First National Bank, Clarion, IA (Charter 3796)

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Postcard of the First National Bank building (far left) ca. 1910.

First National Bank, Clarion, IA (Chartered 1887 - Merged 1994)

Town History

Photo of the First National Bank building in 2013. Courtesy of Google Maps

Clarion is located in Wright County in north central Iowa.

Clarion was incorporated on September 10, 1881.

Clarion is the birthplace of the four-leaf clover emblem used by the 4-H Clubs of America, conceived of in 1907 by the local school superintendent, O.H. Benson.

During the National Bank Note Era, the population of Clarion was 744 in 1890, rising greatly to 2,065 in 1910, with a slight bump to 2,578 in 1930. It's highest population was 3,232 in 1960, and the current population is estimated at 2,741 (2018).

For more information on the town of Clarion, see their Wikipedia page.

Bank History

  • Organized August 29, 1887
  • Chartered October 1, 1887
  • Succeeded Wright County Bank
  • Conservatorship March 20, 1933
  • Licensed May 26, 1933
  • December, 1994 Merged into First Citizens National Bank, Mason City, IA

In October 1887, the First National Bank of Clarion was organized with a capital of $50,000. It succeeded the Wright County Bank which had been in existence since 1872. The bank occupied a fine, two-story brick building built in 1887 on the corner of Main and Lake Streets at a cost of $6,000. The lower floor was occupied by the bank. The officers were G.S. Ringland, president; L.L. Estes, vice president; Hon. N.F. Weber, cashier and F.E. Estes, assistant cashier. Hon. N.F. Weber was the present senator from the 37th senatorial district and had been in Clarion for 17 years. He was a lawyer practicing in Clarion and, in addition to his duties as cashier, he was the manager of its real estate and loan department which succeeded the business established by Eastman & McKay in 1858. His lists of lands comprised over 100,000 acres of wild land in Wright County.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The First National Bank of Clarion, IA

Bank Note Types Issued

Large size bank note here. Example: 1902 Date Back $50 bank note with pen signatures of U. B. Tracy, Cashier and Jill Smith, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 1 $100 bank note with printed signatures of C. J. Birdsall, Cashier and U. B. Tracy, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $572,950 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1887 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 8,614 notes (7,564 large size and 1,050 small size notes).


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

Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s
1882 Brown Back 50-100 1 - 1034
1902 Red Seal 50-100 1 - 334
1902 Date Back 50-100 1 - 240
1902 Date Back 3x50-100 1 - 958
1902 Plain Back 3x50-100 959 - 1087
1929 Type 1 6x50 1 - 150
1929 Type 1 6x100 1 - 25

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

First National Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1887 - 1936):

Presidents:

  • G. S. Ringland, 1888-1916
  • U. B. Tracy, 1917-1933
  • T. H. Crowe, 1935-1935

Cashiers:

  • N. F. Weber, 1888-1891
  • U. B. Tracy, 1892-1916
  • F. W. Walker, 1917-1919
  • C. J. Birdsall, 1920-1935

Other Bank Note Signers

  • M. A. Mickelson, Vice President (1903-1933)

References

  • Clarion, IA, 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://bbdata.banknotehistory.com
  • The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA, Tue., Apr. 24, 1888.
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