First National Bank, Grantsburg, WI (Charter 8444)

Early photo of the First National Bank building built in 1915

First National Bank, Grantsburg, WI (Chartered 1906 - Open past 1935)

Town History

1920s photo of the interior of the First National Bank, showing Cashier C.J. Fossum (left), President H.A. Anderson and Assistant Cashier Anny Sandberg

Grantsburg is located in Burnett County in northwestern Wisconsin. The village of Grantsburg was first settled in the early 1850s, and incorporated in 1886. It was named after General Ulysses S. Grant’s victory at Vicksburg.

During the National Bank Note Era, the population of Grantsburg was 612 in 1900, growing to 777 in 1930. It's highest population was 1,369 in 2000, and the current population is estimated at 1,293 (2017).

The town's earliest bank was the First Bank of Grantsburg, a state bank established in 1896.

Bank History

• Organized Nov 5, 1906
• Chartered Nov 26, 1906
• Succeeded Grantsburg State Bank
• Opened for business Dec 7, 1906
• Bank was Open past 1935

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The First National Bank of Grantsburg, WI

Bank Note Types Issued

Serial number 1, $10 1902 Red Seal bank note with pen signatures of H.A. Anderson, Cashier and F.H. Wellcome, President

1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with printed signatures of C.J. Fossum, Cashier and H.A. Anderson, President

A total of $180,050 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1906 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 14,545 notes (9,940 large size and 4,605 small size notes).

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

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s
1902 Red Seal	3x10-20	1 - 195
1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 700
1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	701 - 2290
1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 542
1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 140
1929 Type 2	10	1 - 378
1929 Type 2	20	1 - 135

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

First National Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1906 - 1936):

Presidents:

• Dr. Florado Houser Wellcome, 1906-1920
• H. Anders Anderson, 1921-1935

Cashiers:

• H. Anders Anderson, 1906-1920
• Christian Julius Fossum, 1921-1935

Other Known Bank Note Signers

• Theodore Albrecht (VP 1928...1934; Director 1922...1927)
• Stephen Freeman Grover (VP 1913...1927)

Bank Note History Links

• First National Bank, Grantsburg, WI History (NB Lookup)
• Wisconsin Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)

Sources

• Grantsburg, WI, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grantsburg,_Wisconsin
• 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