Founder of ‘Alabama’s Oldest Bank’ was born in Monroe County, Alabama

Most readers will remember that Saturday was pretty much a washout, with rain that started early that morning and continued on and off for most of the day. James was gone with his buddies to Claiborne, and Harper was gone to a crawfish boil, so Crystal and I decided to go riding around. We eventually ended up in Brewton.

After visiting a couple of antique stores and getting a bite to eat, we found ourselves on Belleville Avenue. Those of you familiar with this part of Brewton will know that the Escambia County Courthouse, the Brewton Post Office and the Escambia County Board of Education, as well as several large churches, are located along this street. Here you will also find the Bank of Brewton.

I’d been by this bank many times before Saturday, but had never taken the time to stop and read the historic marker outside. Having no particular place to be on Saturday afternoon, I pulled over for a closer look. Here’s what the marker said:

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BANK OF BREWTON: Recognized as “Alabama’s Oldest Bank,” the Bank of Brewton opened for business on Monday, Jan. 7, 1889. Brewton, Alabama was a prosperous town in the late 1800s. A local resident, Charles Sowell, participated in the flourishing times. A native of Monroe County, Alabama and a wounded veteran of the Civil War, Sowell settled in Brewton. After a brief stint as a railroad station agent, he began a timber industry that produced a sizeable fortune. In 1888 Sowell commented, “If I take all of my gold and silver and put it on a wagon, two mules could not pull it. We need a bank.” Sowell started organizing the bank that would be the first bank in Escambia County, Alabama and the first bank between Mobile and Montgomery. The Bank of Brewton was initially a private bank in 1889, but received a state charter in 1891. Its original location was a few doors down from this spot. In 1912 the bank moved into a building at this site, acquired an adjacent building known as the Lovelace Hotel in 1957 and constructed a new building in its place in 1964. The Bank of Brewton had only 11 presidents in the first 119 years of its existence. The quality of labor of its early leaders and the support of local citizens is what has established the historic value of the institution.

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I was surprised to learn of Charles Sowell’s connection to Monroe County, and a little research revealed that he was born in Monroeville in 1835. Sowell died in 1918 at the age of 82, but his obituary says that he lost an arm at Nashville during the War Between the States. He is buried in the Union Cemetery in Brewton.

In the end, let me hear from you if you have any additional information about Sowell’s ties to Monroe County. It would be interesting to know what unit he served in and what battles he participated in. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he still has more than a few relatives living in Monroe County today.