Exhibit 99.1

    Southside Bancshares and Fort Worth Bancshares Announce Merger Agreement

      TYLER, Texas, May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southside Bancshares, Inc.
(Nasdaq: SBSI) and Fort Worth Bancshares, Inc., the bank holding company of Fort
Worth National Bank announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement
that provides for the merger of Fort Worth Bancshares, Inc. into a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Southside Bancshares, Inc. The announcement was made jointly by B.
G. Hartley, Chairman and CEO of Southside Bancshares, Inc. and Bruce M. Davis,
President and CEO of Fort Worth Bancshares, Inc.

      The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors of both
companies. The consummation of the merger is subject to the approval of the
shareholders of Fort Worth Bancshares, Inc., regulatory review and approval and
customary closing conditions. The merger is expected to be consummated in the
third quarter of 2007.

      This merger significantly expands Southside's presence in Texas into the
dynamic Fort Worth, Arlington and Austin markets in Tarrant and Travis Counties
in a manner that is expected to be accretive to Southside's shareholders in
2008. The expansion will make the Tarrant County market Southside's second
largest lending market and third largest deposit market. Southside will retain
the Fort Worth National Bank charter and will continue to operate Fort Worth
National Bank in its historic markets under that name. Bruce M. Davis will
remain as a director and president of Fort Worth National Bank. The Board of
Directors of Fort Worth National Bank has agreed to remain and serve as advisory
directors. In addition, given the strong cultural affinity and shared values
between the two companies, senior management will sign employment agreements and
has agreed to remain with Southside Bancshares, Inc. to take advantage of the
additional products and services that can be delivered to the Fort Worth
National Bank customer base.

      With $126 million in total assets, $99 million in loans and $100 million
in deposits, Fort Worth National Bank is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The
bank has two branches in Fort Worth, one branch in adjoining Arlington and a
loan production office in Austin. B. G. Hartley, Chairman and CEO of Southside
said, "The lending opportunities available to us in these fast growing and very
dynamic markets are extremely exciting. By utilizing a combination of the Fort
Worth National Bank management team and our extensive product lines we believe
significant deposit growth opportunities are also available. This merger should
enhance our long-term shareholder value with the anticipated added benefit of
being accretive beginning in 2008."

      Under the terms of the definitive agreement, the all cash transaction is
valued at $36.5 million, based on a purchase price of $52.00 per share of Fort
Worth Bancshares, Inc. common stock, subject to customary closing adjustments.

      "I am delighted we have reached an agreement to merge with Fort Worth
National Bank. We believe it is an excellent transaction for our shareholders
and theirs. Fort Worth National Bank has an excellent reputation in the markets
it serves. I am extremely pleased we are retaining a preeminent group of bankers
with strong local roots to manage the bank and continue providing top quality
service to the Tarrant County and Austin area. Under Bruce M. Davis' leadership
the bank has been a strong earner and strong performer. The bankers that have
built Fort Worth National Bank understand the importance of serving their local
communities, just as we have for 47 years. I am proud to welcome such a
respected group of employees and the customers they serve into the Southside
financial family," said B. G. Hartley.




      Bruce M. Davis, President and CEO of Fort Worth National Bank said, "We
are excited to be entering into this strategic merger with Southside. It
provides an incredible opportunity for our customers and employees to join a
dynamic and diverse banking organization that has a consistent and solid record
of growth similar to that of Fort Worth National Bank. At the same time, we are
protecting our long standing reputation by joining with an organization that we
believe shares our values. I am confident this is a positive move for all
concerned, our shareholders, our customers, our employees and our communities we
are privileged to serve. This affords us a higher loan limit, investment
products, and a mortgage division to better serve our customers. We look forward
to growing the Tarrant County and Austin markets as part of Southside and
strengthening our combined position as a premier Texas-based bank. I am
especially pleased that we will continue to operate under the Fort Worth
National Bank name. We have known the bankers at Southside for many years and
believe that adding the additional capabilities that Southside brings will
create value for our customers as well as Southside's shareholders."

      Southside's financial advisors were Stifel, Nicolaus & Company,
Incorporated and its legal advisors were Alston & Bird LLP. Fort Worth's
financial advisors were Hovde Financial Inc. and its legal advisors were
Bracewell & Giuliani LLP.

      Southside Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company with approximately
$1.82 billion in assets that owns 100% of Southside Bank. Southside Bank
currently has 35 banking centers in East Texas and operates a network of 40
ATMs.

      To learn more about Southside Bancshares, Inc., please visit our investor
relations website at http://www.southside.com/investor. Our investor relations
site provides a detailed overview of our activities, financial information, and
historical stock price data. To receive e-mail notification of company news,
events, and stock activity, please register on the E-mail Notification portion
of the website. Questions or comments may be directed to Susan Hill at (903)
531-7220, or susanh@southside.com.

      Forward-Looking Statements

      Certain statements of other than historical fact that are contained in
this document and in written material, press releases and oral statements issued
by or on behalf of the Company, a bank holding company, may be considered to be
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of and subject to the
protections of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, nor should
they be relied upon as representing management's views as of any subsequent
date. These statements may include words such as "expect," "estimate,"
"project," "anticipate," "appear," "believe," "could," "should," "may,"
"intend," "probability," "risk," "target," "objective," "plans," "potential,"
and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are statements with respect
to the Company's beliefs, plans, expectations, objectives, goals, anticipations,
assumptions, estimates, intentions and future performance and are subject to
significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the
Company's actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the
forward-looking statements. For example, discussions of the effect of the merger
on the Company's financial condition and results of operations, the ability of
the Company to consummate the merger in a timely fashion, obtain regulatory
approval, continue to profitably operate Fort Worth National Bank and maintain
its market share in its historic markets and successfully integrate Fort Worth
National Bank into its operations are based upon information presently available
to management and are dependent on choices about key model characteristics and
assumptions and are subject to various limitations. By their nature, certain
statements are only estimates and could be materially different from what
actually occurs in the future. As a result, the actual impact of the merger
could materially differ from that set forth in such statement.




      Additional information concerning the Company and its business, including
additional factors that could materially affect the Company's financial results,
is included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2006 under "Forward-Looking Information" and Item 1A. "Risk
Factors," and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any factors or to
announce publicly the result of revisions to any of the forward-looking
statements included herein to reflect future events or developments.

SOURCE Southside Bancshares, Inc.
    -0-                             05/17/2007
    /CONTACT:  B.G. Hartley, Chairman and CEO, +1-903-531-7228, or Sam Dawson,
President, +1-903-531-7219, or Lee R. Gibson, EVP\CFO, +1-903-531-7221, all of
Southside Bancshares, Inc.; or Bruce M. Davis, President & CEO of Fort Worth
Bancshares, Inc., +1-817-927-7323/
    /Web site:  http://www.southside.com /