Citizens National Bank, Norwalk, OH (Charter 11275)
Citizens National Bank, Norwalk, OH (Chartered 1918 - Closed (Merger) 2002)
Town History
Norwalk is a city in Huron County, Ohio, and its county seat. The city is the center of the Norwalk micropolitan area and part of the Cleveland–Akron–Canton combined statistical area. Norwalk is located approximately 10 miles south of Lake Erie, 51 miles west/southwest of Cleveland, 59 miles southeast of Toledo, and 58 miles west/northwest of Akron. The population was 17,068 at the 2020 census. In 1920 the population was 7,379, growing to 8,211 by 1940.
Norwalk is located at the center of the Firelands, a subregion of the Connecticut Western Reserve. The subregion's name recalls the founding of the area as one for settlers from cities in Connecticut that were largely destroyed by fire during the Revolutionary War. Several locations in the Firelands were named in honor of those cities, including Danbury, Greenwich, Groton, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, Norwich, and Ridgefield. Other locations were named for the settlers, including Clarksfield, Perkins, and Sherman.
On July 11, 1779, Norwalk, Connecticut, was burned by British Loyalists under Lieutenant-General William Tryon. In 1800, the U.S. Government gave an area in the Connecticut Western Reserve as compensation; and in 1806, 13 men arrived to make the first survey of what would be called the Firelands.
Between 1806 and 1810, many families made the trip to look over land they had purchased in the Firelands. During the War of 1812, because of the fear of British and Indian raids, settlement of the Huron County area came almost to a standstill. However, in 1815, Platt Benedict of Danbury, Connecticut, visited and examined the present site of Norwalk. He returned to Danbury and purchased 1,300 acres of land with an eye toward establishing a town.
In July 1817, Benedict returned to Norwalk with his family and immediately built a house. This was the first permanent residence established within the limits of Norwalk. In May 1818, the county seat was successfully removed from Avery, Ohio, to Norwalk.
The gastroenteritis-causing virus norovirus is named after the city. It was initially named the "Norwalk Agent". The virus was discovered via electron microscopy of a stool sample from the town in 1972.
Norwalk had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all three of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized November 30, 1918
- Chartered December 7, 1918
- Conversion of The Citizens Banking Company, Norwalk, OH
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Merged into The Citizens Banking Company in Sandusky, OH, April 1, 2002
On Monday, February 10, 1902, the Citizens' Banking Company of Norwalk was incorporated at Columbus with a capital stock of $50,000. The incorporators were C.W. Anderson, A.E. Rowley, C.A. Paul, W.H. Merritt, F.M. Roth, and F.H. Jones. The new bank planned to open in April or May occupying the room in the Yale block occupied by W.J. Farewell and H.L. Christian.[1]
In May 1908, the home of Fred H. Fox, cashier of the Citizens' Banking Company, Norwalk, was entered by professional burglars while Mr. and Mrs. Fox were visiting in Toledo. Taken were three gold watches, diamond rings, pins, etc., amounting to $400. Mr. Fox's watch had his name on it.[2]
In October 1917, 150 Ohio bankers assembled in Mansfield for the 11th annual meeting of the Ohio Bankers' Association. The meeting was held at the Masonic temple. America's second Liberty Loan was one of the chief topics for discussion headed by F.M. Roth, cashier of the Citizens' Banking Company of Norwalk.[3]
In June 1919, the Citizens National Bank announced it would erect a five-story banking, business and office building near the court house.[4] In September the bank sold its three-story building to the Eagles.[5]
W.A. Blicke of the Bucyrus City Bank was invited to attend the opening of the new bank building of the Citizens National Bank of Norwalk on Thursday, August 11, 1921. It was an evening affair scheduled for 6 o'clock p.m. with a bankquet at 6:30.[6]
In January 1930, C.A. Paul was elected president; C.W. Anderson and W.A. Fisher of Detroit, vice presidents; F.M. Roth, cashier; and C.A. Hartley, assistant cashier. The directors were A.L. Hoover, A.E. Rowley, C.B. Gardiner, Irving Carpenter, E.A. Cook, A.D. Meyer, W.K. Pressing, William M. Ernst, and D.A. White.[7]
