A Brief History of Commercial Bank of Texas, N.A.
On October 14, 1901, at a time when timber, cotton, and railroads were predominant industries and Theodore Roosevelt was President, a successful lumberman, T. J. Williams, organized Commercial National Bank of Nacogdoches (CNB) with initial capital of $50,000. The original Board of Directors included such distinguished individuals as R. S. Lovett, President of the Southern Pacific Railroad, and Captain James A. Baker, a prominent Houston attorney responsible for saving Rice University's endowment. In 1902, Mr. E. A. Blount purchased controlling interest in CNB, and in 1903 the bank moved to its present location. During the early period, before the creation of the Federal Reserve System, Commercial Bank issued its own currency.
Commercial National Bank of Texas was granted fiduciary and trust powers by the Federal Reserve System in 1940 to meet the growing needs of our customers looking to establish accounts to invest and protect their assets. We were able to successfully open and grow our clients' accounts to ensure that their generational wealth was protected and cared for.
In April 1984, Commercial National Bank undertook a $1.6 million reconstruction project to renovate its downtown facilities after incurring extensive fire damage. In 1991, during the Savings and Loan crisis, CNB acquired the insured deposits of Superior Savings Bank. In October 1995, anticipating future growth, the bank changed its name to Commercial Bank of Texas, N.A. (CBTx). Two acquisitions in 1998, the purchase of The Bank of East Texas, and the purchase of four branch locations from Surety Bank doubled the bank's asset size. This expanded the bank's market to include Angelina, Cherokee, and Houston counties. Later acquisitions enabled CBTx to expand in markets from East Texas to DFW and the North Texas areas.
Following the motto of former bank president Thomas W. Baker, "The Bank can prosper only as the community prospers," Commercial Bank of Texas is solidly positioned in entering its second century of providing successful banking practices predicated on sound and prudent operating standards. Currently, CBTx has over 200 employees in fourteen communities and the bank's Board of Directors and Officers are personally involved in the communities they serve. Commercial Bank of Texas remains the only locally owned bank in Nacogdoches and is proud to provide the community with more than a century of service, deeply rooted and rich in tradition.