First National Bank, Greencastle, PA (Charter 1081)

Postcard view of the square with the Town Clock Tower erected in 1872 on the First National Bank of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, ca1950s. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

First National Bank, Greencastle, PA (Chartered 1865 - Closed (Merger) 2009)

Town History

Photo of the old First National Bank building ca2018. Courtesy of Google Maps

Greencastle is a borough in Franklin County in south-central Pennsylvania. The population was 3,996 at the 2010 census. Greencastle lies within the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania.

Greencastle was founded in 1783 by John Allison from the Barkdoll House. The town was named after Greencastle, County Donegal, Ireland. By 1790 there were about 60 houses in Greencastle, homes to approximately 400 people. The town of Greencastle had grown by the mid-nineteenth century to 1,125 residents.

In 1845, following the succession crisis in the Latter Day Saint movement, Sidney Rigdon (one of the three main contenders along with James Strang and Brigham Young for leadership of the Latter Day Saints following the death of Joseph Smith) took his followers to Pennsylvania and formed a Rigdonite Mormon settlement at Greencastle. This settlement had approximately 200 followers. They founded the New Jerusalem settlement between Greencastle and Mercersburg, published the Conochoheague Herald newspaper in Greencastle, and made plans for the construction of a temple. The Rigdonite Mormon settlement at Greencastle only lasted a few years; some former Rigdon followers went to Utah to join Brigham Young, while William Bickerton, who had opposed Rigdon's move to Greencastle, would eventually reorganize the remaining Pennsylvania branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in Pittsburgh as The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite).

Greencastle had two National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and both of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

Organized March 4, 1865
Chartered April 28, 1865
Bank was Open past 1935
For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
Merged into Graystone Tower Bank in Lancaster, PA March 31, 2009

On January 14, 1873, stockholders elected the following directors: J.C. McLanahan, Benjamin Snively, Jacob Zook, John Rowe, John Wilhelm, Wm. D. McKinstry, Jacob B. Crowell, A.B. Wingerd, John Ruthrauff, J.D. Davidson, and George W. Zeigler.

By 2006, Tower Bancorp Inc.'s sole subsidiary, The First National Bank of Greencastle, the oldest locally owned bank in Franklin County, operated ten office locations throughout Franklin County and Washington County, Maryland. Offices were located in Greencastle, Chambersburg, Laurich Estates, Mercersburg, Quincy, Shady Grove, Waynesboro and Hagerstown, Maryland. In June 2006, The First National Bank of McConnellsburg was acquired, adding five more branch locations. Also, ground was broken in Rouzerville for a new branch of The First National Bank of Greencastle. The Rouzerville branch opened on December 1, 2006.

Official Bank Title(s)

Two $20 proofs for Charter 1081 both with approval dates in February 1885. The top proof has the Comptroller of the Currency corrected spelling of Greencastle while the bottom proof has the old spelling using two word, Green Castle. Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution.

1: The First National Bank of Green Castle, PA

2: The First National Bank of [3/5/1885], Greencastle, PA

In 1885, the town name was changed from Green Castle to Greencastle. This was common when plates for a new series were ordered following an extension; however, the presence of two proofs indicates that The First National Bank almost got to keep its original title. This was an informal title change imposed by the Comptroller of the Currency. The change is subtle in the tombstone containing the town name, but is readily apparent by comparing the postal locations in script for the two proofs. The change for Green Castle, Indiana (Charter 219) to Greencastle, also occurred for Series of 1882 Brown Backs, but only one proof is known and it was dated February 20, 1883. The Central National Bank of Green Castle, Indiana (Charter 2896) kept is two-word version of the town's name when its Brown Back proof was approved in March 1883 and even its Series of 1929 notes have Green Castle, Indiana. The Citizens National Bank of Greencastle, Pennsylvania (Charter 5857) and coincidentally The Citizens National Bank of Greencastle, Indiana (Charter 10409) both arrived too late and only the modern version of their town names may be found on their notes.

Bank Note Types Issued

Original Series $5 bank note, serial number 1, with pen signatures of L.H. Fletcher, Cashier and J.C. McLanahan, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with printed signatures of Charles S. Karper, Cashier and Joseph C. Myers, President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Auctions, www.lynknight.com

1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with printed signatures of Walter M. Minnich, Cashier and Joseph C. Myers, President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Auctions, www.lynknight.com

A total of $1,956,960 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1865 and 2009. This consisted of a total of 165,431 notes (137,976 large size and 27,455 small size notes).

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

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s	Sheet Comments
1: Original Series	4x5	1 - 2200
1: Original Series	3x10-20	1 - 2120
1: Series 1875	4x5	1 - 1100
1: Series 1875	3x10-20	1 - 2428
2: 1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 2888
2: 1902 Red Seal	3x10-20	1 - 950
2: 1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 5400
2: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	5401 - 22808
2: 1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 3168
2: 1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 798
2: 1929 Type 2	10	1 - 2776
2: 1929 Type 2	20	1 - 883

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1865 - 2009):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Bank Note Signers

There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.

Wiki Links

Sources

Greencastle, PA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greencastle,_Pennsylvania
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
Valley Spirit, Chambersburg, PA, Wed., Jan. 22, 1873.
Public Opinion, Chambersburg, PA, Sat., Mar. 25, 2006.
Public Opinion, Chambersburg, PA, Fri., Dec. 1, 2006.