Citizens National Bank, Alexandria, VA (Charter 1716)

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The Athenaeum is one of Alexandria’s two surviving examples of Greek revival neo-classic architecture, located on the corner of Prince and Lee Streets. The elegant rooms have 24-foot high coved ceilings, enormous windows and beautiful woodwork. The exterior features four soaring Doric columns across the portico and walls of stucco over stone and brick.  Built in 1852 at the head of Captain’s Row, it was constructed by the Bank of the Old Dominion. Robert E. Lee did his banking here. During the Civil War, the building was the Chief Commissary’s Office for the Union Army. In the 1870s, it was owned by the Citizens National Bank.
The Athenaeum is one of Alexandria’s two surviving examples of Greek revival neo-classic architecture, located on the corner of Prince and Lee Streets. The elegant rooms have 24-foot high coved ceilings, enormous windows and beautiful woodwork. The exterior features four soaring Doric columns across the portico and walls of stucco over stone and brick.  Built in 1852 at the head of Captain’s Row, it was constructed by the Bank of the Old Dominion. Robert E. Lee did his banking here. During the Civil War, the building was the Chief Commissary’s Office for the Union Army. In the 1870s, it was owned by the Citizens National Bank.  Courtesy of Google Maps, ca2022

Citizens National Bank, Alexandria, VA (Chartered 1870 - Open past 1935)

Town History

The Citizens National Bank of Alexandria, Virginia.
The Citizens National Bank of Alexandria, Virginia.

Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately 7 miles south of downtown Washington, DC. Alexandria is the third-largest "principal city" of the Washington metropolitan area which is part of the larger Washington-Baltimore combined statistical area.

In 2020, the population was 159,467, making it the 6th most populous city in Virginia and the 169th most populous city in the nation. The city's estimated population has grown by 1% annually since 2010 on average.

Like the rest of Northern Virginia and Central Maryland, modern Alexandria has been influenced by its proximity to the U.S. capital. It is largely populated by professionals working in the federal civil service, in the U.S. military, or for one of the many private companies which contract to provide services to the federal government.

On October 21, 1669, a patent granted 6,000 acres to Robert Howsing for transporting 120 people to the Colony of Virginia.  That tract would later become the City of Alexandria.  Virginia's comprehensive Tobacco Inspection Law of 1730 mandated that all tobacco grown in the colony must be brought to locally designated public warehouses for inspection before sale. One of the sites designated for a warehouse on the upper Potomac River was at the mouth of Hunting Creek. However, the ground proved to be unsuitable, and the warehouse was built half a mile up-river, where the water was deep near the shore.

Following the 1745 settlement of the Virginia's 10-year dispute with Lord Fairfax over the western boundary of the Northern Neck Proprietary, when the Privy Council in London found in favor of Lord Fairfax's expanded claim, some of the Fairfax County gentry formed the Ohio Company of Virginia. They intended to conduct trade into the interior of America, and they required a trading center near the head of navigation on the Potomac. The best location was Hunting Creek tobacco warehouse, since the deep water could easily accommodate sailing ships. Many local tobacco planters, however, wanted a new town further up Hunting Creek, away from nonproductive fields along the river.

Around 1746, Captain Philip Alexander II (1704–1753) moved to what is south of present Duke Street in Alexandria. His estate, which consisted of 500 acres, was bounded by Hunting Creek, Hooff's Run, the Potomac River, and approximately the line which would become Cameron Street. At the opening of Virginia's 1748–49 legislative session, there was a petition submitted in the House of Burgesses on November 1, 1748, that the "inhabitants of Fairfax (Co.) praying that a town may be established at Hunting Creek Warehouse on Potowmack River," as Hugh West was the owner of the warehouse. The petition was introduced by Lawrence Washington, the representative for Fairfax County and, more importantly, the son-in-law of William Fairfax and a founding member of the Ohio Company. To support the company's push for a town on the river, Lawrence's younger brother George Washington, an aspiring surveyor, made a sketch of the shoreline touting the advantages of the tobacco warehouse site.

Since the river site was amidst his estate, Philip opposed the idea and strongly favored a site at the head of Hunting Creek (also known as Great Hunting Creek). It has been said that in order to avoid a predicament the petitioners offered to name the new town Alexandria, in honor of Philip's family. As a result, Philip and his cousin Captain John Alexander (1711–1763) gave land to assist in the development of Alexandria, and are thus listed as the founders. This John was the son of Robert Alexander II (1688–1735). On May 2, 1749, the House of Burgesses approved the river location and ordered "Mr. Washington do go up with a Message to the Council and acquaint them that this House have agreed to the Amendments titled An Act for erecting a Town at Hunting Creek Warehouse, in the County of Fairfax." A "Public Vendue" (auction) was advertised for July, and the county surveyor laid out street lanes and town lots. The auction was conducted on July 13–14, 1749.

