OUR HISTORY
Trust in a bank develops over time - not in a few months or years, but over decades, and in some cases, centuries. Our roots go back to the mid-nineteenth century with the founding of a bank in Carrollton, IL, in 1854. Records show this to be the oldest continuously active bank headquartered in Illinois. (Source: the FDIC Institution Directory, a national database of FDIC-insured banks)
Prior to July of 2011 CNB Bank & Trust, N.A. operated as 4 individual sister banks under the Carlinville National Bank Shares, Inc. Holding Company; Carlinville National Bank, Citizens State Bank, Palmer Bank, and Cornerstone Bank & Trust, N.A.
CORNERSTONE BANK & TRUST, N.A.
When the bank was first established in 1854, it was operated out of David Pierson's mercantile on the east side of the public square in Carrollton, IL. The first bank in Greene County, it was initially called simply "David Pierson, Banker". Pierson owned the first iron safe in the county and made it available to those who wished to store money securely. Many of the local farmers were paid in gold.
By 1875, all three of Pierson's sons (Ornan, Robert, and David D.) had joined him in the business. The firm was known as "David Pierson & Sons," and the bank was called "Pierson's Exchange Bank".
When David Pierson decided to retire from active participation in banking in the late 1870s, a successor organization was formed. A national charter was granted, and the bank started operating as Greene County National Bank in 1878. By 1999 the bank had gone through several name changes, settling on Cornerstone Bank & Trust, N.A. with locations in Alton, Carrollton, and Jerseyville.
CARLINVILLE NATIONAL BANK
In nearby Macoupin County, another bank was being organized in the county seat of Carlinville; founded in 1888 as Carlinville Bank, it then converted to The Carlinville National Bank two years later. Leadership during organization, and for the next 50 years until his death, was provided by Abraham Lincoln (A.L.) Hoblit. Descendants and relatives-by-marriage of Mr. Hoblit (namely, P.O. Landon, Charles H. Ashworth, and James T. Ashworth) have shared those responsibilities over the years with Ira McCollom and his son-in-law, Maurice Zimmer, representing another prominent family in the bank's ownership and in the community. Following the acquisitions of a branch and another bank, by 2010 Carlinville National Bank had facilities in Carlinville, Clayton, MO, Hillsboro, Jacksonville, Oak Forest, and Pittsfield.
PALMER BANK
The Palmer State Bank opened for business on June 28, 1912 with the purchase of the R. E. Best Bank, one of the county's earliest banks. Dr. J. F. Miller, a Palmer physician, served as the first President of the bank from 1912 until 1939. The bank was originally located in an old frame building in Palmer. That first site was one of the early landmarks in the village, having housed a general store, post office, and grain office before being used as a bank. The bank then moved into Taylorville. The Palmer Bank boasts the distinction as one of the few banks that remained open during the Banking Holiday in the early 1930's.
CITIZENS STATE BANK
On April 24, 1920 an application for permission to organize Peoples State Bank of Shipman with capital stock of $25,000 was filed. The doors to the bank opened on December 1, 1920. John E. Randle was the first cashier of the bank. On February 4, 1926 Peoples State Bank and Citizens State Bank consolidated to form Citizens State Bank of Shipman. They later added on a facility in Brighton.
CONSOLIDATION
In 2011, all four of the banks, with their then current twelve locations (including eight in different county seats), consolidated into one, namely, CNB Bank & Trust, N.A. Ownership ancestry has remained virtually unchanged for well over a century, and remains committed to supporting the needs of the communities served by the bank and its parent holding company, CNB Bank Shares, Inc.
JACKSONVILLE SAVINGS BANK
On October 16, 1916, ten local men met to organize the Jacksonville Savings and Loan Association, in order to fill a need for financing home purchases. These original founders included Dr. J.O. Applebee, a retired dentist who was elected Secretary, and Dr. Alpha B. Applebee, a practicing dentist who was elected Treasury. The first Association office was a desk in the lobby of the Farrell State Bank and the “records” were kept in Dr. J.O. Applebee’s coat pocket. After the first decade, their official desk was moved to the waiting area of Dr. Alpha Applebee’s dental office and finally to their first real office at 317 W. State in 1925. Dr. Alpha Applebee later served as President of the Association to be followed by his son, A. Wadsworth Applebee, and then his son, Andrew F. Applebee, who served as Chairman until 2018.
The Association opened a new branch office in Virden in December 1986 and a second location in Jacksonville on South Main in May 1989. On July 24, 1992, Jacksonville Savings and Loan Association changed its charter to a mutual savings bank and was renamed Jacksonville Savings Bank. The Bank completed the construction of its new main office facility on West Morton in Jacksonville in December 1994. On April 20, 1995, the Bank completed its first public stock offering, converting from its mutual ownership to a stock institution. The bank then garnered new branch facilities with its acquisitions of Litchfield Community Savings in January 1997 and Chapin State Bank in July 2000.
CNB Bank & Trust now has 18 locations to better serve its customers: Alton, Brighton, Carlinville, Carrollton, Chapin, Clayton-MO, Edwardsville / GlenCarbon, Hillsboro, Jacksonville (2), Jerseyville, Litchfield, Oak Forest, Palos Heights, Pittsfield, Taylorville, Tinley Park and Virden.
CNB Bank & Trust – Member FDIC, Established in 1854. 217-854-2674.