Connecticut National Bank, Bridgeport, CT (Charter 927)
Connecticut National Bank, Bridgeport, CT (Chartered 1865 - Closed 1921)
Town History
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Island Sound, it is a port city 60 miles from Manhattan and 40 miles from The Bronx. It borders the towns of Trumbull to the north, Fairfield to the west, and Stratford to the east. Bridgeport and other towns in Fairfield County make up the Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, as well as the Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk–Danbury metropolitan statistical area, the second largest metropolitan area in Connecticut. The Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk–Danbury metropolis forms part of the New York metropolitan area. In 1860 the population was 13,299, growing to 146,716 by 1930.
In 1800, the village became the Borough of Bridgeport, the first so incorporated in the state. It was named for the Newfield or Lottery Bridge across the Pequonnock, connecting the wharves on its east and west banks. Bridgeport Bank was established in 1806. In 1821, the township of Bridgeport became independent of Stratford.
In 1821, a small community of remaining Golden Hill Pauguasett Natives, along with free blacks and runaway slaves was established in the South End along Main Street known as Little Liberia, with its own churches, schools and hotels, and served as a stop in the underground railroad. Many remaining Paugusset Indians also lived there.
The West India trade died down around 1840, but by that time the Bridgeport Steamship Company (1824) and Bridgeport Whaling Company (1833) had been incorporated and the Housatonic Railroad chartered (1836). The HRRC ran upstate along the Housatonic Valley, connecting with Massachusetts's Berkshire Railroad at the state line. Bridgeport was chartered as Connecticut's fifth city in 1836 in order to enable the town council to secure funding (ultimately $150,000) to provide to the HRRC and ensure that it would terminate in Bridgeport. The Naugatuck Railroad—connecting Bridgeport to Waterbury and Winsted along the Naugatuck River—was chartered in 1845 and began operation four years later. The same year, the New York and New Haven Railroad began operation, connecting Bridgeport to New York and the other towns along the north shore of the Long Island Sound. Now a major junction, the city began to industrialize.
In 1842, showman P.T. Barnum spent a night in Bridgeport, and there met Charles Stratton, a local dwarf. He soon became part of Barnum's act and a star under the name "General Tom Thumb". Barnum moved to Bridgeport and built four houses in the city over the course of his life, the first being Iranistan.
In 1852, Barnum began an endeavor with William Noble to develop the land (inherited by Noble) on the other side of the Pequonnock River, across the river from Bridgeport to be known as "East Bridgeport" with Washington Park at the center. The new neighborhood had homes, commerce, and factories, centered around East Main Street. The neighborhood eventually became the East Side of Bridgeport (occasionally spelled "Eastside").
Southport is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Fairfield, Connecticut. It is located along Long Island Sound between Mill River and Sasco Brook, where it borders Westport. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 1,710. In the eighteenth century, Mill River village, a part of Fairfield, was a small hamlet of a few houses and a wharf at the mouth of Fairfield's Mill River. Farm products from the surrounding area were shipped from Mill River's small harbor to ports in New York and beyond. By 1831 the village had changed its name to Southport and was a bustling commercial area with warehouses, churches, schools, stores and elegant houses. Before 1853, Southport had its own local government as a borough within the town of Fairfield.
In 1863, during the Civil War, the Bridgeport Standard ran a series of articles encouraging the creation of a public park in the city. This led wealthy residents P.T. Barnum, William Noble and Nathaniel Wheeler to purchase the land on Long Island Sound and donating the land to the city in 1864. The land on the shore became Seaside Park. A second park was built near East Main Street, when in 1878, James Beardsley donated more than 100 acres to the city along the Pequonnock River under the condition that the land be "kept the same forever as a public park". Both parks were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, known for creating Central Park. These two large public parks gave Bridgeport the nickname "The Park City".