A portion of the City of Alexandria—most of the area now known as Old Town as well as the areas of the city northeast of what is now King Street—and all of today's Arlington County share the distinction of having been the portion of Virginia ceded to the U.S. Government in 1791 to help form the new District of Columbia. Over time, a movement grew to separate what was called "Alexandria County" from the District of Columbia. As competition grew with the port of Georgetown and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal fostered development on the north side of the Potomac River, Alexandria's economy stagnated; at the same time, residents had lost any representation in Congress and the right to vote, and were disappointed with the negligible economic benefit (on the Alexandria side) of being part of the national capital. Alexandria still had an important port and market in the slave trade, and as talk increased of abolishing slavery in the national capital, there was concern that Alexandria's economy would suffer greatly if this step were taken. After a referendum, voters petitioned Congress and Virginia to return the portion of the District of Columbia south of the Potomac River (Alexandria County) to Virginia. On July 9, 1846, Congress retroceded Alexandria County to Virginia. The City of Alexandria was re-chartered in 1852 and became independent of Alexandria County in 1870. The remaining portion of Alexandria County changed its name to Arlington County in 1920.

Alexandria had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all three of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

Bank of the Old Dominion $20 Obsolete bank note, Haxby VA-15, dated January 28, 1857, signed by Jas. McKenzie, Cashier and W.N. McVeigh, President.  Design by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson. A train travels at the top right center. The intricate left end panel has male and female sea nymphs between a Virginia die at top and ship vignette at the bottom. The right end shows John Marshall. A Red protector TWENTY and a doe at bottom center.
Bank of the Old Dominion $20 Obsolete bank note, Haxby VA-15, dated January 28, 1857 signed by Jas. McKenzie, Cashier and W.N. McVeigh, President.  Design by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Edson. A train travels at the top right center. The intricate left end panel has male and female sea nymphs between a Virginia die at top and ship vignette at the bottom. The right end shows John Marshall. A Red protector TWENTY and a doe at bottom center. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
Bank of the Old Dominion obsolete $10, dated October 7, 1859 and pen signed by P.E. Hoffman, Cashier and Wm. N. McVeigh, President. This note was issued for the Pearisburg branch while the bank was operating as a Free Bank. The note depicts Minerva and Commerce, who is seated by bales, as well as a strong box below. The example also has a large red TEN protector
Bank of the Old Dominion obsolete $10, dated October 7, 1859 and pen signed by P.E. Hoffman, Cashier and Wm. N. McVeigh, President. This note was issued for the Pearisburg branch while the bank was operating as a Free Bank. The note depicts Minerva and Commerce, who is seated by bales, as well as a strong box below. The example also has a large red TEN protector. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
  • Organized September 10, 1870
  • Chartered October 8, 1870
  • Bank was Open past 1935

The Bank of the Old Dominion was authorized on March 29, 1851. It closed its doors in April 1862, but would re-open shortly after the end of the war.

In February 1851, a bill was reported from the Committee on Banks, incorporating the Bank of the Old Dominion in Alexandria with capital of $200,000. In March in the House of Delegates, the bill establishing the Bank of the Old Dominion on the free banking principle was amended so as to authorize the establishment of similar banks at Norfolk and Fredericksburg, and ordered to be engrossed by a vote of 46 to 27. The bill was advocated by Messrs. Wm. D. Massey of Alexandria, Burwell, Ferguson and Stubbs, and opposed by Messrs. Willis and Jones. Books of subscription for raising the stock were ordered to be opened the first Monday in May. Commissioners appointed were Lewis McKenzie, Robert H. Miller, John H. Brent, George H. Smoot, Reuben Johnston, Andrew J. Fleming, C.P. Shaw, C.C. Smoot, W.G. Cazenove, John J. Wheat, John B. Daingerfield, George D. Fowle, Isaac Buckingham, John Withers, Benjamin H. Lambert, Wm. N. McVeigh, R.G. Violett, D.B. Smith, Benjamin Barton, John F. Dyer, and James A. English. The amount of stock sufficient for the incorporation of the institution was subscribed, a meeting of subscribers was called on July 15 at the Lyceum Hall for the purpose of electing a president and directors and to transact other business. The stockholders elected the following gentlemen directors of the institution: William Fowle, Robert H. Miller, Lewis McKenzie, Stephen Shinn, Daniel F. Hooe, Wm. N. McVeigh, Wm. G. Cazenove, Wm. F. Phillips, John J. Wheat. William Fowle was elected president. On Tuesday, July 22, the directors selected the lot at the northwest corner of Prince and Water Streets [now Prince and Lee Streets, site of the Athenaeum] for the banking house and it was purchased for $1,750. The board elected James McKenzie, esq., cashier and teller. The business of the bank would commence as soon as the notes were prepared and a temporary office procured.

