Ephrata National Bank, Ephrata, PA (Charter 2515)

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The Ephrata National Bank, ca2022.
The Ephrata National Bank, ca2022.  Courtesy of Google Maps

Ephrata National Bank, Ephrata, PA (Chartered 1881 - Open past 1935)

Town History

A 1941 advertisement for the Ephrata National Bank. The officers, directors and resources are shown and may be found in the bank history section.
A 1941 advertisement for the Ephrata National Bank.

Ephrata (/ˈɛfrətə/ EF-rə-tə) is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is located 42 miles east of Harrisburg and about 60 miles west-northwest of Philadelphia and is named after Ephrath, an ancient Israelite town, Bethlehem, that is now a Syriac Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic speaking community in Palestine. Ephrata's sister city is Eberbach, Germany, the city where its founders originated. In its early history, Ephrata was a pleasure resort and an agricultural community.

Ephrata's population has steadily grown over the last century. In 1900, 2,452 people lived there, and by 1940, the population had increased to 6,199. The population was 13,818 at the 2020 census. Ephrata is the most populous borough in Lancaster County.

Ephrata is noteworthy for having been the former seat of the Mystic Order of the Solitary, a semimonastic order of Seventh-Day Dunkers. The community, which contained both men and women, was founded by Johann Conrad Beissel in 1732. Many of the members were well-educated; Peter Miller, second prior of the monastery, translated the Declaration of Independence into seven languages, at the request of Congress. At the period of its greatest prosperity the community contained nearly 300 persons.

Ephrata had two National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, the Farmer's National Bank (Charter 4923) and the Ephrata National Bank, and both of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

  • Organized March 16, 1881
  • Chartered April 11, 1881
  • Bank was Open past 1935
  • For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
  • Still in business as Ephrata National Bank (December 2022)

By March 19, 1881, $75,000 in stock subscriptions were received. A resolution was passed accepting Edwin Konigmacher's room for temporary occupation by the bank. E. Meixel, formerly of Lancaster, but lately of the Mt. Carmel Bank, was elected cashier.[1]

On Tuesday, January 17, 1882, stockholders elected the following directors: Edwin Konigmacher, Levi Bard, Jacob W. Landis, Samuel Royer, Jacob B. Keller, A.J. Ream, W.Z. Saner, John Y. Weidman, Reuben Reidenbach, John Seldomridge, Reuben R. Bitzer, Henry S. Eberly, and David Burkholder.[2]

In January 1891, the directors were David Burkholder, R.R. Bitzer, G.L. Bard, J.B. Keller, J.W. Landis, L.W. Mentzer, A.J. Ream, W.Z. Sener, Christian Smith, John Y. Weidman, John S. Galt, Christian H. Oberholtzer, and Michael W. Nolt.[3]

On Tuesday, January 8, 1901, stockholders elected the following directors: R.R. Bitzer, George L. Bard, John N. Martin, John G. Mentzer, A.W. Mentzer, Noah L. Nolt, M.L. Weidman, John D. Witters, C.S. Yeager, Amos M. Cline and Jacob D. Myer. Amos Clime and Jacob Meyer were the only new members, replacing Samuel Wechter and C.H. Oberholtzer who retired from the board.[4] The next morning the directors organized by re-electing Martin L. Weidman, president, and George L. Bard, secretary.[5]

In January 1911, the directors were George L. Bard, R.R. Bitzer, A.M. Clime, Will Leber, Jacob B. Myer, Noah L. Nolt, Henry Oberlin, John B. Witters, M.L. Weidman, C.S. Yeager, and J.H. Hibshman.[6]

In January 1921, the directors were George L. Bard, Will Leber, M.L. Weidman, W.W. Moyer, C.S. Yeager, Noah L. Nolt, J.H. Hibshman, S.L. Weaver and Henry Oberlin. The officers were M.L. Weidman, president, W.W. Moyer, vice president, J.H. Hibshman, cashier; and C.A. Raezer, assistant cashier. The bank had capital of $125,000, surplus & profits of $250,000 and resources of over $2 million.[7]

On Tuesday, January 13, 1931, stockholders re-elected the following directors: R.S. Brunner, John W. Gehr, J.H. Hibshman, Will Leber, Walter W. Moyer, Noah L. Nolt, M.L. Weidman, S.L. Weaver, and Charles S. Yeager, Sr. The next morning the directors organized with M.L. Weidman, chairman of the board; J.H. Hibshman, president, W.W. Moyer, vice chairman; and C.A. Raezer, secretary.[8]

In January 1941, the Directors were Raymond S. Brunner, Harry M. Gerhart, John W. Gehr, J. Harry Hibshman, Will Leber, Wilbur H. Sheaffer, Mrs. Irene R. Weidman, and Clayton P. Wenger. The officers were J. Harry Hibshman, president; Will Leber, vice president; C.A. Raezer, cashier and trust officer; S. Harold Hacker, assistant cashier and assistant trust officer; and John E. Malone, solicitor. The bank had capital of $125,000, Surplus $550,000, and resources over $4.5 million.[9]

In February 1963, the officers were J. Harry Hibshman, president; S. Harold Hacker, vice president and cashier; R.W. Wenger, assistant vice president; Samuel F. Stork, assistant trust officer and assistant cashier; John H. Shuey and Ralph B. Heisey, assistant cashiers.[10]

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Ephrata National Bank, Ephrata, PA

Bank Note Types Issued

Series of 1875 $10 bank note with pen signatures of J.H. Hibshman, Cashier and M.L. Weidman, President.
Series of 1875 $10 bank note with pen signatures of J.H. Hibshman, Cashier and M.L. Weidman, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1882 Value Back $5 bank note with printed signatures of J.H. Hibshman, Cashier and M.L. Weidman, President.
1882 Value Back $5 bank note with printed signatures of J.H. Hibshman, Cashier and M.L. Weidman, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 2 $10 bank note with printed signatures of C.A. Raezer, Cashier and J.H. Hibshman, President.
1929 Type 2 $10 bank note with printed signatures of C.A. Raezer, Cashier and J.H. Hibshman, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $2,701,250 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1881 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 267,776 notes (232,816 large size and 34,960 small size notes).

This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:

Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments
Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 5697
1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 2500
1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 4500
1882 Date Back 4x5 1 - 11250
1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 7600
1882 Value Back 4x5 11251 - 18475
1882 Value Back 3x10-20 7601 - 11879
1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 15153
1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 3730
1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 952
1929 Type 2 10 1 - 5510
1929 Type 2 20 1 - 1358

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1881 - 1936):

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

  • Ephrata, 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
  1. ↑ The Semi-Weekly New Era, Lancaster, PA, Sat., Mar. 19, 1881.
  2. ↑ The Lancaster Examiner, Lancaster, PA, Wed., Jan. 18, 1882.
  3. ↑ The Lititz Express, Lititz, PA, Fri., Jan. 16, 1891.
  4. ↑ The Semi-Weekly New Era, Lancaster, PA, Wed., Jan. 9, 1901.
  5. ↑ The Ephrata Review, Ephrata, PA, Fri., Jan. 11, 1901.
  6. ↑ The Ephrata Review, Ephrata, PA, Fri., Jan. 13, 1911.
  7. ↑ The Ephrata Review, Ephrata, PA, Fri., Feb. 18, 1921.
  8. ↑ The Ephrata Review, Ephrata, PA, Fri., Jan. 16, 1931.
  9. ↑ The Ephrata Review, Ephrata, PA, Thu., Feb. 20, 1941.
  10. ↑ Sunday News, Lancaster, PA, Sun., Feb. 24, 1963.
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