In January 1934, at the annual meeting of the directors, C.A. Anderson was chosen president to succeed Chas. A. Paul, and C.B. Gardiner was named cashier to succeed F.M. Roth. W.A. Fisher of Detroit and Judge Irving Carpenter were elected vice presidents. Mr. Roth had been ill for some time. In recognition of his 34 years of splendid service, he was named cashier emeritus. He would continue on the directorate as would Mr. Paul who was elected chairman of the board. Mr. Paul's retirement occurred on January 1st in line with his long-standing desire to retire from executive duties. He was also retiring as vice president and director of the Central United Bank of Cleveland. The stockholders re-elected the following directors: C.W. Anderson, Chas. A. Paul, W.A. Fisher, A.E. Rowley, C.B. Gardiner, Irving Carpenter, Ed A. Cook, F.M. Roth, A.D. Meyer, Wm. M. Ernst, and Dudley A. White. A.L. Hoover retired because of his connection with the bank at Milan and the new law which precluded a member from occupying places on two boards. Chas. A. Hartley was named assistant casher and Rowley and Carpenter, attorneys.[8]
In January 1935, the following officers and directors were elected by the Citizens National Bank: C.W. Anderson, president; O.H. Gray, executive vice president and cashier; William A. Fisher, Irving Carpenter, and C.B. Gardiner, vice presidents; Charles A. Paul, William M. Ernst, Ed A. Cook, Dudley A. White, Frank Carpenter, James Doyle, C.A. Hartley, directors. Other organization consisted of the re-election of F.M. Roth as cashier emeritus and C.A. Hartley as assistant cashier.[9] In January 1934, at the annual meeting of the directors of the Citizens National Bank, C.A. Anderson was chosen president to succeed Charles A. Paul and C.B. Gardiner was named cashier to succeed F.M. Roth. W. A. Fisher of Detroit and Judge Irving Carpenter were elected vice presidents. Mr. Roth had been ill for some time. In recognition of his 34 years of splendid service he was named cashier emeritus. He will continue on the directorate as would Mr. Paul who was elected chairman of the board. Mr. Paul's retirement from the presidency on January 1st was in fulfillment of a desire of his for many years. He was also retiring as vice president and director of the Central United Bank at Cleveland. He was one of the most widely known bankers in this part of Ohio. Resolutions were adopted in appreciation of the services of both Mr. Paul and Mr. Roth. The stockholders re-elected the following directors: C.W. Anderson, Chas. A. Paul. W.A. Fisher, A.E. Rowley, C.B. Gardiner, Irving Carpenter, Ed A. Cook, F.M. Roth, A.D. Meyer, Wm. M. Ernst and Dudley A. White. A.L. Hoover retired because of his connection with the bank at Milan and the new law which precluded a member to occupy a place on two boards. Other organizational actions consisted of: Finance committee appointment of officers A.D. Rowley, D.A. White and Ed A. Cook; examining committee, A.E. Rowley and Ed A. Cook; assistant cashier, Chas. A. Hartley; attorneys, Rowley and Carpenter. At the stockholders meeting the financial reports for the year were read indicating very good progress in the past year despite unparalleled conditions across the country.[10]
In July 1947, Orson H. Gray, former prominent Cleveland banker and for the past 14 years executive vice president, cashier and director of the Citizens National Bank of Norwalk was now associated with the Carl K. Cattanach real estate firm. The firm operated its main office in Norwalk and a branch office in the Gerber building in Wakeman with plans for opening two more offices in the near future.[11]
Official Bank Title
1: The Citizens National Bank of Norwalk, OH
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $971,380 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1918 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 120,897 notes (49,244 large size and 71,653 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments 1902 Plain Back 4x5 1 - 7676 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 4635 1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 5388 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 3434 3074 Not issued 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 984 1929 Type 2 5 1 - 7770 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 3938 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 1109
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1918 - 1935):
Presidents:
- Dr. Sherman E. Simmons, 1919-1928
- Charles A. Paul, 1929-1933
- Cornelius Wortendyke Anderson, 1934-1935
Cashiers:
Other Known Bank Note Signers
- No other known bank note signers for this bank
Bank Note History Links
Sources
- Norwalk, OH, 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
- ↑ The Sandusky Star-Journal, Sandusky, OH, Wed., Feb. 12, 1902.
- ↑ The Tribune, Hicksville, OH, Thu., May 28, 1908.
- ↑ News Journal, Mansfield, OH, Tue., Oct. 9, 1917.
- ↑ The Sandusky Star-Journal, Sandusky, OH, Mon., July 21, 1919.
- ↑ The Sandusky Star-Journal, Sandusky, OH, Tue. Sep. 9, 1919.
- ↑ The Bucyrus Evening Telegraph, Bucyrus, OH, Wed., Aug. 3, 1921.
- ↑ The Cleveland Press, Cleveland, OH, Thu., Jan. 9, 1930.
- ↑ The Sandusky Register, Sandusky, OH, Thu., Jan. 4, 1934.
- ↑ The Sandusky Register, Sandusky, OH, Thu., Jan. 3, 1935.
- ↑ The Sandusky Register, Sandusky, OH, Thu., Jan. 4, 1934.
- ↑ The Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH, Wed., July 23, 1947.