Our History

As The Pleasants County Bank completes over 127 years of service to the St. Marys, Belmont and surrounding area, we are proud to present a summary of our journey, growth and development.

St. Marys was founded by Sandy Creel in 1851. The humble beginnings were a small tract that was staked and platted. The founder showed his faith in the infant town by building a two story brick hotel on Creel Street overlooking the Ohio River. For many years the Northwestern Pike was the principal feeder of St. Marys, since it carried merchandise from Baltimore and intermediate points to the Ohio River where it was shipped by boats to points south and west. The traffic continued until the Ohio River Railroad was built, which destroyed the trade.

About this time oil was discovered six miles away on Horse Neck and at once a new industry of oil production and distribution was born. The oil and gas industry later became a source of great wealth to the community.

On December 21, 1896, W. E. Chilton, Secretary of State, issued a charter to The Pleasants County Bank with an authorized capital of $25,000. Incorporators were Newton Ogdin, Dr. A. S Grimm, Dr. George T Gale, I. O. Reynolds, C. C. Schauwecker, John Schauwecker and D. W. Reynolds. At the time, St. Marys was a small town of eight hundred inhabitants, and the town had few public improvements; no city water, sewers or electricity. Gas was furnished by T. N. Barnesdale. The bank opened for business on March 15, 1897 after selling stock, securing equipment, banking rooms and setting up necessary books.

The bank first opened for business at 217 Second Street just below the old Post Office building. The Cotton property was purchased and a three story brick building was erected and the bank moved to the new location at 323 Second Street in 1902.

The first board of directors was composed of Newton Ogdin, R. A. Gorrell, R. N. Corbett, Dr. A. S Grimm, Dr. George T Gale, I. O. Reynolds, C. C. Schauwecker, John Schauwecker and D. W. Reynolds. Newton Ogdin was elected the first President and served in that capacity until being elected Treasurer of the State of West Virginia in 1905.

Over the years the town continued to grow with paved streets, a fine water system and sewerage system, good schools and churches and a bright future. The Quaker State Refining Company located here employing one hundred ninety people. The Alley Agate Company employed one hundred fifteen men and women and enjoyed the distinction of being one of the largest marble manufacturing plants in the United States and also made several other lines of merchandise. The Calco Chemical Division of the American Cyanamid Company, located six miles south of St. Marys, and was one of the largest chemical plants in the Ohio Valley. The Monongahela Power Company erected a large power plant just south of St. Marys to supply power to the factories and homes in the area. Over the years, Pleasants County Bank continued to grow, providing deposit and loan services to the community.

As growth continued the need to improve customer service and banking facilities led to Pleasants County Bank purchasing the Bradfield property in 1999. The Washington Street location at one time housed the Zipf Hardware building and the A&P Grocery store and later the Family Dollar store. The banks first drive through branch was opened at Washington Street on May 21, 2001. Expansion continued with the first full service branch opening at 519 Riverview Drive in Belmont on December 5, 2005. Over the next several years, the bank was able to acquire additional properties adjacent to the Washington Street drive-through facility from Washington Street to Clay Street.

On March 15, 2017, Pleasants County Bank celebrated 120 years of service to the community with a ground breaking ceremony for a new main office on the one acre site at 215 Washington Street. During the construction the original drive through branch was closed to make way for the new structure. After 115 years at the 323 Second Street location, the new main office facility opened at 215 Washington Street on October 10, 2017.

From a humble beginning, The Pleasants County Bank has grown into a strong financial institution. We take pride in the part we have played in the development of this community and look forward with confidence.

Our goal is to generate a reasonable return for our shareholders while serving the financial needs of our community, its customers and businesses. We strive to be a responsible citizen and a business leader of our community. Our mission is to make the Pleasants County Bank the best bank serving Pleasants County.

The Pleasants County Bank Presidents

(1) Newton Ogdin was elected Treasurer of the State of West Virginia.
(2) A. W. Locke became the Commissioner of the State Banking Department now the West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions.