First National Bank, Buffalo Center, IA (Charter 5154)

Postcard of the First National Bank building ca. early 1900s. Courtesy of Mark Hotz

First National Bank, Buffalo Center, IA (Chartered 1898 - Receivership 1933)

Town History

The First National Bank building in 2013. Owned by the Buffalo Center Historical Society. Courtesy of Flikr user Tom McLaughlin

Buffalo Center is located in Winnebago County in north central Iowa.

Buffalo Center was platted in 1892. It was incorporated as a city in 1894.

During the National Bank Note Era, the population of Buffalo Center was 875 in 1900, dropping slightly to 768 in 1930. It's highest population was 1,233 in 1980, and the current population is estimated at 902 (2016).

Bank History

• Organized Oct 20, 1898
• Chartered Nov 4, 1898
• Receivership Jan 20, 1933

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The First National Bank of Buffalo Center, IA

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Plain Back $20 bank note with stamped signatures of J. J. Guyer, Cashier and C. W. Gadd, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

929 Type 1 $20 bank note with engraved signatures of J. J. Guyer, Cashier and C. W. Gadd, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $813,290 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1898 and 1933. This consisted of a total of 102,138 notes (90,096 large size and 12,042 small size notes).

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

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s
1882 Brown Back	4x5	1 - 3850
1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 2520
1882 Date Back	4x5	1 - 3250
1882 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 2340
1882 Value Back	4x5	3251 - 4165
1882 Value Back	3x10-20	2341 - 2805
1902 Plain Back	4x5	1 - 5237
1902 Plain Back	4x10	1 - 850
1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	1 - 3097
1929 Type 1	6x5	1 - 1255
1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 579
1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 173

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

First National Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1898 - 1933):

Presidents:

• Peter Morton Joice, 1899-1904
• Clarence William Gadd, 1905-1930
• Henry Albert Wagner, 1931-1932

Cashiers:

• Abram W. Winden, 1899-1902
• Rudolph C. Ballstadt, 1903-1903
• John J. Guyer, 1904-1932

Other Known Bank Note Signers

• Elizabeth Bessie McDermott (Asst Cashier 1913...1932)

Bank Note History Links

• First National Bank, Buffalo Center, IA History (NB Lookup)
• Iowa Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)

Sources

• Buffalo Center, IA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo Center,_Iowa
• 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