Bridgeport had five National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all five of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized March 17, 1865
- Chartered March 23, 1865
- Succeeded Connecticut Bank
- Closed January 29, 1921
- Consolidated with 335 January 29, 1921 (FNB/First-Bridgeport NB, Bridgeport, CT)
- Circulation assumed by 335 (FNB/First-Bridgeport NB, Bridgeport, CT)
In 1831, the bill incorporating the Connecticut Bank at Bridgeport with a branch at Mill River passed. The capital stock would be $200,000 with liberty to increase to $300,000 and in case of the failure of the bank, the holders of its notes of the denomination of $100 and under had a lien on all the property of the bank, all previous claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The bank would also give a bonus to the state for the use of the Colleges of $10,000.[2] The bill passed the senate with amendments one of which was to appropriate $8,000 of the bonus to Yale College and $2,000 to Washington College. The distribution was debated by Messrs. Fanton, T. Smith, J.O. Phelps, and M.F. Mills, but before any vote was taken, the bill was laid on the table. Among the Acts passed by the May session of the Legislature was No. 51, an Act incorporating Connecticut Bank at Bridgeport, branch at Mill River.[3]
In May 1851, the branch of the Connecticut Bank at Southport petitioned to be made a separate institution.[4] Approved May 31, 1851, an act in addition to and alteration of an act to incorporate the Connecticut Bank. Stockholders of the Connecticut Bank, holding stock in the same to an amount not exceeding $100,000, shall be and remain a corporation and body politic by the name of The President, Directors and Company of the Southport Bank to be located in and transact their business in the borough of Southport in Fairfield County. The capital stock of the Southport Bank shall consist of one-third of the capital stock of the Connecticut Bank.[5]
Public Sympathy for Barnum. The Bridgeport Standard called for a mass meeting of citizens in reference to the personal embarrassments of P.T. Barnum. Among the signers were P.C. Calhoun, president, Connecticut Bank; Charles Foote, cashier, Connecticut Bank; George Burroughs, cashier, Bridgeport Bank; C.B. Hubbell, president, Pequonnock Bank; W.R. Higby, cashier Pequonnock Bank; S. Tomlinson, president, Farmer's Bank; Charles Webb, cashier, Farmer's Bank; S.F. Hurd, president, Bridgeport City Bank; and R.T. Clark, cashier, Bridgeport City Bank.[6]
On Monday, December 8, 1862, Charles Foote, cashier of the Connecticut Bank, Bridgeport, for a period of 30 years or more, died in that city. He was formerly Mayor of Bridgeport.[7]
On June 1, 1875, Deacon Hervey Higby's funeral was attended from the South Church at 3 o'clock. At the time of his death, Deacon Higby filled the office of president of the Connecticut National Bank and the same office in the Bridgeport Savings Bank.[8]
On Tuesday, March 14, 1882, Hon. P.C. Calhoun, president of the Fourth National Bank of New York City, died at the age of 71. He was born in Danbury on December 4, 1810. He came to Bridgeport about 1826 as an apprentice to Lyon, Wright & Co., to learn the saddle and harness trade. Being of a rather delicate physique, his health failed before his apprenticeship was completed. He had so favorably impressed the members of the firm, however, that they sent him to Charleston, S.C., with the late Lemuel Coleman, to assist in the store there, with the hope that a milder climate would be beneficial to his health. He remained in Charleston several years, developing fine business qualities and regaining comparatively firm health. In 1833 he returned to Bridgeport and accepted a position as assistant to the late Hanford Lyon in the management of the factory, with a small interest in the profits of the business, which arrangement continued until 1838, when the firm of Lyon, Calhoun & Co. was formed. This firm continued until 1843, when the firm became Harral & Calhoun, continuing until '53, when it became Harral, Calhoun & Co. In 1858, Mr. Harral having died, the firm became Calhoun, Lacey & Co., which continued until 1863. Mr. Calhoun was president of the Connecticut Bank, Bridgeport, from 1847 to 1863, when he went to New York and soon after became vice president and in 1865 president of the Fourth National Bank of that city. He was for three years Mayor of Bridgeport and represented the town in the General Assembly, and also was a Senator.[9]
