First National Bank, Danville, PA (Charter 325)
First National Bank, Danville, PA (Chartered 1864 - Closed (Merger) 2018)
Town History
Danville is a borough in and the county seat of Montour County, Pennsylvania, along the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. The population was 4,221 at the 2020 census. Danville is part of the Bloomsburg-Berwick micropolitan area. In 1860, the population was 6,385 peaking in 1870 at 8,436. Danville is the home of Geisinger Medical Center, a trauma center employing over 10,000 people. In 1869 the Danville State Hospital was built as a state institution for the treatment and care of the mentally ill.
In November 1773, William Montgomery began acquiring land in Northumberland County from J. Cummings. On November 26, 1774 he acquired 180 acres along Mahoning Creek and Susquehanna River known as "Karkaase" from J. Simpson. Following his service in the New York and New Jersey Campaign, William re-settled his family from Chester County to Northumberland. Originally referred to as "Montgomery's Landing", it would become known as Danville after his son, Daniel Montgomery. After developing his farm, William developed the first gristmill, sawmill, and trading post. In 1778, his family fled during the Big Runaway to Fort Augusta and returned following the Battle of Wyoming. In 1792, William constructed the General William Montgomery House. In the same year Daniel plotted the area between Mill Street and Church Street, the historic core of the town which now bears his name.
Danville was part of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, when it was founded. In 1813, Columbia County, Pennsylvania was formed from part of Northumberland Co. Danville became the county seat of Columbia County until 1845, when an election moved the seat to Bloomsburg. In 1850, Montour County was formed from part of Columbia County. Danville then became the county seat of Montour County.
Danville became a transportation center in the mid-19th century as the technology of early railroads developed, allowing accelerated development of inland communities. Danville first serviced canal boats plying the navigations on the Susquehanna between the coal docks in Pittston and Wilkes-Barre connecting to the Union Canal, and Harrisburg. Subsequently, it became served by several railroads also running along the banks of the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. Railroads helped local businesses expand their sales as they supplied major cities outside of Danville. Coal and iron mines in the surrounding hills and mountains fueled the local economy, and by mid-century Danville was an important iron mill town. Many of the rails of the nation's expanding railroad system were made in Danville, an important contribution to a network which grew explosively for decades. By the 1890s there were 7-8 major railroads running into the Wyoming Valley for Anthracite.
Danville had two National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, the First National Bank (Charter 325) and the Danville National Bank (Charter 1078), and both of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Chartered March 17, 1864
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Merged into Fulton Bank, N.A. in Lancaster, PA, October 13, 2018
On Monday, February 1, 1864, the First National Bank of Danville organized by unanimously electing the following officers: Samuel Yorks, Jr., president; W.A.M. Grier, cashier. The directors were Samuel Yorks, Jr., G.F. Geisinger, Christian Laubach, Charles Fenstermacher, Wm. Yorks, Montour County; Ferdinand Piper, Milton; Gilbert H. Fowler, Columbia County. The bank commenced business with a capital stock of $75,000.
In March 1870, Mr. B.R. Gearhart was chosen cashier to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. A.P. Fowler who would devote his entire attention to the Danville Iron Work. S.A. Yorks succeeded Mr. Gearhart as teller.
In June 1883, D.M. Boyd, Esq., was elected president to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas Beaver, the well-known capitalist. Mr. Beaver was born in Pfoutz's Valley, Perry County on November 6, 1814. In 1831, he became a clerk in the store of Rev. Jasper Bennet in Williamsport. At the age of 18 he made his first trip to Philadelphia by stage coach to purchase a stock of goods. In 1833, he moved to Lewisburg and entered into business with Peter Nevins. Two years later, he moved to Millerstown and entered into partnership with his brother. In March 1837, he entered the store of Bray & Bancroft, Philadelphia, to learn the details of a metropolitan enterprise. He was taken into partnership in 1840, the firm becoming Bray, Bancroft & Co. Mr. Bray retired in 1844 and the firm became Bancroft, Beaver & Co. He retired in 1858 to take over the affairs of the Montour Iron Company at Danville. In 1877, he sold to his partner, Mr. Waterman and retained his interest in the coal property at Kingston and incorporated as Kingston Coal Co. He was one of the organizers and the leading spirt of the Danville National Bank.
In January 1903, stockholders re-elected the following directors: Christian Laubach, John F. Tooley, I.X. Grier, C.G. VanAlen, William Pensyl, James D. Magill, and B.R. Gearhart.
On Tuesday, January 8, 1929, stockholders elected the following directors: Thomas H. Benfield, Harry Billmeyer, J.B. Cleaver, J.H. Cole, T.B. Evans, Charles E. Fisher, Dr. H.L. Foss, William L. Kindt, Samuel Mowrer, D.J. Reese, Dr. A.M. Northrup and J.F. Tooley. The officers elected were: D.J. Reese, president; Samuel Mowrer, vice president; W.G. Breitenbach, cashier; and A.M. Campbell, assistant cashier.
In January 1935, there was one change in the board at the First National Bank. Samuel Mourer, director and vice president resigned due to failing health and Thomas B. Evans was elected vice president. The officers were D.J. Reese, president; Thomas B. Evans, vice president; W.G. Brietenbach, cashier; A.M. Campbell, assistant cashier; L.G. Rarig, solicitor; and Paul L. Gass, teller. The directors were Thomas H. Benfield, J.B. Cleaver, Harry Billmeyer, J.H. Cole, Thomas B. Evans, Charles E. Fisher, Dr. H.L. Foss, William L. Kindt, D.J. Reese, Dr. A.M. Northrup, and J.F. Tooley.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The First National Bank of Danville, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $4,500,180 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1864 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 553,579 notes (472,864 large size and 80,715 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments Original Series 3x1-2 1 - 3000 Original Series 4x5 1 - 3400 Original Series 3x10-20 1 - 3720 Series 1875 4x5 1 - 800 Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 2400 1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 6145 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 9942 1902 Red Seal 4x5 1 - 5500 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 7400 1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 15350 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 10280 1902 Plain Back 4x5 15351 - 47305 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 10281 - 28604 1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 6954 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 3108 3094 Not issued 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 786 1929 Type 2 5 1 - 8570 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 5447 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 1610
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1864 - 1935):
Presidents:
- Samuel Yorks, Jr., 1864-1878
- Christian Laubach, 1879-1880
- Thomas Beaver, 1881-1882
- Daniel Montgomery Boyd, 1883-1897
- Bonham Robert Gearhart, 1898-1903
- Isaac X. Grier, 1904-1920
- William Grant Pursel, 1921-1922
- David John Reese, 1923-1935
Cashiers:
- William A. M. Grier, 1864-1866
- Alfred P. Fowler, 1867-1869
- Bonham Robert Gearhart, 1870-1897
- S. Augustus Yorks, 1898-1901
- William Lincoln McClure, 1902-1918
- David John Reese, 1919-1922
- William G. Breitenbach, 1923-1935
Other Known Bank Note Signers
- No other known bank note signers for this bank
Bank Note History Links
Sources
- Danville, 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
- The Sunbury Gazette, Sunbury, PA, Sat., Feb. 6, 1864.
- The Sunbury Gazette, Sunbury, PA, Sat., Mar. 26, 1870.
- The York Dispatch, York, PA, Wed., June 6, 1883.
- The Perry County Democrat, New Bloomfield, PA, Wed., May 27, 1891.
- Montour American, Danville, PA, Thu., Jan. 15, 1903.
- The Danville Morning News, Danville, PA, Wed., Jan. 9, 1929.
- The Danville Morning News, Danville, PA, Wed., Jan. 9, 1935.