Citizens National Bank, Washington, PA (Charter 3383)
Citizens National Bank, Washington, PA (Chartered 1885 - Open past 1935)
Town History
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania. Located within the Greater Pittsburgh Region in the southwestern part of the state, it is the home of Washington & Jefferson College and Pony League baseball. The population was 13,176 at the 2020 census.
Delaware Indian chief Tangooqua, commonly known as "Catfish", had a camp on a branch of Chartiers Creek, in what is now part of the city of Washington. The French labeled the area "Wissameking", meaning "catfish place", as early as 1757. The area of Washington was settled by many immigrants from Scotland and the north of Ireland along with settlers from eastern and central parts of colonial Virginia. It was first settled by colonists around 1768.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed an act on March 28, 1781, erecting the County of Washington and naming "Catfish Camp" as the place for holding the first election. This was the first county in the U.S. to be named in honor of General George Washington. David Hoge laid out a plan of lots immediately after the legislature's action. His original plot carried the name "Bassett, alias Dandridge Town," but before the plot was recorded, lines were drawn through "Bassett, alias Dandridge Town" with ink, and the word "Washington" was written above. There have long been rumors among locals that the town was named Washington because George Washington spent the night in the region once. This is not true however; Washington had never been to the area.
Washington, Pennsylvania, was the center for the 'Whiskey Rebellion' of 1791, which was one of the first open rebellions against the new U.S. government and Constitution. The rebellion was centered on a tax being imposed on whiskey distillation in the region. The house of David Bradford, one of the leaders of the rebellion, is now a museum devoted to the Whiskey Rebellion.
The town was incorporated as a borough on February 13, 1810, and became a city of the third class in 1924.
Washington had five National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and four of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized August 3, 1885
- Chartered August 24, 1885
- Bank was Open past 1935
In August 1885, the stockholders of the Citizens National Bank of Washington elected the following officers: George W. Roberts, president; W.R. Baker, cashier; T.J. Allison, clerk; Dr. Thomas McKennan, J.W. Donnan, Esq., M.C. Acheson, Esq., J.F. Taylor, Esq., G.W. Roberts, Jonathan Allison, F.M. Curry, Dr. W.S. Dodd, J.M. Miller, and R.V. Johnson, and L.M. Crothers. The stockholders numbered 51 of this second national bank to be organized in this place.[1] On August 24th, the acting comptroller of the currency authorized the bank to commence business with capital $100,000. The institution planned to open its doors for business on September 15th.[2]
Shortly after completing training at the Southern Shorthand and Business University of 11 Whitehall Street, Atlanta, Georgia, Miss Florence H. Sturgis accepted a position in the Citizens National Bank of Washington, Pennsylvania. Miss Sturgis wrote to the school on March 20, 1919, recommending it to those interested in a thorough business education. She highlighted the Graham-Pitmanic system of shorthand as taught by the school's faculty, A.C. Briscoe, president; L.W. Arnold, vice president; and Colonel W.H. Preston, general representative and lecturer on Business Efficiency.[3]
On February 20, 1927, N.R. Baker, aged 78, cashier of the Citizens National Bank of Washington, the largest financial institution in Washington County since its opening on September 15, 1885, died in his home, 40 North Avenue. Mr. Baker was born in West Bethlehem Township, was employed in a Brownsville bank, engaged in a mercantile business then came to Washington to become a clerk to the county commissioners in January 1885, accepting a position with the Citizens National when it was organized by John W. Donnan.[4]
In August 1946, Heston M. Hill, cashier of the Citizens National Bank of Washington, was elected president of the Washington County Bankers' Association at the annual meeting and bankquet held a the Nemacolin Country club. W.A. Hampson of the Citizens National Bank of Bentleyville was elected vice president.[5] In November 1946, announcement was made that the Citizens National Bank of Washington had purchased the National Bank of Claysville. The latter would be operated as a branch of the Washington institution. The deposits of the Claysville bank were approximately $2,340,000. George B. Lysle who had for many years successfully operated the Claysville bank would become a vice president of the Citizens National Bank of Washington. Lester L. Miller, assistant cashier of the Citizens National Bank since January 1944, would become manager of the Claysville branch.[6]
On Wednesday, February 12, 1947, Vice President John Fergus McClay, of the Citizens National Bank of Washington, who returned only Monday from a stay of about two months in California state where he had visited a son and a daughter, was suddenly stricken and died at his home, 424 Locust Avenue, Washington. McClay, the oldest employee of the Washington bank, entered its employ in 1910.[7] In October 1947, Washington National Bank of Burgettstown was expected to be absorbed by the Citizens National Bank of Washington, a part of the Mellbank group. The sale would be presented for ratification at a special meeting of shareholders called for October 31st at the bank. The terms called for the Citizens National to pay $462,000 in cash for the 500 shares of stock, $925 per share, and to assume all liabilities of the institution. The Washington National Bank of Burgettstown was organized in 1903 and as of December 31, 1946, was fourth largest financial institution in Washington County with total resources of $6,432,648.46, deposits of $6,011,729.92 and surplus and undivided profits of $370,954.54.[8]
On Friday, July 2, 1948, J. Nelson Morrow, 63, executive vice president of the Citizens National Bank of Washington for the past 14 years died in Washington Hospital. Morrow began his banking career 36 years ago in Wilkinsburg.[9]
On Friday, May 20, 1949, Albert J. Allison, 83, retired banker and coal man died at his Washington, Pennsylvania home. Born in Chartiers Township where his great-grandfather settled in 1773, Mr. Allison came to Washington in 1902. He was president of the Citizens National Bank, now Washington branch of Mellon National Bank & Trust Co., and of Washington County Fire Insurance Co.[10]
Official Bank Title
1: The Citizens National Bank of Washington, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $9,749,220 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1885 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 1,216,436 notes (813,732 large size and 402,704 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 3x10-20 1 - 4023 1902 Red Seal 4x5 1 - 4750 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 5300 1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 17500 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 12740 1902 Plain Back 4x5 17501 - 113609 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 12741 - 75751 1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 32568 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 16194 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 3732 1929 Type 2 5 1 - 49978 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 27331 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 10431
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1885 - 1936):
Presidents:
- George Washington Roberts, 1885-1885
- John White Donnan, 1886-1927
- Alvan E. Donnan, 1929-1934
- Albert Johnson Allison, 1935-1935
Cashiers:
Other Bank Note Signers
- There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.
Wiki Links
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History
- General information on Washington (Wikipedia)
- General information on Washington County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Washington, 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
- ↑ The Pittsburgh Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Aug. 5, 1885.
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Fri., Aug. 28, 1885.
- ↑ The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, GA, Wed., Mar. 26, 1919.
- ↑ The Pittsburgh Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Mon., Feb. 21, 1927.
- ↑ The Daily Herald, Monongahela, PA, Sat., Aug. 31, 1946.
- ↑ The Daily Notes, Canonsburg, PA, Mon., Nov. 25, 1946.
- ↑ The Daily Herald, Monongahela, PA, Thu., Feb. 13, 1947.
- ↑ The Daily Notes, Canonsburg, PA, Fri., Oct. 10, 1947.
- ↑ The Daily Herald, Monongahela, PA, Sat., July 3, 1948.
- ↑ The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, Sat., May 21, 1949.