In January 1860, the officers of the Bank of Old Dominion were Wm. N. McVeigh, president; P.E. Hoffman Cashier; H.B. Clagett, bookkeeper; G.W.D. Ramsay, teller; J.W. Lockwood, discount clerk.

On April 10, 1862, Farmers Bank and Bank of the Old Dominion ceased business and closed their doors. On May 20, 1862, Wm. B. Vass, cashier of the branch Bank of the Old Dominion at Floyd Courthouse, Virginia announced that the assets, books, papers, etc., connected with the Branch Bank of the Old Dominion at Pearisburg were removed to Floyd Court-House and an office opened to transact business as had been conducted at Pearisburg.

In July 1865, stockholders met at Liberty Hall and an attempt was made at presenting the condition of the bank and the branch at Pearisburg. Much of the principle assets were in Confederate notes and bonds with only about $4,000 in specie. The action of Wm. N. McVeigh, president of the bank, in withdrawing the interest on the State Bonds as Confederate Bonds, then converted to Confederat Notes, met with a resolution for the directors to inform themselves of the action and determine if he should be held responsible. Notably, the Pearisburg branch had since January 1861 issued $23,500 in notes in the denomination of ones and twos. Election of directors for the Bank of the Old Dominion and its branch at Pearisburg resulted in the following board: George H. Smoot, Wm. G. Cazenove, B.H. Lambert, Jno. B. Smoot, J.B. Daingerfield, C.F. Lee, J.J. Wheat, N. Boush, and J. Wallace Hooff. [NOTE: Thanks to Mr. Hooff's secret courtship with his 2d cousin, Jannett Hoof Brown, the Alexandria Blue Boy stamp which sold for a record $1 million in 1981 exists.] Directors of the Branch at Pearisburg were M. Chapman, W.C. Charlton, W.B. Mason, W.H. Hale, H.C. French, J.A. Peck and A. Fry. On Thursday, July 20th, at a meeting of the Board of Directors, George H. Smoot was elected president and Wm. H. Lambert, cashier.

On Tuesday, January 9, 1866, at the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Bank of the Old Dominion, the following gentlemen were elected directors for the ensuing year: George H. Smoot, B.H. Lambert, J.B. Daingerfield, Wm. G. Cazenove, J.J. Wheat, John B. Smoot, N. Boush, C.F. Lee, and Thomas Henderson. Mr. W.N. McVeigh read a printed pamphlet in vindication of his actions as president of the bank while absent from the city during the war.

On March 17, 1870, at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bank of the Old Dominion, the death of George H. Smoot, esq., late president of the bank, was announced and appropriate resolutions of respect adopted. Robert H. Miller, esq., was then unanimously elected president and W.H. Lambert, esq., re-elected cashier. In June 1870, notice was published by Wm. H. Lambert, cashier and R.H. Miller, president of the Bank of the Old Dominion, that the countersigned notes of the bank and its branch at Pearisburg must be presented at the bank for redemption at par on or before July 1st, 1871, or same would be barred in conformity with an act of the General Assembly of Virginia of June 16th, 1870, entitled an "Act for the relief of the Bank of the Old Dominion."

The Citizens National Bank of Alexandria opened on Monday, November 28, 1870, with Robert H. Miller, president, and Wm. H. Lambert, cashier. The directors were R.H. Miller, J.B. Daingerfield, B.H. Lambert, J.B. Smoot, and R. Wheat.

In January 1911, the directors were Edward L. Daingerfild, J. Clinton Smoot, Jas. W. Roberts, Worth Hulfish, Carroll Pierce, M.A. Ahern, and Urban S. Lambert. The officers were Edward L. Daingerfield, president; Carroll Pierce, vice president; and Richard M. Green, cashier. The bank had capital of $100,000 and surplus of $125,000.

In January 1921, the directors were Edward L. Daingerfield, J. Clinton Smoot, Urban S. Lambert, John M. Johnson, Carroll Pierce, Worth Hulfish, and Arthur H. Bryant. The officers were Edward L. Daingerfield, president; Carroll Pierce, vice president; Urban S. Lambert, vice president; Richard M. Green, assistant vice president; and M.L. Dinwiddie, cashier. Effective October 27, 1921, M.L. Dinwiddie resigned as cashier to accept a position as secretary-treasurer of the Clarendon Trust Company of Clarendon, Virginia. The board of directors after accepting Mr. Dinwiddie's resignation called him into the board room and presented him with a handsome silver pitcher in recognition of his faithful services to the bank. He had been connected with the bank for the past 14 years and for the past two and a half years was the cashier. Urban S. Lambert was elected cashier to succeed M.L. Dinwiddie.

