The Hubert L. Earle Family

By Edna B. Earle

Hubert Lewis Earle (1900-1967), youngest son of J. N. and Althea Templeton Earle, born in New Hope community, came to town in 1919 as an employee of The First Guaranty State Bank, beginning as a check runner and assistant to the bookkeeper. After serving apprenticeship here, he was promoted to head bookkeeper. Later, he was promoted to teller, and in 1925, was named cashier, serving in this capacity until 1932, when the bank closed due to the depression.

Early in 1933, he became associated with the First National Bank until 1944. He spent one year with The Federal Land Bank with offices in Rusk and Palestine. In 1945, he joined the staff of Texas Bank & Trust Company, where he remained until his retirement early in 1966, thus completing 47 years in banking. At retirement he was serving as senior vice-president and as secretary-treasurer of the Board of Directors of this bank.

During the years of his banking career, he served a term each as vice-president, president of East Texas Branch of NABAG, and also served as president and vice-president of Kiwanis Club. He was secretary-treasurer of Live Stockmen's Association, a county organization. He had a great love for out of doors, his favorite sports were fishing and hunting, spent much time on his ranch improving and developing the land and cattle. He loved being a friend to all, his friends rated from the highest to the lowliest and he valued one just as much as the other so long as they were sincere. He was keenly interested in the handicapped and underprivileged. Truly lived for his family, was married in 1924 to Miss Edna Webb Bush.

Two sons were born to Hubert and Edna Earle. Older is James Hubert Earle, born in 1932. He holds bachelor, masters and doctors degrees from Texas A. & M. University and has taught there since completing service in the U. S. Air Force. He created the cartoon character "Cadet Slouch" and has written two text books for college level and one for high school. In 1965, he became head of the Engineering Graphics Dept., A. & M. His daughters are Elizabeth and Susan.

Donald Lewis Earle, born in 1936, received a B.S. degree in 1959 from East Texas State University. An outstanding high school athlete, he was a football player, pole vaulter and Golden Gloves boxer. While with the U.S.A.F. in Scotland as a lieutenant, he joined an athletic club and became the Scottish champion in pole vaulting. Currently he is an insurance auditor in Dallas and the father of a daughter, Diann.

Hubert Earle, left, and Tol Smith in a view inside the First Guaranty Bank about 1920.

Early bank in Jacksonville, the Guaranty State Bank, located corner Main and Rusk streets, where Abell Drug later located.