Farmers National Bank, Bryan, OH (Charter 2474)

Postcard of The Farmers National Bank of Bryan, Ohio ca1919. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

Farmers National Bank, Bryan, OH (Chartered 1880 - Receivership 1934)

Town History

This could be recent photo of the bank or another postcard. (Set Height x300px)

Bryan is a city in, and the county seat of, Williams County, Ohio. It is located in the state's northwestern corner, 53 miles southwest of Toledo. The population was 8,545 at the 2010 census.

Bryan was platted in 1840 by John A. Bryan, and named for him. It was incorporated as a village in 1841, and reincorporated as a city in 1941.

Williams County was originally part of Defiance County, with Defiance as the county seat. The area was later split into Williams and Defiance counties. Bryan was named the seat for the new county, but not without conflict; the village of Montpelier was considered a more centralized location. The people of Montpelier petitioned the state legislature, but in the end Bryan was named county seat because of its greater industrial and commercial importance and because of its higher population. To this day, many people still argue about the state's decision and a rivalry of sorts remains between the two communities.

A strip of Williams County north of Bryan was originally part of a conflict known as the Toledo War, between Ohio and Michigan. Both states claimed the land, the Toledo Strip, which was named for the port city of Toledo at its eastern end. The conflict was eventually resolved in favor of Ohio, with Michigan being compensated with what is now the western Upper Peninsula.

Bryan's manufacturers produce a diversity of items. However, it is best known for products made by two companies headquartered in the city. Dum Dum lollipops, Saf-T-Pops and Marshmallow Circus Peanuts are made by Spangler Candy Company (the largest producer of candy canes in the world), and the Etch A Sketch (now manufactured in China) was developed by the Ohio Art Company.

Bryan had four National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all four of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

Organized Mar 26, 1880
Chartered Apr 16, 1880
Succeeded Bryan Bank
Conservatorship Apr 6, 1933
Receivership Feb 8, 1934

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Farmers National Bank of Bryan, OH

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with printed signatures of Charles M. Wertz, Cashier and I.E. Gardner, President. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

1929 Type 1 $20 bank note with printed signatures of C.F. Hester, Cashier and I.E. Gardner, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $2,376,750 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1880 and 1934. This consisted of a total of 193,406 notes (154,292 large size and 39,114 small size notes).

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

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s	Sheet Comments
Series 1875	4x10	1 - 2998
1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 3425
1882 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 3600
1882 Value Back	3x10-20	3601 - 4540
1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	1 - 27610
1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 4954
1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 1434
1929 Type 2	10	1 - 696
1929 Type 2	20	1 - 90

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1880 - 1934):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Bank Note Signers

Curtis D. Gardner, Vice President 1900...1926 Signature
There are currently no known Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.

Wiki Links

Sources

Bryan, OH, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan,_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://bbdata.banknotehistory.com