On September 7, 1922, Urban S. Lambert resigned as cashier and Henry C. Bock was elected to fill the vacancy. Mr. Lambert continued to serve as vice president of the bank. Mr. Bock was an experienced banker and for a number of years was connected with the Riggs National Bank. He received his early education in the public schools of Washington and was a 1912 graduate of Culver Military Academy. When the country entered the world war, Mr. Bock enlisted in the marine corps and served in France and while overseas was commissioned a lieutenant. Upon his return in 1919, he resigned his commission and accepted a position with the Riggs Bank. Afterward he entered the National Bank examining service until becoming identified with the Citizens National Bank.

On July 1, 1954, following approval by the Comptroller of the Currency, two of the oldest and largest banks in Alexandria, the First National and Citizens National merged. First and Citizens National Bank of Alexandria would be the name of the new bank with capital of $1,000,000, surplus $2,000,000 and resources exceeding $40 million.

On Thursday, November 15, 1956, a Marine colonel who formerly lived in Richmond was listed as aboard a missing navy jet believed to have crashed in Michigan. Missing were Col. Henry C. Bock, 63, and Capt. William B. Wilson, Jr., of Wharton, Texas. Colonel Bock, a native of Germany, moved to Houston from Richmond a number of years ago. The marines had been diving and dragging in Lake St. Clair, Michigan, where the plane was suspected to have gone down until the search was called off in December. The plane was en route from Dallas Naval Air Station to Detroit. An emergency signal was received from an unidentified plane over Lake St. Clair by Air Force officials at Selfridge Air Force Base. In April 1927, then marine Lieutenant Henry C. Bock of the USMC Reserves was assigned to duty with the newly organized Fleet Marine Company in Richmond. Membership in the elite unit was limited to college or high school graduates, at least five feet eight inches in height, showing evidence of having qualifications of an officer.

In December 1968, United Virginia Bankshares, the state's largest banking organization, announced plans to change the names of 9 of its 10 domestic banks in the coming year. All nine would be named United Virginia banks with each having an individual suffix to set it apart from the others. Thus, First and Citizens National Bank of Alexandria became United Virginia Bank/First and Citizens National.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Citizens National Bank of Alexandria, VA

Bank Note Types Issued

1882 Brown Back $10 bank note with faded signatures
1882 Brown Back $10 bank note with faded signatures. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with faded purple signatures.
1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with faded purple signatures. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 1 $20 bank note with printed signatures of George F. Downham, Cashier and Carroll Pierce, President.
1929 Type 1 $20 bank note with printed signatures of George F. Downham, Cashier and Carroll Pierce, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 2 $20 bank note with printed signatures of C.G. Pierce, Cashier and Carroll Pierce, President.
1929 Type 2 $20 bank note with printed signatures of C.G. Pierce, Cashier and Carroll Pierce, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $4,051,540 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1870 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 322,206 notes (253,806 large size and 68,400 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 - 1250
Original Series 3x10-20 1 - 2700
Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 3214
1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 5500
1882 Brown Back 50-100 1 - 530
1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 1854
1882 Date Back 50-100 1 - 171
1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 8700
1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 8701 - 48583
1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 7366
1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 1936
1929 Type 2 10 1 - 9720
1929 Type 2 20 1 - 2868

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1870 - 1935):

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

  • Alexandria, VA, on Wikipedia
  • 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
  • Citizens National Bank of Alexandria, image from the Library of Congress
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Tue., Apr. 1, 1851.
  • Richmond Enquirer, Richmond, VA, Fri., Feb. 7, 1851.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Sat., Mar. 29, 1851.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Thu., July 17, 1851.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Thu., July 24, 1851.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Wed., July 30, 1851.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Mon., Jan. 2, 1860.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Tue., May 13, 1862.
  • Richmond Dispatch, Richmond, VA, Tue., June 3, 1862.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Wed., July 19, 1865.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Sat., July 22, 1865.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Tue., Jan. 9, 1866.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Thu., Mar. 17, 1870.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Mon., June 27, 1870.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Mon., Nov. 28, 1870.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Mon., Jan., 2, 1911.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Thu., Jan. 20, 1921.
  • Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Fri., Sep. 8, 1922.
  • Richmond Times-Dispatch, Richmond, VA, Sun., Apr. 17, 1927.
  • Richmond Times-Dispatch, Richmond, VA, Sat., Nov. 17, 1956.
  • The Richmond Times Leader, Richmond, VA, Wed., Dec. 19, 1956.
  • The Richmond News Leader, Richmond, VA, Tue., Apr. 20, 1954.
  • Richmond Times-Dispatch, Richmond, VA, Sun, Dec. 1, 1968.
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