Denver National Bank, Denver, PA (Charter 6037)
Denver National Bank, Denver, PA (Chartered 1901 - Closed (Merger) 1993)
Town History
Denver is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The population was 3,794 at the 2020 census, down from 3,861 at the 2010 census. In 1920, the population was 1,125.
Denver was founded by in 1735, by Hans Bucher, a Swiss immigrant. It was originally known as Bucher's Thal, or "Bucher Valley", in reference to the adjacent Cocalico Creek. In the mid-18th century, a gristmill was built along the creek and by 1772 six dwellings had been built. A blacksmith shop and a sawmill were operating by 1820. Early advantages for the settlement were fertile soils and the limestone formations that were mined for the manufacture of mortar, plaster and whitewash. In the 1830s, settler John Bucher became an advocate for using the lime as a fertilizer. Several limestone quarries were in turn operating by the 1850s.
During the Civil War, the Reading and Columbia Railroad built a line through town, prompting a name change to "Union Station". With time, residents grew weary being referred to as a train station. After researching post offices in the country, Adam Brubaker found only one named Denver. On November 1, 1881, the town was officially renamed Denver. In 1926, Denver had two large manufacturers, a hat factory and a silk mill.
Denver had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized October 10, 1901
- Chartered November 30, 1901
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Merged into Fulton Bank in Lancaster, PA, March 27, 1993 (Fulton National Bank, Lancaster, PA (Charter 2634))
On September 30, 1901, A.W. Marburger of Denver, Alvin W. Mentzer, J.G. Burkholden, B.H. Regerreise, and W.H. Bucker applied for authority to organize the Denver National Bank with $50,000 capital. The application was approved by the comptroller of the currency on October 1st. Alvin W. Mentzer resigned as teacher of the Secondary School in Denver to take the position of cashier of the new Denver National Bank. Martin G. Hess of Manheim was president. The bank planned to do business temporarily in Daniel Givler's property near the Denver House. By the end of November, stockholders had paid in $30,000. The directors bought two lots on Union Street near the railroad for $2,400, where they expected to build a bank building in the spring.
On Thursday, December 19, 1901, the Denver National Bank with $50,000 capital opened for business. Martin G. Hess, cashier of the Keystone National Bank of Manheim was president and Alvin W. Mentzer, cashier. Over $22,000 was deposited in the new bank on the first day.
In January 1902, the following directors of the Denver National bank were elected: M.G. Hess, A.W. Marburger, B.H. Kegerreise, T.G. Burkholder, Henry Lausch, John G. Mentzer, Alvin Mentzer, S.S. Wiest, H.A. Kern, B.B. Burkholder, R.B. Oberholtzer. In April 1902, the directors purchased a site on Main Street, above the railroad, where a new-building would be elected during the summer. Architect C. Emlen Urban was preparing plans for a new building of three stories, providing a residence for the cashier. There would be a hall on the third floor and business rooms on the first floor. By July 1902, all bids for the new bank were rejected and the directors decided to build the bank themselves. Within weeks, the excavations were underway and the barber shop building was rolled to the rear of the lot. The post office was located on the street in front of the lot.
On Monday, March 30, 1903, the bank moved into its handsome new bank building and the post office would be moved into the same building the following Monday. E.E. Eberly planned to move his barber shop into the basement. Alvin W. Mentzer, cashier of the bank, would move his family and household goods as soon as it was finished.
On Tuesday, Jan. 12, 1909, stockholders elected the following directors: M.G. Hess, A.W. Marburger, B.B. Burkholder, B.H. Kegerreise, H.A. Kern, Henry Lausch, R.D. Oberholtzer, S.G. Usner, J.G. Mentzer, and Harvey Miller.
On November 29, 1913, Ambrose W. Marburger fell down a chute at the new hat factory at Denver resulting in his death. He was found by his brother-in-law, also a member of the hat manufacturing firm who heard the thud of the body and found Mr. Marburger dead. He was a member of the reformed Church, an organizer and vice president of the Denver National Bank since its organization.
In March 1931, the directors were: Silas E. Bard, Irwin B. Lutz, R.D. Oberholtzer, Harvey Miller, Alvin W. Mentzer, Samuel E. Fichthorn, and Amos W. Eberly. The officers were R.D. Oberholtzer, president; Alvin W. Mentzer, vice president and cashier; Amos Heisey, assistant cashier.
On March 14, 1991, the Adamstown Branch of the Denver National Bank was the site of a bank robbery. Two robbers entered the small office at 10:20 AM and took command of the bank. Several customers entered the bank at 40 Bowmansville Road during the course of the robbery. They were ordered to get on the floor and seeing the robbers' weapons they did as were told. Reportedly, this was the first bank robbery in the history of the Cocalico area.
In December 1992, Fulton Financial Corp. announced that it scrapped plans to purchase First Lehigh Corp. and its subsidiary, First Lehigh Bank. The transaction was announced on October 30th when Fulton said it would acquire First Lehigh's stock for $3.43 million. Fulton, a $2.1 billion holding company, continued its plans to acquire the Denver National Bank for $54 million in the first quarter of 1993. Fulton financial owned Lafayette Bank, Farmers Trust Bank in Lebanon, Swineford National Bank, Middleburg, First National Bank of Danville and Great Valley Savings Bank of Reading.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Denver National Bank, Denver, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $978,720 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1901 and 1993. This consisted of a total of 78,742 notes (65,284 large size and 13,458 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 - 3500 1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 4140 1882 Value Back 3x10-20 4141 - 7310 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 5511 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 1508 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 414 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 1601 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 325
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1901 - 1993):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
Other Bank Note Signers
- Ambrose W. Marburger, Vice President 1901...1913
- There are currently no known Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.
Wiki Links
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History
- General information on Denver (Wikipedia)
- General information on Lancaster County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Denver, 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 Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, Tue., Oct. 1, 1901.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Wed., Oct. 23, 1901.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Thu., Nov. 7, 1901.
- The Semi-Weekly New Era, Lancaster, PA, Sat., Nov. 30, 1901.
- The York Dispatch, York, PA, Sat., Dec. 14, 1901.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Tue., Dec. 24, 1901.
- The News-Journal, Lancaster, PA, Thu., Jan. 16, 1902.
- The News-Journal, Lancaster, PA, Wed., Apr. 30, 1902.
- The Ephrata Review, Ephrata, PA, Fri., July 25, 1902.
- The Semi-Weekly New Era, Lancaster, PA, Sat., Aug. 2, 1902.
- The Semi-Weekly New Era, Lancaster, PA, Sat., Apr. 4, 1903.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Tue., Jan. 12, 1909.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Mon., Dec. 1, 1913.
- Sunday News, Lancaster, PA, Sun., Sep. 26, 1926.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Fri., Mar. 13, 1931.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Thu., Mar. 14, 1991.
- Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Wed., Feb. 19, 1992.
- Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, PA, Thu., Dec. 10, 1992.