Citizens National Bank, Hollidaysburg, PA (Charter 6874)
Citizens National Bank, Hollidaysburg, PA (Chartered 1903 - Open past 1935)
Town History
Hollidaysburg is a borough in and the county seat of Blair County in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located on the Juniata River, 5 miles south of Altoona and is part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania, metropolitan statistical area. Coal, iron ore, ganister, and limestone are found in the vicinity. In the past, the borough had foundries and machine shops, a silk mill, car works and classification yards. The center of Hollidaysburg is frequently referred to as "The Diamond," where the buildings and parking spaces form a diamond. This area serves as the hub for parades, festivals and other town celebrations. In 1900, 2,998 people lived in the borough, in 1910, 3,734 lived there, and in 1940, 5,910 residents were counted. The population was 5,641 at the 2020 census.
Hollidaysburg was first laid out in 1796 and was named after Adam and William Holliday, Irish immigrants who founded the settlement; by 1814 it consisted of several houses and a tavern. Hollidaysburg became the main transfer point between the Pennsylvania Canal and the Portage Railroad, a gateway to western Pennsylvania. The canal and Portage Railroad spurred industrial and commercial development in Hollidaysburg in the 1830s. In 1836, Hollidaysburg was established as a borough.
When Blair County was organized in 1846, the Borough of Hollidaysburg was designated the county seat. This designation allowed the borough to prosper when politicians and attorneys became attracted to the borough. In 1903, the Pennsylvania Railroad constructed a large switching yard and U.S. Route 22 was directed through the borough. In addition, the Pennsylvania Railroad Constructed the Hollidaysburg Car shop to help ease the bustling of the Altoona Shops. Years later, Conrail also built a car reclamation plant on the property. Hollidaysburg Reclamation plant and car shop are currently still operational and operated by Norfolk Southern Railway Corporation.
Hollidaysburg had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all three of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized December 31, 1902
- Chartered July 8, 1903
- Opened for business September 24, 1903
- Bank was Open past 1935
- Merged with First National Bank of Altoona (Charter 227) on November 1, 1960
In September 1903, the Citizens National building adjoining the postoffice block was almost completed and at a meeting of the directors it was decided to throw open the doors for business on Thursday, September 24th. The business of the institution would be conducted by the cashier, Harry D. Hewit, esq., under the personal supervision of the president, Mr. Lynn A. Brua. Mr. Steele Smith, a well-known young man with many years' experience as a bank clerk would be installed as chief bookkeeper.[2] The directors were Lynn A. Brua, Thomas J. Baldrige, esq., Peter S. Duncan, Oliver H. Hewit, esq., Dr. Jonathan T. Leet, J. King McLanahan, Jr., and Robert H. Spendley, the vice president. The capital stock was $50,000.[3] The bank opened for business on the 24th at 9 o'clock and Mr. J.K. McLanahan, Jr., director and son-in-law of Robert H. Spendley, had the honor of being the first depositor.[4]
In November 1911, at the meeting of the board of directors, Mr. Lynn A. Brua, owing to a multiplicity of his business interests, tendered his resignation as president to take effect on January 9th, when stockholders would elect a new board of directors.[5]
On Tuesday, January 9, 1912, stockholders elected the following directors: Peter S. Duncan, J. King McLanahan, Jr., Hon. Thomas J. Baldrige, Dr. Johathan T. Leet, John S. Vipond, Wade A. Mattern, and Oliver H. Hewit, esq. The directors elected Peter S. Duncan, president; J. King McLanahan, vice president; Harry D. Hewit, cashier; and H. Steele Smith, assistant cashier.[6]
On Tuesday, January 12, 1926, the board of directors was re-elected as follows: Peter S. Duncan, J. King McLanahan, Thomas J. Baldrige, Oliver H. Hewit, Wade A. Mattern, John S. Vipond, and Harry D. Hewit.[7] The election of officers was held on Tuesday, February 9th, with Peter S. Duncan, president; J. King McLanahan, vice president; Harry D. Hewitt, cashier; and H. Steele Smith, assistant cashier.[8]
On November 14, 1926, shortly after 11 o'clock at night, J. King McLanahan, Jr., aged 54 years, president of the New England Lime Company and with widespread interests in mining and quarrying projects in the South and West, died suddenly at his Pittsfield home in the South Street apartments. Mr. McLanahan was born in Hollidaysburg December 27, 1871, the son of J. King and Mary (Martin) McLanahan. In 1889 he began his life work first learning the trade of machinist in the shops of McLanahan Stone Machine Company, Hollidaysburg. He became interested in 1892 in the lime and limestone business at Frankstown and became associated with the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company as president of the Blair Limestone Company. In 1902 he joined a consolidation of lime and stone interests with A.G. Morris and A.A. Stevens called the American Lime and Stone Company. In 1903, he was one of the organizers of the Citizens National Bank of Hollidaysburg.