City National Bank, Canton, OH (Charter 2489)

City National Bank building at the southwest corner of Second Street and South Market Avenue. An 1890s Romanesque-flavored building and rare survivor for Canton. Courtesy of Google Maps ca2020

City National Bank, Canton, OH (Chartered 1880 - Liquidated 1922)

Town History

George D. Harter Bank Building, ca1910s. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

Canton (/ˈkæntən/) is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, Ohio. It is located approximately 60 miles south of Cleveland and 20 miles south of Akron in Northeast Ohio. The city lies on the edge of Ohio's extensive Amish country, particularly in Holmes and Wayne counties to the city's west and southwest. Canton is the largest municipality in the Canton-Massillon, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Stark and Carroll counties. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 70,872, making Canton eighth among Ohio cities in population.

Founded in 1805 alongside the Middle and West Branches of Nimishillen Creek, Canton became a heavy manufacturing center because of its numerous railroad lines. However, its status in that regard began to decline during the late 20th century, as shifts in the manufacturing industry led to the relocation or downsizing of many factories and workers. After this decline, the city's industry diversified into the service economy, including retailing, education, finance and healthcare.

Canton is chiefly notable for being the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the birthplace of the National Football League. 25th U.S. President William McKinley conducted the famed front porch campaign, which won him the presidency of the United States in the 1896 election, from his home in Canton. The McKinley National Memorial and the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum commemorate his life and presidency. Canton was also chosen as the site of the First Ladies National Historic Site largely in honor of his wife, Ida Saxton McKinley.

Canton was founded in 1805, incorporated as a village in 1822, and re-incorporated as a city in 1838.

The plat of Canton was recorded at New Lisbon, Ohio, on November 15, 1805, by Bezaleel Wells, a surveyor and devout Episcopalian from Maryland born January 28, 1763. Canton was likely named as a memorial to Captain John O'Donnell, an Irish merchant marine with the British East India Trading Company whom Wells admired. O'Donnell named his estate in Maryland after the Chinese city Canton (a traditional English name for Guangzhou) as he had been the first person to transport goods from there to Baltimore. Through Wells' efforts and promotion, Canton was designated the county seat of Stark County upon its division from Columbiana County on January 1, 1809.

Canton had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and two of those banks, The First National Bank (Charter 76) and The City National Bank (Charter 2489), issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

Organized August 4, 1880
Chartered August 9, 1880
Succeeded Canton Bank
Liquidated April 10, 1922
Absorbed by George D. Harter Bank of Canton

On August 9, 1880, J.S. Langworth, acting comptroller of the currency, authorized The City National Bank of Canton to commence the business of banking. Dr. P.H. Barr was president; Augustus Herbruck, vice president; and Henry C. Ellison, cashier. The capital was $100,000.

On January 13, 1897, the stockholders elected the following directors: W.W. Clark, president; L.V. Bockius, vice president; James A. Raynolds, member, discounting committee. The other directors were I.N. Pennock, Conrad Schweitzer, William R. Day, W.H. Clark, C.F. Laiblin; H.S. Kaufman, cashier; Michael A. Troutman, assistant cashier.

In February 1900, L.V. Bockius, late vice president was replaced by James A. Raynolds.

George D. Harter Bank Building at the southeast corner of Market Avenue North at 2nd Street Northwest, ca2020s. Courtesy of Google Maps

Captain George D. Harter was a Civil War veteran enlisting in the Massillon Company, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was elected lieutenant and recognized by General Thomas with an order complimenting him on his bravery on the defense of a garrison. Upon returning to Canton he assumed his old duties at the Savings Deposit Bank. In 1867, together with his brother Michael D., he organized the banking firm of George D. Harter and Brother. In July 1868, George D. Harter & Bro's Bank removed to a new stone banking house on East Tuscarawas Street. At his death on December 6, 1890, he was president of the First National Bank of Canton and a member of the banking firm of Isaac Harter & Son.

In March 1922, the merger of the George D. Harter Bank and the City National Bank of Canton was announced.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The City National Bank of Canton, OH

Bank Note Types Issued

Series of 1875 $5 bank note with pen signatures of H.S. Kaufman, Cashier and W.W. Clark, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1882 Date Back $20 bank note with printed signatures of H.S. Kaufman, Cashier and William H. Clark, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $2,109,300 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1880 and 1922. This consisted of a total of 206,532 notes (206,532 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
Series 1875	4x5	1 - 15745
1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 10500
1882 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 13100
1882 Value Back	3x10-20	13101 - 20344
1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	1 - 5044

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1880 - 1922):

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

Canton, OH, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canton,_Ohio
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 Stark County Democrat, Canton, Ohio, Thu., Aug. 19, 1880.
The Stark County Democrat, Canton, OH, Thu., Dec. 11, 1890.
The Stark County Democrat, Canton, Ohio, Thu., Jan. 14, 1897.
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Tue., Feb. 27, 1900.
Fulton County Tribune, Wauseon, OH, Thu., Mar. 23, 1922.