First National Bank, Bethel, OH (Charter 5627)

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1882 Brown Back $5 bank note
1882 Brown Back $5 bank note with a Radar Treasury SN and pen signatures of E.J. Fagley, Cashier and William A. Julian, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

First National Bank, Bethel, OH (Chartered 1900 - Closed (Merger) 1980)

Town History

Bethel is a village in Tate Township, Clermont County, Ohio. The population was 2,620 at the 2020 census. In 1900 the population was 850, growing to 1,340 by 1920.

Bethel was originally called Plainfield, and under the latter name was platted in 1798. The town site was re-platted in 1802 under the name Bethel. The present name is after Bethel, a city in the Hebrew Bible. A post office in Bethel has been in operation since 1815. The town is located about 31 miles east of Cincinnati.

Bethel had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

  • Organized August 29, 1900
  • Chartered November 19, 1900
  • Bank was Open past 1935
  • For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
  • Merged into Society National Bank of Cleveland, OH, March 22, 1980

In July 1900, the comptroller of the currency approved the applications of the following national bank for authority to organize: The First National Bank of Mineral Wells, Texas, and the First National Bank of Bethel, Ohio; capital $25,000 each.[1]

In December 1909, Merritt Scott of Albert, Kleybolte & Co., resigned to become assistant cashier of the First National Bank at Bethel, Ohio, to succeed Joseph West who became cashier of the First National Bank at Russellville, Mr. Scott was a native of Bethel.[2]

In January 1923, the officers elected for the ensuing year were Si Bluestein, president; C.F. Davis, vice president; O.L. Page, cashier; R.F. Homan, assistant cashier; Abbie Town, second assistant cashier; Si Bluestein, C.F. Davis, J.C. Scott, R.E. Head, C.J. Plaeltz, James H. Burke, and B.F. Swing, directors.[3] 

In February 1943, it was reported that the first piece of currency ever signed by W.A. Julian, treasurer of the United States, was a bank note issued by the First National Bank of Bethel. The note was in the possession of O.L. Page, president of the bank and was signed by Julian when he served as bank president from 1900 to 1913.[4]

In August 1945, Ralph F. Homan, president of the First National Bank of Bethel, was elected vice president of the Clermont County Bankers' Association.[5]

On Saturday, February 14, 1953, O.L. Page, 79, chairman of the board and former president of the First National Bank of Bethel, died in Brown County Hospital, Georgetown, Ohio. A lifelong resident of the Bethel area, Mr. Page was associated with the bank for 40 years.[6]

In January 1980, Society Corp., a Cleveland-based banking company stepping into the Cincinnati market said its 1979 earnings before securities transactions were 23.8% higher than the prior year. Society owned the First National Bank of Clermont County in Bethel and had agreed to acquire the First National Bank of Harrison. With assets of $3.019 billion, Society was Ohio's fourth-largest banking company. Society was seeking regulatory permission to merge First National of Clermont County into its home bank, Society National Bank.[7] On March 22d, the six offices of the First National Bank of Clermont County became offices of Society National Bank, completing a merger with the Cleveland-based bank. Society National Bank would also open two additional branches, both in Hamilton County. Society National Bank and First National Bank of Clermont County had been sister banks since the parent company, Society Corp., acquired First National in 1978. Briggs, who had been chief executive officer of First National Bank of Clermont County said he would resign from the bank to pursue other business interests. Society National President Maurice Struchen credited Briggs with acquiring the bank's two new branches and for arranging Society's proposed acquisition of First National Bank of Harrison. First National President Mel Larson would supervise branch operations in Greater Cincinnati after the merger. Robert W. Gillespie, executive vice president of Society National Bank would assume overall responsibility for the Cincinnati region.[8]

  • 12/01/1973 Acquired The Amelia State Bank (FDIC #16917) in Amelia, OH.
  • 03/20/1974 Changed Institution Name to First National Bank of Clermont County.
  • 03/22/1980 Merged and became part of Society National Bank of Cleveland (FDIC #17534) in Cleveland, OH.
  • 06/17/1996 Changed Institution Name to KeyBank National Association.

Official Bank Title

1: The First National Bank of Bethel, OH

Bank Note Types Issued

1882 Date Back $5 bank note
1882 Date Back $5 bank note with pen signatures of G.G. Bambach, Cashier and W.W. Burk, Vice President. Courtesy of the NBNCensus.com
1882 Value Back $10 bank note
1882 Value Back $10 bank note with pen signatures of O.L. Page, Assistant Cashier and Simon Bluestein, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1902 Plain Back $10 bank note
1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with pen signatures of O.L. Page, Cashier and Charles F. Davis, Vice President. This note was part of the Don C. Kelly Collection. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 2 $5 bank note
1929 Type 2 $5 bank note with SN A002720 from plate position H, and printed signatures of R.F. Homan, Cashier and O.L. Page, President. This was the last $5 note issued to the bank and along with the G plate position note was a partial sheet sent to the bank. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Auctions, www.lynknight.com

A total of $428,060 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1900 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 52,493 notes (34,240 large size and 18,253 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 - 750
1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 452
1882 Brown Back 50-100 1 - 76
1882 Date Back 4x5 1 - 1000
1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 740
1882 Date Back 50-100 1 - 40
1882 Value Back 4x5 1001 - 1865
1882 Value Back 3x10-20 741 - 1125
1902 Plain Back 4x5 1 - 2595
1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 1715
1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 1420
1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 692
1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 190
1929 Type 2 5 1 - 2720
1929 Type 2 10 1 - 1308
1929 Type 2 20 1 - 413

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1900 - 1935):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Known Bank Note Signers

Bank Note History Links

Sources

  • Bethel, OH, on Wikipedia
  • Bethel Museum
  • 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. ↑ Brooklyn Eagle, Brooklyn, NY, Tue., July 3, 1900.
  2. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Sun., Dec. 12, 1909.
  3. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Fri., Jan. 12, 1923.
  4. ↑ Chillicothe Gazette, Chillicothe, OH, Mon., Feb 1, 1943.
  5. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Fri., Aug. 3, 1945.
  6. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Sun., Feb. 15, 1953.
  7. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Fri., Feb. 1, 1980.
  8. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Tue., Mar. 4, 1980.
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