[9] He had made his home in Pittsfield, Mass since the move there from Danbury, Conn., of the headquarters of the New England Lime Company. Mr. McLanahan was vice president of the Marblehead Lime Co. of Chicago, vice president of the Citizens National Bank of Hollidaysburg, and held a number of club memberships including the Blairmont Club in Hollidaysburg, Duquesne of Pittsburgh, Athletic of Philadelphia, Seaview Country Club of Atlantic City, Cricket Club of Altoona, Country Club and Park Club of Pittsfield. He attended the old Greylock Institute in Williamstown in 1886 and 1887 and from this early attachment for the hills grew his subsequent fondness. Mr. McLanahan was owner of Highland Hall, an exclusive school for girls in Hollidaysburg as was his father before him.[10]
In January 1931, stockholders elected the following directors: Peter S. Duncan, Sr., Judge Thomas J. Baldrige, Oliver H. Hewit, John S. Vipond, Wade A. Mattern, Frank D. Cliber, and Harry D. Hewit. Directors elected Peter S. Duncan, president; Harry D. Hewit, vice president; H. Steele Smith, cashier; and John W. Oakes, assistant cashier.[11]
on Tuesday, January 8, 1946, stockholders elected the following directors: Frank D. Cliber, J. Calvin Lang, Jr., Peter S. Duncan, Jr., Homer D. Winter, Stewart S. Criswell, Ward McLanahan, and Kenzie S. Bagshaw. The directors reorganized by electing Frank D. Cliber, president; U. Shuman Hart, vice president and cashier; and Joseph M. Frank, assistant cashier.[12]
On Thursday, July 7, 1960, The Citizens National Bank of Hollidaysburg announced plans for merging with the First National Bank of Altoona with the new institution retaining the title of First National Bank. Frank G. Smith, president of the Altoona bank said the merged bank would have combined resources of $30,501,823, the second largest in Blair County. The proposal was subject to approval of stockholders and the comptroller of the currency.[13]
On July 31, 1961, U. Shuman Hart, vice president of the First National Bank of Altoona and manager of its Hollidaysburg Citizens Office, retired after 27 years in the banking field in Hollidaysburg. Born in Huntingdon, Hart attended Bellefonte Academy, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle. Following graduation, he joined an investment house and later served as a bank examiner for the Department of Banking, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He left this position to become vice president of the Citizens National Bank of Hollidaysburg. He was elected a director and vice president of the First National at the time of its merger with the Citizens National on November 1st, 1960. Mr. Hart would continue to serve First National as a director of the bank and as a member of the advisory board of the Hollidaysburg Citizen Office.[14]
Official Bank Title
1: The Citizens National Bank of Hollidaysburg, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $651,180 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1903 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 53,541 notes (41,980 large size and 11,561 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 3x10-20 1 - 2073 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 2950 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 2951 - 8422 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 874 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 264 1929 Type 2 5 1 - 2002 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 2232 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 499
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1903 - 1935):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
Other Known Bank Note Signers
- No other known bank note signers for this bank
Bank Note History Links
- Citizens National Bank, Hollidaysburg, PA History (NB Lookup)
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)
Sources
- Hollidaysburg, PA, 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
- ↑ Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Tue., July 3, 1956.
- ↑ Altoona Times, Altoona, PA, Mon., Sep. 21, 1903.
- ↑ Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Wed., Sep. 23, 1903.
- ↑ Altoona Times, Altoona, PA, Thu., Sep. 24, 1903.
- ↑ Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Tue., Jan. 2, 1912.
- ↑ Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Wed., Jan. 10, 1912.
- ↑ Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Thu., Jan. 14, 1926.
- ↑ Altoona Mirror, Altoona, PA, Thu., Feb. 11, 1926.
- ↑ Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Tue., Nov. 16, 1926.
- ↑ The Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, MA, Mon., Nov. 15, 1926.
- ↑ Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Fri., Feb. 6, 1931.
- ↑ Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Thu., Jan. 10, 1946.
- ↑ The Titusville Herald, Titusville, PA, Sat., July 9, 1960.
- ↑ The Daily News, Huntingdon, PA, Thu., Aug. 3, 1961.