Charter National Bank, Media, PA (Charter 3666)

The old Charter National Bank building, Media, Pennsylvania, ca2019. Courtesy of Google Maps

Charter National Bank, Media, PA (Chartered 1887 - Liquidated 1928)

Town History

Sketch of the Charter National Bank, ca1900.

Media is a borough in and the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, about 13 miles west of Philadelphia. Media was incorporated in 1850 at the same time that it was named the county seat. The population was 5,327 at the 2010 census, down from 5,533 at the 2000 census.

The history of the area goes back to William Penn, but the area remained predominantly rural until the twentieth century. Peter and William Taylor bought the land where Media is now located, directly from Penn.

Thomas Minshall, a Quaker, was an early Media resident, settling just outside the small village then known as "Providence", along the Providence Great Road. The village then included a tailor shop, blacksmith shop, wheelwright shop, barn and other buildings. Minshall bought 625 acres from William Penn and arrived in 1682. The Providence Friends Meeting was established at his house in February 1688, and a meetinghouse was later built on land he donated for the purpose. The original meetinghouse was built out of logs in 1699 or 1700, and the current building dates to 1814. A house on Minshall's property, built c. 1750, still stands and was given to the citizens of the borough in 1975.

Chester County, Pennsylvania was divided in 1789, the eastern portion becoming Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Streets were plotted in a rectangular grid around the location of the new courthouse, lots were sold at public auctions, and the construction of houses began. Sources agree that Minshall Painter, a descendant of Thomas Minshall, suggested the name "Media", but do not agree on the reason. The name most likely comes from the borough's central location in Delaware County.

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

Bank History

Organized Feb 23, 1887
Chartered Apr 2, 1887
Liquidated Jan 31, 1928
Absorbed by Media Title and Trust Company of Media

On March 11, 1895, workmen began tearing down the Media House on South Avenue. The Charter National Bank planned to build a handsome bank building on the old site. Richard C. Ballinger, head of the firm of R.C. Ballinger & Co. of Philadelphia was engaged for the construction.

In May 1900, the bank reported capital of $100,000, surplus of $20,000, deposits of $250,000. The board of directors consisted of C.D.M. Broomhall, Media; Jared Darlington, Glen Mills; W. Roger Fronefield, Esq., Media; Samuel D. Riddle, Glen Riddle; Pennock E. Sharpless, Concordville; Theodore P. Sauinier, Upper Providence; and George M. Tyler, Media.

Sketch of the Media Title and Trust Company, ca1900. Media Title and Trust Company absorbs The Charter National Bank of Media in 1928.

The Media Title and Trust Company began business January 31st 1891, receiving its charter from the State under Governor Beaver.  It was organized with an authorized capital of $300,000, divided into 6,000 shares at $50 per share.  The first statement was issued January 31st 1891 and showed subscriptions of capital stock of $125,625 and deposits of $1,000.  By 1900, it had capital of $125,025, surplus and undivided profits of $50,000 and deposits of $312,267.34.  This was remarkable growth over a period of nine years considering that fully half of that time was noted for the greatest depression in business through which the country had ever passed.  Officers were George Drayton, president; Horace P. Green, vice president; H.W. Rhodes, secretary and treasurer; John A. Pyle, title and trust officer; V. Gilpin Robinson, Horace P. Green, solicitors.  Directors were George Drayton, H.P. Green, Emil Holl, John W. Biddle, V.G. Robinson, W.M. Parker, Isaac Briggs, W.H. Miller, A. Lewis Smith, Jared Darlington, Samuel N. Hill, A.P. Ogden, A.L. Hawkins, and D. L. Caldwell.

On January 15, 1913, The board of directors reorganized by electing W. Roger Fronfield, the lawyer of Media, president; J. Lord Rigby, Recorder of Deeds, vice president, and Joseph E. Quinby, the undertaker, secretary. The vacancy in the position of cashier went unfilled; Mr. William B. Miller, the assistant cashier was performing the functions of the cashier. In April, Miss Anne J. Darlington, ex-cashier of the Charter National Bank, departed for Mt. Pocono to pass the Summer.

In January 1916, all the old directors were re-elected as follows: Isaac Briggs, of Broomall; Jesse R. Baker, of Gradyville; J. Lord Rigby, of Media; H.H. Heyburn, of Brandywine Summit; W. Roger Fronefield, of Media; Joseph E. Quinby, of Media, and Evans Harvey, of Brandywine Summit.

On March 22, 1916, Miss Anne J. Darlington passed away at her home at Cresco after a brief illness and an operation. She was the daughter of Anne Needles and the late Jared Darlington. For many years she was cashier at the Charter National Bank of which her father was president. About two years ago she went to the Antlers at Cresco where she had been engaged in taking in boarders. She was a member of the Society of Friends.

In December 1927, according to Frank B. Rhodes, President of the Media Title and Trust Company, the Charter National Bank would be taken over within a few weeks. Howard M. Lutz, vice president of the trust company was in charge of the legal end of the consolidation. Lutz stated that "part of the business of the Media Title and Trust Company is conducted at Sixty-ninth Street, Upper Darby township, where it was the pioneer and the most active fixture in the development of that territory. The Media Title and Trust Company went to Sixty-ninth Street several years ago when the terminal was in a cornfield and the country was entirely undeveloped. It is the province and intention of the board of directors to in some concrete way extend the business at that section and hold us as we have always been the principal financial institution in Delaware County outside of the City of Chester." Mr. Rhodes also stated that all the present force of the Charter National Bank will be taken over by the Media Title and Trust Company and the customers of the Charter National Bank will find the same familiar faces at the windows. The trust company had capital stock of $250,000 and surplus of $721,000. William B. Miller was president of the Charter National, a position he held since Judge W. Roger Fronefield went upon the bench of the Common Pleas Court of Delaware County.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Charter National Bank of Media, PA

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Date Back $20 bank note with pen signature of A.J. Darlington, Cashier and stamped signature of Jesse Darlington, President.

1902 Plain Back $5 bank note with faded signatures of H. Darlington, Cashier and William B. Miller, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $1,294,970 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1887 and 1928. This consisted of a total of 170,452 notes (170,452 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
1882 Brown Back	4x5	1 - 9436
1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 2187
1902 Red Seal	4x5	1 - 2125
1902 Red Seal	3x10-20	1 - 1350
1902 Date Back	4x5	1 - 6800
1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 5040
1902 Plain Back	4x5	6801 - 16295
1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	5041 - 11220

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1887 - 1928):

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

Media, PA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media,_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://spmc.org/bank-note-history-project
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, Tue., Mar. 12, 1895.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, Tue., Mar. 24, 1896.
Delaware County Daily Times, Chester, PA, Sat., May 19, 1900.
Delaware County Times, Chester, PA, Thu., Jan. 16, 1913.
Delaware County Times, Chester, PA, Tue., Apr. 15, 1913.
Delaware County Times, Chester, PA, Wed., Jan. 12, 1916.
Delaware County Times, Chester, PA, Thu., Mar. 23, 1916.
Delaware County Times, Chester, PA, Wed., Dec. 7, 1927.