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President and CEO S. J. Westbrook and the directors and employees of the First National Bank of Aspermont were recently joined by a huge crowd that filled up the Stonewall County Community Center to celebrate the bank's 110th anniversary. The crowd enjoyed firstclass barbecue, prizes and entertainment.
Like most banks this age, there is a lot of family history involved with the ownership and longevity of the institution. The 19 original shareholders raised $30,000 in capital to form the bank as a national charter in 1901.
The association of the Riddel family began in 1910 when Roy Riddel was hired as an assistant cashier for $65 a month. In 1939, his son, Ralph Riddel Sr., joined the bank as an assistant bookkeeper, and Roy Riddel became president in 1945.
Another long-time banker, Elwood Freeman, currently president of the Lamesa National Bank, started his career under Roy Riddel in 1945. Freeman still serves on the board of...