American National Bank, Hartford, CT (Charter 1165)
American National Bank, Hartford, CT (Chartered 1865 - Liquidated 1912)
Town History
Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the 2010 United States census have indicated that Hartford is the fourth-largest city in Connecticut with a 2020 population of 121,054, behind the coastal cities of Bridgeport, New Haven, and Stamford.
Hartford was founded in 1635 and is among the oldest cities in the United States. It is home to the country's oldest public art museum (Wadsworth Atheneum), the oldest publicly funded park (Bushnell Park), the oldest continuously published newspaper (the Hartford Courant), and the second-oldest secondary school (Hartford Public High School). It is also home to the Mark Twain House, where the author wrote his most famous works and raised his family, among other historically significant sites. Mark Twain wrote in 1868, "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief."
Nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World", Hartford is home to the headquarters of many insurance companies, the region's major industry.
Hartford had 12 National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all 12 of those banks issued National Bank Notes. Hartford also had 14 Obsolete Banks that issued Obsolete Bank Notes during the Obsolete Bank Note Era (1782-1866).
Bank History
- Organized May 8, 1865
- Chartered May 18, 1865
- Succeeded Bank of Hartford County
- Liquidated May 15, 1912
- Absorbed by 670 (Phoenix National Bank, Hartford, CT)
- Circulation assumed by 670 (Phoenix National Bank, Hartford, CT)
In September 1852, The Bank of Hartford County was receiving installments on subscriptions at the office of the Charter Oak Life Insurance Company. W.H.D. Callender was cashier. In October, Mr. James B. Powell was appointed cashier in place of W.H.D. Callender who was appointed cashier of the State Bank. Mr. Powell was well-known as the capable and gentlemanly teller of the Farmers and Mechanics Bank, a post he had filled for the past four years. The institution commenced business on Thursday, October 21st in Mr. Kilbourn's building, corner of Main and Church Streets. The bank was organized under the new banking law and bills were secured by the pledge of public stocks deposited with the State Treasurer. The bank notes in denominations of one and two dollars were all countersigned and registered by I.N. Prior, Register, and signed by Alfred Gill, president, and J.B. Powell, cashier.
On January 3, 1853, the shareholders met for the purpose of considering a proposition to double the amount of their capital stock, making it $400,000 instead of $200,000. One hundred and forty thousand dollars were represented in the vote, and there was not a single vote against the increase. The Bank had done exceedingly well since its organization, but it was unable to supply the demands upon it. The increased shares of stock were all taken by the present stockholders, at $100 per share.
There had been five Banks organized under the General Banking Law up to March 31, 1853: the Uncas Bank at Norwich, capital $100,000, increased to $200,000; Bank of Hartford County, Hartford, capital $200,000, increased to $400,000; Bank of Commerce, New London, capital $150,000; Bank of Litchfield County at New Milford, capital $100,000; Saugatuck Bank at Westport, capital $100,000. These Banks have deposited $455,199, in Virginia, Kentucky and Maine State Bonds, and in bonds of Connecticut cities. The circulation on these securities was, on the 31st of March, $452,766, of which the Hartford County Bank had out $231,978.
On September 5, 1854, at the annual meeting of the stockholders, the following gentlemen were elected directors: Jas. P. Foster, Lemuel Humphrey, Oliver Woodford, Horace Freeman, Wm. Boardman, Daniel Phillips, Ralph Gillett, Chas. T. Webster, Roswell Blodget, Alfred Gill, and Eldad Taylor. As a subsequent meeting of the directions, Alfred Gill was chosen president, and Rowland Swift, cashier. Rowland Swift entered the Bank of Hartford County about 1852 and succeeded Mr. James B. Powell who resigned November 1853.
On January 8, 1874, stockholders elected the following directors: George M. Bartholomew, Daniel Phillips, Oswin Welles, Silas W. Robbins, Henry French, Fred. R. Foster, William H. Bulkeley, Jacob Knous, William A. Healy, Rowland Swift, and Burdett Loomis. Later that December, the American National Bank moved into their new rooms in the north wing of the Phoenix bank building where they had splendid quarters like those of the Phoenix bank in the south wing.
On January 9, 1890, the stockholders re-elected the following directors: Rowland Swift, Silas W. Robbins, William H. Bulkeley, Henry C. Dwight, Samuel Taylor, Lyman B. Jewell, Charles H. Northam, George Roberts, B.R. Abbe, J.M. Holcombe, and George L. Chase. Fri., Jan. 10, 1890.
On Thursday, January 11, 1912, the stockholders elected the following directors: Henry C. Dwight, Lyman B. Jewell, George Roberts, Charles H. Northam, John M. Holcombe, Joseph H. King, W.E.A. Bulkeley, Weston W. Walker, Richard M. Bissell, Albert L. Pope, and Jerome E. Sage. On Friday, January 12, 1912, the directors elected the following officers: Joseph H. King, president; William J. Dixon, cashier, and Merrick W. Chapin, assistant cashier.
