Conestoga National Bank, Lancaster, PA (Charter 3987)
Conestoga National Bank, Lancaster, PA (Chartered 1889 - Closed (Merger) 1970)
Town History
Lancaster is a city in and the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest inland cities in the United States. With a population at the 2020 census of 58,039, it ranks 11th in population among Pennsylvania's municipalities. The Lancaster metropolitan area population is 552,984, making it the 104th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. and second-largest in the South Central Pennsylvania area. In 1860, the population was 17,603 growing to 59,949 by 1930.
The city's primary industries include healthcare, tourism, public administration, manufacturing, and both professional and semi-professional services. Lancaster is a hub of Pennsylvania's Dutch Country.
Lancaster is located 59 miles southwest of Allentown and 61 miles west of Philadelphia. It is a transportation hub with many major roadways passing through or around the city, including US 30, US 222, PA 283, PA 72, and PA 272.
Lancaster was the capital of Pennsylvania from 1799 to 1812, with the state capital located at the Court House (built 1784 and demolished 1852 and now site of Soldiers & Sailors Monument at Penn Square). In 1812, the capital was moved to Harrisburg, where it has remained since. After the American Revolutionary War, Lancaster became an iron-foundry center. Two of the most common products needed by pioneers to settle the Frontier were manufactured in Lancaster: the Conestoga wagon and the Pennsylvania long rifle. The Conestoga wagon was named after the Conestoga River, which runs through the city. The innovative gunsmith William Henry lived in Lancaster and was a U.S. Congressman and leader during and after the American Revolution. The city of Lancaster was home to several important figures in American history. Wheatland, the estate of James Buchanan, the fifteenth President of the United States, is one of Lancaster's most popular attractions.
Lancaster had seven National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all seven of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized February 16, 1889
- Chartered March 9, 1889
- Assumed Reed, McGrann Co. by consolidation May, 1891
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Closed (Merger) January 2, 1970 (No merger info on FDIC website)
- Currently part of BNY, N.A., Pittsburgh, PA (January 2023)
On January 10, 1889, those interested in the formation of the new Southern National Bank met at the Fountain Inn, the principle objective being to act on applications for stock. The bulk of the stock had already been taken. It was decided to name the institution the Conestoga National Bank. On Tuesday, January 15, stockholders of the new Conestoga National Bank elected a Board of Directors, fifteen in number, at the Fountain Inn, on South Queen street. The following were elected: Dr. W.J. Wentz, New Providence; I. Haines Dickinson, Quarryville; Dr. P.W. Hiestand, Millersville; Amos Kreider, Manheim Township; Ephraim S. Hoover, Manheim Township; Adam Landis, East Lampeter Township; John H. Breckbill, Strasburg; John B. Kundig and John Hoover, Willow Street; Joseph Harnish, New Danville; W.W. Tripple, Safe Harbor; Hiram Warfel, Rock Hill; Dr. M.L. Herr, Julius Loeb and D.B. Landis, Lancaster. The Directors subsequently hold a meeting and chose Julius Loeb their temporary chairman, afterwards adjourning to meet on the 24th inst. to organize permanently.
Late on January 24th, 1889, the directors elected the following officers: President, D.B. Landis, Lancaster; Vice President, Dr. P.W. Hiestand, Millersville; Secretary, J.H. Breckbill; Solicitor, John A. Coyle, Esq. Later, the directors met and selected the Southern Market House as the site for the new bank, which was the original intention. This decision was revisited and it was decided to rent for one year the room in The New Era building, Centre Square, then occupied by Rupley & Boardman as a coal office. Albert Hostetter, the assistant cashier of the Ephrata Bank was elected cashier with Pierce Lesher of the U.S. Internal Revenue Office the assistant cashier. The messenger elected was John A. Clark, formerly in the tea and coffee business in Centre Square. Messrs. Julius Loeb, who was largely instrumental in the founding of the bank association, and Mr. Jos. Harnish, another director, tendered their resignations and withdrew their subscriptions of stock as well as those secured by them from other persons, due the change of location from the Southern Market House to Centre Square.
On February 18, 1889, the directors selected John J. Fehl as bookkeeper and Michael F. Steigerwalt, J.P. Hollinger, and J.W. Byrne as directors to fill the vacancies caused by the resignation of Messrs. Loeb, Breckbill and Harnish.
On March 9, 1889, the comptroller of the currency authorized the Conestoga National Bank to begin business with a capital of $125,000. On Monday, March 18, the bank opened its doors for business and fully $35,000 was placed on deposit.
On Friday, August 24, 1962, stockholders of the Conestoga National Bank of Lancaster and Lititz Springs National Bank approved the merger of the two banks. Under the merger all personnel at Lititz would remain and the board of directors would serve as an advisory board. J.F. Aierstock, president of the Conestoga Bank said Thursday, August 30th, a telegram from Washington stated the merger was being approved and official confirmation would follow by letter. The Lititz bank would continue at the same location under the name of the Lititz Springs Branch of the Conestoga National Bank. The merger provided the Lancaster bank with its second branch, joining one established in Millersville some time ago.
On January 1, 1970, the Commonwealth National Bank opened for business. It was the result of the consolidation of the Harrisburg National Bank and Trust Company, First National Bank of York, and the Conestoga National Bank of Lancaster. Total assets of the combined banks would be more than $360 million and there would be 28 offices serving south-central Pennsylvania in Dauphin, Lancaster, York, Cumberland and Perry Counties. Harrisburg National was founded in 1814, First National in 1864 and Conestoga in 1889. A new corporate symbol, a modern triangle-shaped design, representing the three banks' achievements of the past and their progress in the future. The new corporate symbol spelled out the name "Commonwealth National Bank," next to a contemporary version of the tricornered hat popular in Colonial Times.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Conestoga National Bank of Lancaster, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $2,960,210 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1889 and 1970. This consisted of a total of 243,729 notes (195,700 large size and 48,029 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 4x5 1 - 2463 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 8106 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 14100 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 14101 - 38356 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 5054 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 1492 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 6949 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 1804
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1889 - 1970):
Presidents:
- David Buckwalter Landis, 1889-1897
- Roland H. Brubaker, 1898-1919
- Albert Keller Hostetter, 1920-1934
- Amos H. Landis, 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 Lancaster (Wikipedia)
- General information on Lancaster County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Lancaster, PA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancaster,_Pennsylvania
- 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
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Tue., Jan. 10, 1889.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Wed., Jan. 16, 1889.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Fri., Jan. 25, 1889.
- Lancaster Intelligencer, Lancaster, PA, Wed., Feb. 13, 1889.
- The Semi-Weekly New Era, Lancaster, PA, Sat., Feb. 16, 1889.
- The Semi-Weekly New Era, Lancaster, PA, Mon., Feb. 18, 1889.
- The Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Mon. Mar. 11, 1889.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Tue., Mar. 19, 1889.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Fri., Aug. 24, 1962.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Fri., Aug. 31, 1962.
- The York Dispatch, York, PA, Tue., Dec. 30, 1969.
- The Sentinel, Carlisle, PA, Thu., Jan. 1, 1970.