It was not successful, the stockholders being compelled to pay off the depositors when it closed its doors. Contemporaneous with the latter was the Socorro National Bank, which failed a few years after it began operations. Soon afterward J. M. Tyler started a private bank, which closed about a year later. For several vears Price Brothers, general mer- chants, have conducted a private bank in connection with their store. In February, 1906, Joseph Price obtained a charter and established a new bank, which is now the sole financial institution in Socorro. It is the
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Socorro State Bank, which was incorporated April 5, 1906, with Joseph Price as president, C. T. Brown as vice-president and Edward L. Price as cashier. The bank was chartered under the laws of New Mexico with a capital stock of $30,000. Beside the officers named the directors are James G. Fitch and M. Loewenstein. Joseph Price, the president of the bank, located in Socorro in 1880, and with his brother, Morris Price, now in business in Roswell, established a general mercantile business under the firm style of Pricc Brothers. In 1884 M. Loewenstein was admitted to the firm, the name of which was changed to Price Brothers & Company. January 1, 1906, Joseph Price sold his interest to M. and Leo Loewenstein, who now conduct the business under the style of Loewenstein Brothers. Joseph Price did not become a permanent resident of the Territory until 1887, since which time he has resided in Socorro. In 1888 Morris Price sold his interest in the firm to Joseph Price and retired from the business, leaving the latter and M. Loewenstein as proprietors.
The Bank of Dayton was incorporated under the laws of the Terri- tory October II, 1895, with a capital stock of $30,000 paid in. A. H. Kent of Dayton has charge of the business.
The first banking house in Sierra county was established at Kingston in 1882 by Vincent Wallace. In 1884 he sold his interest to J. W. Zollars and Norman Raff, who continued in business in Kingston until 1890. In 1889 J. W. Zollars and William H. Bucker established the Sierra County Bank at Hillsboro, which is still in operation.
The first banking house in Gallup was established by Lilly in 1892, and was a small private undertaking. It was not successful, there appa- rently being no demand for local banking facilities, and at the end of about six months it was closed.
The Mckinley County Bank, the only other financial establishment of Gallup, was incorporated under the territorial laws of July 7, 1904, by Ed- ward Hart, O. N. Beasley, P. M. Wells and Perry O. Wells, with a capital stock of $30,000. Edward Hart, the first president, was succeeded in that of- fice by C. N. Cotton, the present head of the bank. O. N. Beasley has been cashier since the date of organization.
Edward Hart, a hardware merchant of Gallup and one of the repre- sentative citizens of western New Mexico, came to the Territory in 1883, accompanying to San Miguel county an English corporation known as the Dambmann Cattle Company, which purchased of Campbell & Austin a big cattle ranch at Ticrra Blanca near Liberty. For about a year he acted as secretary for C. F. W. Dambmann, the active head of the corporation, after which he was employed as clerk by Gross, Blackwell & Company in their store at Liberty, where he remained for three years. In 1887 he re- moved to Gallup and became a clerk for Gus Mulholland, then proprietor of a general store. Soon afterward he became Mr. Mulholland's partner. In 1889 he established his present hardware and implement business, which in 1906 he housed in a commodious new concrete stone structure, one of the finest in New Mexico west of Albuquerque.
In July, 1904, Mr. Hart and others organized the Mckinley County Bank, of which he was the first president. Since January, 1906; he has been vice-president. He was chairman of the first board of county com- missioners for Mckinley county, organized in Januarv, 1900; was the first town clerk of Gallup and a member of the first town board. From
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1890 until 1902 he served as United States commissioner and is now United States court commissioner in charge of the public land business in the county.
Mr. Hart was born in Liverpool, England, and in that city, in 1883, was made a Mason. Upon the organization of Lebanon Lodge No. 22, A. F. & A. M., of Gallup, he became a charter member. In 1889 he married Susanna Owen Roberts, also a native of Liverpool. They have two daughters, Ida and Edith. Mr. Hart owns one of the finest homes in Gallup, which he crected.
The National Bank of Carlsbad is the successor to the S. T. Bitting bank, which was incorporated under the laws of the Territory in 1899 by S. T. Bitting and others. In July, 1903, it was reorganized under the federal laws and incorporated as the national bank of Carlsbad with a capital stock of thirty thousand dollars. S. T. Bitting, the chief moving spirit in the enterprise, has been its president since the date of incorpora- tion. It has deposits aggregating about one hundred and twenty-five .thousand dollars. The other officers are Morgan Livingston, vice-president ; H. A. Houser, cashier ; and S. T. Bitting, Morgan Livingston, J. O. Cam- eron, H. A. Houser and E. Hendricks, directors.