On Tuesday, May 14, 1912, the stockholders of the American National Bank voted to consolidate their bank with the Phoenix National Bank, under the conditions of the offer of the latter. The Phoenix Bank would pay to President Joseph H. King, named as liquidating agent by the American stockholders, $960,000, which was the equivalent of $80 a share on the 12,000 shares of American stock, Mr. King making the distribution to the shareholders of the American. It was expected that stockholders would receive later an additional sum, as additional amounts would be realized in liquidating the American Bank. The vote to accept the Phoenix offer was practically unanimous and a sufficient number of shares was represented in the voting to make the affirmative vote far above the two-thirds of the 12,000 shares necessary to liquidate. A. Elijah Hart was chairman of the stockholders' meeting and Cashier William J. Dixon was secretary. A large number of stockholders were present in person and the shares represented in the voting numbered more than 10,500. Among those present was President Morgan G. Bulkeley of the Aetna Life Insurance Company, who played the leading role in blocking the former Phoenix-American consolidation proposition. Governor Bulkeley was interested in combining the Aetna and Phoenix banks. The vote in favor of consolidation was practically unanimous and President King was chosen liquidating agent on the advice of the directors of the bank. The directors of the American Bank had already been elected to the directorate of the Phoenix Bank, which gave the consolidated bank 23 directors, as follows: Richard M. Bissell, W.E.A. Bulkeley, Frederic L. Bunce, Frank Cheney, Jr., Samuel G. Dunham, Henry C. Dwight, John M. Holcombe, Lyman B. Jewell, Joseph H. King, Charles H. Northam, Albert L. Pope, Henry E. Rees, Charles D. Rice, George Roberts, Henry Roberts, Charles L.F. Robinson, Jerome E. Sage, William C. Skinner, H.B. Strong, John M. Taylor, James M. Thomson, Weston W. Walker, and Frank L. Wilcox. These directors comprised the twelve directors of the Phoenix and the eleven directors of the American.
American Bank depositors would not be inconvenienced by the Phoenix-American deal, as they would continue to do business on the American side of the hallway and could hand their deposits in as in the past, while their checks on the American Bank would still be honored. The American National Bank was located at 803 Main Street, Hartford, Connecticut. This building also housed the Hartford County Mutual Fire Insurance Company and the Phoenix National Bank.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The American National Bank of Hartford, CT
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $5,093,960 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1865 and 1912. This consisted of a total of 599,836 notes (599,836 large size and No small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments Original Series 4x5 1 - 17250 Original Series 3x10-20 1 - 8500 "The" omitted from $20 Original Series 50-100 1 - 600 Series 1875 4x5 1 - 18750 Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 13905 "The" omitted from $20; "The" added to re-entered plate A* on Feb. 11, 1884 Series 1875 50-100 1 - 300 1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 9848 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 8422 1882 Brown Back 50-100 1 - 607 1902 Red Seal 4x5 1 - 18250 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 10800 1902 Red Seal 50-100 1 - 1300 1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 28010 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 14787 1902 Date Back 50-100 1 - 67
- Huntoon, Peter and Walcutt, Doug,Starred Plate Letters on Reentered Series of 1875 and 1882 National Bank Notes, Encyclopedia of U.S. National Bank Notes
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1865 - 1912):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
- Rowland Swift, 1865-1870
- John Gilbert Root, 1871-1883
- Joseph Harrington King, 1884-1901
- William James Dixon, 1902-1911
Other Bank Note Signers
- There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.
Wiki Links
- Connecticut Bank Note History
- General information on Hartford (Wikipedia)
- General information on Hartford County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Connecticut (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Hartford, CT, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartford,_Connecticut
- Don C. Kelly, National Bank Notes, A Guide with Prices. 6th Edition (Oxford, OH: The Paper Money Institute, 2008).
- Dean Oakes and John Hickman, Standard Catalog of National Bank Notes. 2nd Edition (Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1990).
- Banks & Bankers Historical Database (1782-1935), https://spmc.org/bank-note-history-project
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Wed., Sep. 29, 1852.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Tue., Oct. 5, 1852.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Mon., Oct. 25, 1852.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Wed., Jan. 5, 1853.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Thu., June 30, 1853.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Thu., Sep, 7, 1854.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Fri., Jan. 9, 1874.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Wed., Dec. 16, 1874.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Sat., June 14, 1902.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Thu., Feb. 23, 1905.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Fri., Jan. 12, 1912.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Sat., Jan. 13, 1912.
- Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Wed., May 15, 1912.