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THE MERCHANTS BANK & TRUST CO.
"You should have seen us opening for business in the Echo Building that morning of October 15» 1903 with two boards across two barrels as our paying and receiving counter, back-up by a huge safe previously owned by a local jewelry store. And you should have seen Gaston G. Gardebled, a contractor and builder, one of our directors and later Mayor of Bay St. Louis, make the boards bounce when he enthusiastically slammed down the first deposit of our existence.
Back	of us we had $20,000 capitalization	divided into	^00 shares
of $5 -	par	value. Before many months that stock had jumped	to $75
and none for sale, and at the end of our first fiscal year we proudly paid a Iktfo dividend.
Since then, of course, we have moved into our own building, remodeled	and	modernized it twice, and celebrated	our Fiftieth	Anniversary
in 1953	with a 100$ stock dividend. ^
"The Merchant's Bank and Trust Company was incorporated in Sept^ ember, 1903. It was originally suggested and subsequently organised inI the office of the Sea Coast Echo as a result of a conversation JOSr__Wal ter J. Gex., Sr., and Charles G. MoreaO who casually evolved the idea. With the immediate assistance of the late L. M. Gex, John Osoinach, Louis Spotorno, R.C,Engman, Judge John A. Breath, L. H. Fairchild, A. F. Cameron John K. Edwards, and Gaston C. Gardebled, the bank became a reality. The charter was signed by the following named stockholders:	L. H. Fairchild,
Wm. J. P^itevent, John Osionach, L. Spotorno, A. F. Cameron, L. M. Gex, John K. Edwards, Charles G. Moreau, J. A. Breath, R. C. Engman, Gaston C. Gardebled, Richard Mendes, Jr.,; J. M. B. Spence, J. M. Tyler, Dr. R. J. Turner, W. L. Bourg. eois, George Muller, Frank Dillman, Fred Banderet, Sr. W. J. Gex, Mrs. Angeline Morea$/, Miss Josie E. Welch, Steven A Voorhies,
C. A. Mauffray, Jeff C. Wenck, C. B. Thorn, F. Ziegler, Eades Pointevent, June Poitevent, Wm. P. Burke, Robert B. Parker, Wm. T. Maginnis, Emile Perre, Mrs. Marie V. Gex, A. Scafidi, L. B. Capdepon, R. N. Hamilton, Jas.
%
G. Fayard, Claud Monti, Mrs. W. J. Gex Sr., H. E. McGuire, Mrs. Joan W. Seal, Mrs. F. Dillman, Mrs. M. E. Meek, Peter Capdepon, Angelo Tazetti,
G. & E. Templet.
George R. Rhea who had been at the head of the note department of
the Interstate Bank, at New Orleans, resigned that position to accept the 1. Bay St. Louis, Miss; 100 Years (1858-1958); published by Bay St. Louis Centennial Corporation