About Us
Justin State Bank was originally chartered in Texas in 1907 and serves Justin and the surrounding areas. The bank strives to offer personalized customer service and is committed to supporting our communities.
Our History
Repercussions of the civil war included the prohibition of banks throughout the South. Texas pressed the limits of the law and eventually won the right to free enterprise, including banking.
Because Fort Worth was the end of the Chisholm Trail where cattle drivers sold their livestock, the need for banking spurred J.W. Spencer to found one of the first Texas banks - the Farmers & Merchants Bank in 1890. Mr. Spencer's close friend, Dr. Pennington of Justin, encouraged Spencer to open a bank in his growing community.
In 1901, Spencer invited his new brother-in-law from Oklahoma to operate Citizens Bank in Justin, and in 1907 Citizens Bank received a charter from the State of Texas under the name of Justin State Bank. In the over 100 year history, Justin State Bank has been under the leadership of four presidents:
Walter Newton Shofner (1907-1942)
Newton Monroe Knox (1942-1979)
Howard Young (1979-2017)
Benjamin Rathjen (Current)
Newton Monroe Knox (1942-1979)
Howard Young (1979-2017)
Benjamin Rathjen (Current)
The bank has had three locations, each along Highway 156. In 1980, the original Citizens Bank brick building on Main Street was dismantled, brick by brick, and reassembled in Old City Park in Dallas as a historical site.
In 2018, the bank was purchased by Charis Holdings Inc with the same commitment to continue in the long-standing tradition of service to our customers individually and our community as a whole.
Historian and Author, Kevin M. Callahan, took a deep dive into the rich history of our bank in 2019 and has made his work available for purchase. Find the book, available on Amazon, The Biggest Little Bank in Texas History, a History of Justin State Bank, today.
Board of Directors
Justin State Bank is under the leadership of a Board of Directors that serves the bank, its stockholders, employees and customers. Current directors residing on the board include:
Andy Creel, Chairman of the Board
Benjamin Rathjen, CEO & President
Brian Lent
Mindy Hegi
Tracy Tally
Tom Higier