Millionaire Alfred I. du Pont acquired a major interest in the FNB shortly after moving to Jacksonville in the mid-1920s, but he was unable to gain control until the Great Depression struck in 1929.

[2] The FNB stayed solvent throughout the 1930s because du Pont put $15 million of his own money into the institution to cover Bank runs.

[6] The structure was constructed using materials which would appreciate in value, such as marble floors and granite exteriors, but excluded items that Ball considered frills.

However, the du Pont Trust owned a significant block of Charter stock, and the close personal relationship between Mason and Ball still allowed some indirect control.

That same year, a group of foreign investors from Chile, Venezuela, Canada and south Florida sought 40% ownership and control of FNB.

FNB filed suit in circuit court and the group was enjoined from acquiring more than 25% of the bank holding company's outstanding shares.

Cavendes Sociedad Financiera, a Venezuelan investment company, announced that it had acquired 24.99 percent of the common stock of Florida National.

[15] With the 1990 deadline running out for its option to buy FNB and no sign of state legislative approval, Chemical Bank sold their 4.9% interest to First Union Corporation of Charlotte, North Carolina for $115 million.

Wachovia sold the Florida National Bank building at 214 North Hogan Street to First States Investors in September, 2004 for $23,234,071.