Mr. Bitting, the president, has been identified with Eddy county since 1892. For many years before locating permanently in New Mexico he was interested extensively in the cattle industry in Texas. In 1885 he formed a partnership in that business with Samuel B. Smith, a relation that is sustained at the present time. In April, 1892, he engaged in the dry-goods trade in Carlsbad, his business being one of the most important mercantile enterprises in the Pecos valley. In 1901 he sold his business to E. Hendricks and engaged again in the stock industry, devoting his ener- gies in this line principally to Hereford cattle and maintaining about four thousand head on the range in eastern New Mexico and Texas. For ten years he has been connected with the Texas Cattle Raisers' Association. He is regarded as one of the most safe and solid financiers and business men of the Pecos valley.
The First National Bank of Carlsbad was organized in the spring of 1905, with a capital stock of $25,000, which has since been increased to $50,000. H. J. Hammond, the first president, was succeeded by John R. Joyce; C. W. Cowden, the first vice-president, was succeeded by F. G. Tracy; and A. J. Crawford, the first cashier, was succeeded by George M. Cooke. The bank owns the building which it occupies.
The Bank of Roswell was organized by E. A. Cahoon as a territorial institution in 1890, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars. At the time of the opening of the bank there were not more than five hundred people in the entire county, the area of which at that time was much greater than at present, as portions of new counties have been taken from it in later years. The institution became a national bank in September, 1899, under the title of the First National Bank of Roswell, W. H. Godair, of Chicago, being elected president ; A. Pruit, of the firm of Joyce-Pruit, of Roswell, as vice-president ; and Mr. Cahoon was continued in the capacity of cashier. At the time of the conversion of the Bank of Roswell into a national sys- tem the deposits were two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and since that time they have increased to seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, having grown threefold within seven years. The surplus has increased in
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like proportion, being at the present time in round figures one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, or the largest surplus of any bank in New Mexico or Arizona.
The executive officers since its conversion into a national system have remained the same to the present time. The success of the bank can be attributed largely to the ability and force of the cashier, Mr. Cahoon, who has been with the institution since its organization. He was born August 20, 1862, in Lyndon, Caledonia county, Vermont, of which town his an- cestors were the original owners and first settlers, having located there prior to the Revolutionary war, at which time they removed from Provi- dence, Rhode Island. They were related to Roger Williams, and the early representatives of the family in America were likewise among the first settlers of Providence.
Reared in New England, Mr. Cahoon completed his education by graduation from Amherst College, at Amherst, Massachusetts, in the class of 1883, and after spending a year in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he came to New Mexico in November, 1884, and was engaged in the cattle business' in San Miguel and Colfax counties for three years. In July, 1887, he became connected with the Albuquerque National Bank, at Albuquerque, New Mexico, first as collector and afterward as teller. In July, 1890, how- ever, he resigned his position in that institution and organized the Bank of Roswell, in Roswell, New Mexico. This bank he managed and conducted for nine years, when it was nationalized and is now being carried on as the First National Bank of Roswell, of which he is still cashier and manager of all its affairs, while W. H. Godair, of Chicago, is president. This bank has the largest surplus and undivided profits account, in proportion to its capital, in the southwest, and is considered as solvent a bank as any in the country, a fact which is largely due to the efforts, business capacity and thorough understanding of the banking business of its present efficient cashier.
The citizens Bank of Roswell, operating under the laws of New Mexico, was chartered November 15. 1900, and continued to transact busi- ness under the territorial banking laws until April 20, 1903, when it was reorganized and became a national bank, changing its title to Citizens National Bank of Roswell, and opening for business June II, 1903. It has a capital stock of $50,000. and owns the building it occupies. John W. Poe, its president, is widely known as one of the most prudent business men of New Mexico. John Shaw is vice-president, and Nathan Jaffa is cashier.
The name of John W. Poe is a familiar one in New Mexico and he who bears it needs no introduction to the readers of this volume, for his life history is interwoven with the annals of the Territory, and along many lines of activity his efforts have been a beneficial factor for its de- velopment, for commercial prosperity and for the political and legal status of the communities with which he has been identified. His prominence in the development of the southwest has made him a notable figure in this part of the country and at all times he has commanded, merited and en- joyed the respect, confidence and good will of his fellowmen.
A native of Kentucky, Mr. Poe was born in Mason county on the 17th of October, 1850. His education was acquired in the public schools of his native county, his attention being given to the mastery of his studies
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during the winter seasons, while in the summer months he worked at farm labor. Ambitious to make his own way in the world, without the consent of his parents he left home at the age of sixteen years and made his way to Kansas City, Missouri. He subsequently traveled southward to Fort Griffin, Texas, where he arrived in 1872, and since that time he has been continuously connected with the southwest in its various phases of devel- opment, co-operating in many movements and lines of activity that have had direct bearing upon the substantial growth and progress of this sec- tion of the country. His life has been characterized by unremitting indus- try and diligence and he has never been known to shirk any task that has devolved upon him. In the fall of 1875 he entered a new field of endeavor -that of buffalo hunting. Forming a partnership with a Mr. Jacobs, he secured a hunting outfit and carried on that business until the early sum- mer of 1878. Mr. Poe was a good shot and did the shooting for the outfit, killing twenty thousand buffaloes himself. He killed seven thousand at one camp and sold six thousand forty-one buffalo hides in one pile. The business proved profitable and in 1877 the firm extended the scope of its activity by purchasing a flock of sheep, Mr. Jacobs taking charge of the flock, while Mr. Poe continued buffalo hunting. During the second win- ter, however, more than one-half of their sheep were lost on account of the severity of the weather and the following spring the remainder were sold, but the loss was a heavy one. During the buffalo hunt they were frequently harassed by the Indians and always expected trouble during the "light of the moon." Once they stole everything which Mr. Poe had, leaving him afoot two hundred and fifty miles out on the plains away from any settlement.
In 1878 Mr. Poe returned to Fort Griffin and for one year filled the position of town marshal by appointment. Fort Griffin was situated on the cattle trail and the wild, rough life of the country made the position a very arduous one, requiring men of physical as well as moral courage to cope with the desperadoes. The country, however, was rapidly becoming civilized and in 1879 Mr. Poe removed to Fort Elliott in Wheeler county, Texas, where he served as deputy sheriff and deputy United States marshal. Again there were many tests in which his bravery and fidelity were never found wanting. In 1879 he was nominated for sheriff of Wheeler county, but was defeated by one vote, the lawless element voting solidly against him, for they recognized that he stood for law and order and was fear- less in the performance of his dutv. The cattle men then employed him to assist in protecting their interests. The gang under the leadership of Billy the Kid had been making raids across into Texas, so in the spring of 1881 the cow men sent Mr. Poe to New Mexico to see if he could not break up that gang. He reported to Pat Garrett, then sheriff of Lincoln county, New Mexico, recently United States collector of customs at El Paso, Texas. They soon formed a close friendship and worked well to- gether. They were together when Sheriff Garrett killed Billy the Kid at Fort Sumner. Mr. Garrett refused to become a candidate for re-election, so Mr. Poe was chosen his successor in 1882 and was re-elected in 1884 with only one hundred and ninety-six votes against him in the entire county. He had demonstrated his 'worth and ability and the consensus of public opinion was favorable and his fellow citizens thus gave him their endorse- ment. There was still much lawlessness in the county, and two of Mr.
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Poe's deputies, John Hurley and Jasper Corn, both brave men, were killed while in the discharge of their duty.
While serving as sheriff of Lincoln county Mr. Poe became connected with one of the most important sources of revenue to the Territory-that of cattle raising-forming a partnership for this purpose in the spring of 1882 with Frank M. Goodin, under the firm name of the Poe & Goodin Cattle Company, of which Mr. Poe acted as manager until they sold out in 1885, having in the meantime realized a handsome profit from their in- vestment and labors. The following year Mr. Poe made an extended trip through South America, where he gained some valuable information on the subject of irrigation. On his return he purchased five hundred and seventy- five acres of raw land near Roswell, which he converted into one of the finest stock farms of the country. It is today a part of the famous L.F.D. stock farm.
In 1890 Mr. Poe turned his attention to the banking business, becom- ing one of the organizers and extensive stockholders of the Bank of Roswell. In 1893 he was chosen president, which position he held until he sold his interests in the institution. In 1894 he erected the building now occupied by the First National Bank of Roswell and he sold it when he disposed of his stock in the bank. In 1900 he announced that he- would organize a bank with a capital of fifty thousand dollars, it being his in- tention to retain a controlling interest. Almost at once, however, he had applications for over one hundred thousand dollars of the stock. As a result the Citizens National Bank was organized with John W. Poe as president and on the 15th of November, 1900, opened its doors for business. The institution has had a steady growth and is regarded as one of the safe financial enterprises of the Territory. On the 9th of January, 1906, he was elected by the directors for the seventh time as president of the institution, which under his guidance has enjoyed an era of prosperity that is most gratifying to stockholders and is an indication of the business capacity, sound judgment and keen discrimination of the chief executive officer.
On the 5th of May, 1883, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Poe and Miss Sophie M. Alberding, a native of California. They have lost their only child, a son. Theirs is one of the beautiful and attractive homes of Roswell and its hospitality forms one of its most pleasing features. Mr. Poe is a prominent Mason and is well informed concerning the teachings and tencts of the craft. He was the first man to be initiated after the organization of the lodge at Fort Griffin, Texas, was the first on the team to go through when a chapter of Royal Arch Masons was organized in Roswell and was the first to receive the commandery degrees in Roswell. He has filled many offices in the craft and has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite. He is thoroughly in sympathy with the teach- ings and purposes of the order and in his life has exemplified its beneficent principles and its spirit of brotherly kindness and helpfulness. As a pioneer settler the history of New Mexico is familiar to him from the days when life hiere was fraught with excitement and danger. With high ideals of manhood and of citizenship he has stood fearlessly for the right when it required great personal courage to do so and has been the champion of law and order, of progress and improvement. He has prospered be-
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