James Simpson Reese

James Simpson Reese
Born	July 4, 1866 Lowndesboro, Alabama
Died	1939
Occupation	Banker
Religion	Presbyterian
Spouse	Laura Lemenda Wright
Parents	George and Anna Simpson Reese
Children	George Wright Reese Valerie Jamie

James Simpson Reese was a prominent Pensacola banker who served as the longtime president of the Citizen and Peoples National Bank of Pensacola.

Life and career

Born in Lowndesboro, Alabama, Reese and his parents moved to Pensacola in 1872. The Reese family traced its roots to Wales, where their surname was originally spelled Rhys, and are believed to be descended from princes of Wales, including Rhys ap Tewdwr. An ancestor, David Reese, was a signer of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.

Reese was educated in the public schools of Pensacola, then went on to attend the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama (now Auburn University). After returning from college he worked in the office of the First National Bank, where he remained, working through the ranks, until April 1904, when he left to organize the Peoples Bank of Pensacola. In 1908, the bank doubled its capital and became a national institution, called the Peoples National Bank. In 1911, the bank merged with the Citizens National Bank to become Citizen and Peoples National Bank.

Reese was married to Laura Lemenda Wright, daughter of G. W. Wright, on January 4, 1894, in Pensacola. The couple had three children, Valerie, Wright, and Jamie.

Involvement in community and professional organizations

Reese was a member of the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, the Osceola Club, and the Pensacola Country Club, as well as fraternal organizations such as the Scottish Rite Masonic Order and the Knights Templar.

In April 1927, Reese was elected president of the Florida Bankers Association.

Other images

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  A younger Reese

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  Circa 1899

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