In January 1909, the officers were S.W Baldwin, president; H.S. Shelton, vice president, L.B. Powe, cashier; T.C. Cumming, assistant cashier. The bank had capital $232,100, surplus and profits $200,000, and was located on the corner of Main and Wall Streets.[10]
On Saturday, January 15, 1921, consolidation of the First-Bridgeport National Bank and the Connecticut National Bank was unanimously approved at a meeting of the stockholders of both institutions. The new institution would be known as the First National Bank of Bridgeport and would occupy the quarters of the First-Bridgeport National Bank. All the staff of the Connecticut National would be retained as well as the clerical force of the First-Bridgeport. The bank would have a capital stock of $2,000,000 and a surplus of $2,000,000, placing it on an equal footing with a Hartford bank, then the largest in the state.[11] On Thursday, January 27, 1921, directors of the new bank were elected as follows: Percy P. Anderson, E.W. Bassick, Robert A. Beers, Henry A. Bishop, Waldo C. Bryant, E.P. Bullard, Jr., William E. Burnham, Richard W. Cogswell, E.H. Dillon, Ralph Farrell, Stiles E. Goodsell, William J. Grippin, Elmer H. Havens, S.M. Hawley, Willis F. Hobbs, J.G. Howland, Erwin M. Jennings, Jacob B. Klein, Frederick J. Kingsbury, W.B. Lashar, H.M. Luscomb, Willis H. Lyon, W.T. MacFarlane, Guy P. Miller, Louis B. Powe, Charles G. Sanford, Sunmer Simpson, E.N. Sperry, W.F. Severn, Dwight C. Wheeler, Russell T. Whiting, John K. Williamson, Edmund S. Wolfe, and Peter W. Wren. Six former directors of the Connecticut National were not included in the new board of directors. They were Morris B. Heardsley, Silas Burton, A.H. Bullard, Harold G. Farwell, Richard S. Foster, and Morton F. Judd. Former directors of the First-Bridgeport who were not added to the new board were Isaac W. Birdseye, O.H. Brothwell, F.W. Hall, and Jerome Orcutt. No decision had been reached as to the disposition of the bank building of the Connecticut National Bank at Main and Wall Streets. The cashiers' section would be enlarged to provide adequate space to meet the new requirements on the merged institution.[12]
Official Bank Title
1: The Connecticut National Bank of Bridgeport, CT
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $5,013,300 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1865 and 1921. This consisted of a total of 503,664 notes (503,664 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 Original Series 3x1-2 1 - 10600 Original Series 4x5 1 - 10800 Original Series 3x10-20 1 - 3248 Series 1875 4x5 1 - 7100 Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 6060 1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 8950 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 15820 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 14000 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 29820 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 29821 - 49338
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1865 - 1921):
Presidents:
- Hervey Higby, 1865-1874
- Daniel Henry Sterling, 1875-1876
- Samuel Wheeler Baldwin, 1877-1914
- Hamilton Spencer Shelton, 1915-1919
- Louis Bartram Powe, 1920-1920
Cashiers:
- John Thatcher Shelton, 1865-1866
- Henry B. Drew, 1867-1892
- Hamilton Spencer Shelton, 1893-1906
- Louis Bartram Powe, 1907-1919
- Robert Austin Beers, 1920-1920
Other Known Bank Note Signers
- No other known bank note signers for this bank
Bank Note History Links
- Connecticut National Bank, Bridgeport, CT History (NB Lookup)
- Connecticut Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)
Sources
- Bridgeport, CT, 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 Bridgeport Telegram, Bridgeport, CT, Thu., Jan. 29, 1920.
- ↑ Litchfield Enquirer, Litchfield, CT, Thu., June 2, 1831.
- ↑ Litchfield Enquirer, Litchfield, CT, Thu., June 9, 1831.
- ↑ Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT, Mon., May 26, 1851.
- ↑ Litchfield Enquirer, Litchfield, CT, Thu., July 24, 1851.
- ↑ Brooklyn Evening Star, Brooklyn, NY, Mon., Apr. 21, 1856.
- ↑ Springfield Weekly Republican, Springfield, MA, Sat., Dec. 13, 1862.
- ↑ Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT., Wed., June 2, 1875.
- ↑ The Morning Journal-Courier, New Haven, CT, Wed., Mar. 15, 1882.
- ↑ The Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer, Bridgeport, CT, Mon., Jan. 25, 1909.
- ↑ The Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer, Bridgeport, CT, Sat., Jan. 15, 1921.
- ↑ The Bridgeport Telegram, Bridgeport, CT, Fri., Jan. 28, 1921.
- ↑ The Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer, Bridgeport, CT, Wed., Jan. 11, 1922.