Berwick National Bank, Berwick, PA (Charter 6162)

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Postcard view of The Berwick National Bank, Berwick, Pennsylvania ca1940s.
Postcard view of The Berwick National Bank, Berwick, Pennsylvania ca1940s. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

Berwick National Bank, Berwick, PA (Chartered 1902 - Closed (Merger) 1974)

Town History

Modern view of the old Berwick National Bank on Market Street ca2020
Modern view of the old Berwick National Bank on Market Street ca2020. Courtesy of Google Maps

Berwick is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles southwest of Wilkes-Barre and 12 miles northeast of Bloomsburg and all three are located on the Susquehanna River and on US Route 11. As of the 2010 census, Berwick had a population of 10,477.

Berwick was founded by Evan Owen, a Welsh Quaker and surveyor. He was the son of Hugh Owen from Trefeglwys, Montgomeryshire, Wales. Berwick was named after Berwick-upon-Tweed, England. Situated on the north bank of the Susquehanna River, the borough was first settled in 1769, founded in 1786, and incorporated in 1818.

Light and heavy manufacturing industries, such as American Car and Foundry Company and Wise Potato Chips, have flourished in Berwick. Berwick is famous for its high school football team, the Bulldogs, who are six time state champions and three time national champions. Berwick is also the home of the 2008 PIAA AAA baseball state champions.

Since 1947, the Berwick Christmas Boulevard, created by the Jaycees, features over a mile long Christmas show of lights and displays down Market Street. The Berwick Christmas Boulevard is seen by thousands of visitors every year, and it has been a regional favorite for over 60 years. Santa Claus is present every year to serve Berwick's famous Wise Potato Chips to everyone who drives past him.

Berwick had two National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and both of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

  • Organized Feb 27, 1902
  • Chartered Mar 17, 1902
  • Opened for business Apr 3, 1902
  • Bank was Open past 1935
  • For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
  • Merged into First NB of Eastern PA, Wilkes Barre Nov 15,1974

At the close of business on Friday, November 15, 1974, all banks of the First National Bank of Eastern Pennsylvania, including the former First National Bank of Bloomsburg, assumed the title of First Easter Bank, National Association (N.A.). At the same time, the Berwick National Bank's merger with the banking chain became effective. As a result, all the employees of the Berwick bank became part of one of the oldest banks in the country, tracing its charter to No. 30 issued to the First National Bank of Wilkes-Barre in 1863. Thomas H. Kiley, chairman of the board and chief executive officer at First Eastern Bank, N.A. said the new name more accurately reflected the area where the bank's name will appear. He noted there were about 17 First National Banks in the marketing area, so the new name was less confusing.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Berwick National Bank, Berwick, PA

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Plain Back $20 bank note with stamped signatures of B.D. Freas, Cashier and Charles C. Evans, President. This note carries the plate date of Feb. 27, 1922 and Elliott | White Treasury officers' signatures.
1902 Plain Back $20 bank note with stamped signatures of B.D. Freas, Cashier and Charles C. Evans, President. This note carries the plate date of Feb. 27, 1922 and Elliott | White Treasury officers' signatures. Courtesy of Adam Stroup
1929 Type 2 $20 bank note with printed signatures of J. Roy Blanning, Cashier and Charles C. Evans, President.
1929 Type 2 $20 bank note with printed signatures of J. Roy Blanning, Cashier and Charles C. Evans, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $1,951,900 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1902 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 179,123 notes (143,544 large size and 35,579 small size notes).

This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:

Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments
1902 Red Seal 4x5 1 - 1200
1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 2160
1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 4900
1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 3500
1902 Plain Back 4x5 4901 - 8950 Plate dated 1902
1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 3501 - 6597 Plate dated 1902
1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 16979 Plate dated 1922
1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 4158
1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 1178
1929 Type 2 20 1 - 3563

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1902 - 1974):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Bank Note Signers

  • There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.

Wiki Links

Sources

  • Berwick, PA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berwick,_Pennsylvania
  • 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://bbdata.banknotehistory.com
  • The Morning Press, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, Sat., Nov. 16, 1974.
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