First National Bank, Intercourse, PA (Charter 9216)

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Photo of the old First National Bank of Intercourse, Pennsylvania, ca2020.
Photo of the old First National Bank of Intercourse, Pennsylvania, ca2020. Courtesy of Google Maps

First National Bank, Intercourse, PA (Chartered 1908 - Closed (Merger) 1972)

Town History

Modern postcard of the old First National Bank building. Courtesy Fred Benson

Intercourse is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Leacock Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 10 miles east of Lancaster on Pennsylvania Route 340. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,494, up from 1,274 at the previous census.

Intercourse was founded in 1754. The community was originally named "Cross Keys", after a local tavern. Intercourse became the name in 1814. The village website gives several theories for the origins of the name:

    Another theory concerns two famous roads that crossed here. The Old King's highway from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh (now the Old Philadelphia Pike) ran east and west through the center of the town. The road from Wilmington to Erie intersected in the middle. The joining of these two roads is claimed by some to be the basis for the town 'Cross Keys' or eventually 'Intercourse'. A final idea comes from the use of language during the early days of the village. The word 'intercourse' was commonly used to describe the 'fellowship' and 'social interaction and support' shared in the community of faith, which was much a part of a rural village like this one.

Tourism and farming are major industries in the area. Small businesses sell Amish crafts, food, and give horse and buggy rides. The town thrives on thousands of tourists who visit the region each year. Most of the land surrounding the town is farmland.

Intercourse had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

  • Organized March 23, 1908
  • Chartered August 6, 1908
  • Opened for business October 10, 1908
  • Bank was Open past 1935
  • For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
  • Closed (Merger) June 5, 1972 with the Farmers National Bank of Lititz with new title Farmers First National Bank
  • Clark, Frank, "FNB of Intercourse, PA," Paper Money No. 237, p. 230.

In February 1908, the following organization committee was appointed for the establishment of the First National Bank of Intercourse: Willis Knox, chairman; John L. Leaman, treasurer; Elmer K. Denlinger, secretary, Phares B. Buckwalter and Benjamin L. Glick. W.D. Burch was the subscription agent. The paid in value of each share was $110 with a par value of $100. In March 1908, the comptroller of the currency authorized the bank to organize with capital of $35,000. It was proposed to erect a building for the bank's uses with work to commence early in the spring.

On March 27, 1908, Directors organized as follows: Willis R. Knox, president; John L. Leaman of Gordonville, first vice president; Elmer K. Denlinger of Intercourse, second vice president. The other directors were Jacob M. Eaby, Paradise; Wesley S. Weaver, Kinzer; Dr. M.H. Diller, Ledger; Phares Buckwalter, Gordonville, and Henry Ressler, Bird-in-Hand. Opening was planned for June or July and special accommodations would be offered to farmers of the area. Authority to commence business was granted by the comptroller of the currency on August 6, 1908.

Sergeant First Class Samuel W. Zook, formerly assistant cashier and later clerk in the Franklin National Bank of Philadelphia at the time of his enlistment in the Army, returned after serving 18 months in La Pallice, France. After arriving in France, Zook was made Sergeant First Class in the Headquarters Detachment, Transportation Corps, 7th Infantry Division, serving as chief finance clerk in the Army Transport Service. Sergeant Zook began crossing the Atlantic on board the USS Aeolars which collided with the USS Heron and almost sinking, caused it to return to New York. He sailed to France on the USS Manchuria. SFC Zook returned to the U.S. from France on the USS George Washington arriving at Hoboken on August 26, 1919. On his return trip, there was a fire which raged for two days before pulling into port.

In January 1938, the directors elected were Aaron H. Denlinger, J. Frank Denlinger, Victor D. Kling, Edwin H. Mentzer, S. Clayton Ranck, and Harry B. Showalter.

On June 5, 1972, the consolidation of the Farmers National Bank of Lititz and the First National Bank of Intercourse became effective. The consolidated bank will be known as the Farmers First National Bank with branches in Intercourse, Lancaster Shopping Center, Park City Shopping Center and Neffsville. Aaron H. Denlinger Sr., former president and director at the Intercourse Bank, became a director of Farmers First. Jack S. Watson, president of the Lititz Bank since February 1971, became president of the new bank, James H. Shreiner became vice president and cashier, Robert M. Myers, vice president, and Odessa M. Simpson, assistant cashier. In another merger, shareholders of Farmers National Bank of Lititz ratified an agreement to merge with Farmers National Bank of Ephrata, pending approval by the Comptroller of the Currency.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The First National Bank of Intercourse, PA

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with printed signatures of Harry B. Showalter, Cashier and Jacob K. Ressler, President.
1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with printed signatures of Harry B. Showalter, Cashier and Jacob K. Ressler, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 2 $10 bank note with printed signatures of Harry B. Showalter, Cashier and Victor D. Kling, President.
1929 Type 2 $10 bank note with printed signatures of Harry B. Showalter, Cashier and Victor D. Kling, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $667,850 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1908 and 1972. This consisted of a total of 84,833 notes (68,456 large size and 16,377 small size notes).

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

Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments
1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 2905
1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 2605
1902 Plain Back 4x5 2906 - 10610
1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 2606 - 6504
1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 1210
1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 712
1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 202
1929 Type 2 5 1 - 2488
1929 Type 2 10 1 - 815
1929 Type 2 20 1 - 330

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1908 - 1972):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Known Bank Note Signers

  • No other known bank note signers for this bank

Bank Note History Links

Sources

  • Intercourse, PA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercourse,_Pennsylvania
  • Clark, Frank, FNB of Intercourse, PA, Paper Money No. 237, p. 230.
  • 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 News-Journal, Lancaster, PA, Sat., Feb. 15, 1908.
  • Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Sat., Mar. 21, 1908.
  • Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Mon., Mar. 30, 1908.
  • The Inquirer, Lancaster, PA, Sat., Nov. 14, 1908.
  • Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Mon., Sep. 8, 1919.
  • Lancaster New Era, Lancaster, PA, Tue., Jan. 11, 1938.
  • Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, PA, Mon., June 5, 1972.