First National Bank, Juniata, PA (Charter 8238)
First National Bank, Juniata, PA (Chartered 1906 - Liquidated 1931)
Town History
Juniata is a neighborhood of Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania. In 1849, Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) officials developed plans to construct a repair facility at a town newly established for this purpose, Altoona. Construction of the Altoona Works was started in 1850, and soon a long building was completed in the 12th Street area that housed a machine shop, woodworking shop, blacksmith shop, locomotive repair shop and foundry.
The 12th Street area facilities were replaced later by the Altoona Machine Shops. The first locomotive was built there in 1866. A total of 6,783 steam, diesel and electric locomotives were manufactured in Altoona between 1866 and 1946. In time, additional PRR repair facilities were located in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Renovo and Mifflin, and the Altoona Works expanded in adjacent Juniata.
John Mulhollen was elected burgess of Blair County's newest borough on September 9, 1893.
Juniata Locomotive Shop
- Built 1888-1890; expanded 1924-25
- Juniata shops located along Chestnut Avenue from about 1st to 6th Street.
- Built steam and electric locomotives during 1891-1946
- Included a paint shop, boiler shop, blacksmith shop, boiler house, erecting shop, two-story machine shop, electric and hydraulic house, two-story office and storeroom, paint storehouse and gas house, and hydraulic transfer table and pit.
- Repair work only in the mid-20th century
- Builds and remanufactures locomotives today
Juniata had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized March 6, 1906
- Chartered May 28, 1906
- Opened for business June 28, 1906
- Liquidated May 25, 1931
- Absorbed by 247 (First National Bank, Altoona, PA)
On February 14, 1906, the First National Bank of Juniata was organized with a capital stock of $25,000, all of which was subscribed and for the most part paid in. The organization was effected by the election of the following directors: E.J. Lomnitz, W.A. Roberts, D.E. Parker, D.H. Meek, Frank Haid, W.N. Boyles, and L.F. Hinman. The board afterward organized by the election of the following officers: D.E. Parker, president; E.J. Lomnitz, first vice president; D.H. Meek, second vice president. A committee was appointed to secure the services of a first class cashier and also was empowered to secure a suitable site for a bank building and to purchase vaults, books and other things necessary for the starting of the institution. Messrs. John E. Haines, assistant cashier of the Federal National Bank of Pittsburgh and J.A. Roberts of the same bank were assisting in the organization of the new bank. The Federal National Bank of Pittsburgh was made the legal reserve agent.
On Saturday, April 21, 1906, John K. Hamilton and C.C. Memminger were elected directors. The bank was to get possession of the room next week and expected to open for business about the 15th of May.
On June 28, 1906, the First National Bank of Juniata opened its doors for business at 9 o'clock in the morning. For about two months a force of men worked in the bank building preparing for the launching of the new enterprise. A fire-proof vault was erected. The banking room and private office were well-equipped and nicely furnished. The capital and surplus was $25,000. Mr. David G. Meek of Tyrone was the cashier. The bank would stay open late in order to accommodate the employees of the various shops the weeks when they were paid.
On Tuesday afternoon, January 14, 1913, the stockholders elected the following directors: D.E. Parker, D.H. Meek, E.F. Maeder, L.C. Miller, and D.G. Meek. The directors later organized by electing the following officers: D.E. Parker, president; D.H. Meek, vice president; and D.G. Meek, cashier.
On Tuesday, January 11, 1916, the directors elected were D.E. Parker, D.G. Meek, D.H. Meek, L.C. Miller, and J. Banks Kurtz, the latter gentleman being from Altoona. The officers re-elected were D.E. Parker, president; D.H. Meek, vice president; and D.G. Meek, cashier. The resources were more than $200,000 and the surplus was increased recently by $8,000. The depositors and patrons numbered about 2,000.
Juniata's new bank opened on Saturday, March 16, 1929, when the public was invited to tour the modern banking home. The building was designed by Russell G. Howard, architect of DuBois, Pennsylvania and D.G. Puderbaugh, Altoona architect, supervised the construction. It was constructed by W.A. Hoyt, general contractor with Indiana lime stone used in the exterior and furnished by McGinley Cut Stone Co. The officers were V.A. Oswald, president; Joseph W. Parks and W.S. Simpson, vice presidents; J.L. Gruver, cashier; Dr. J.L. Brubaker, Thomas G. Peoples, and N.E. Roher, directors. Mr. Oswald, the president, had extensive banking experience, also serving as president of the Second National Bank and the Mountain City Trust Company, both of Altoona. The employees were Miss Esther Burley, assistant cashier; Harry H. Cupp, teller, Misses Lena Dubler and Marion Ronk, bookkeepers; and Eugene Smeal, clerk.
On Wednesday, January 14, 1931, stockholders of the First National Bank of Juniata elected the following directors: V.A. Oswald, J.W. Parks, W.S. Simpson, J.L. Brubaker, N.E. Rohrer, Thomas G. Peoples and J.L. Gruver. the officers were V.A. Oswald, president; J.W. Parks and W.S. Simpson, vice presidents; J.L. Gruver, cashier; and Miss Esther Burley, assistant cashier. In March 1931, V.A. Oswald fell ill at Atlantic City and tendered his resignation as president of the Second National Bank of Altoona and of the First National of Juniata. Action to fill the vacancy was differed with J.W. Parks, vice president, continuing as head of the First National. On March 27, 1931, at a meeting of the directors, Joseph W. Parks was elected president of the First National Bank of Juniata. Mr. Parks was a director with the bank for ten years and vice president for the past four years. Mr. Parks was head of the poultry business founded by his father, the late Joseph R. Parks, at Juniata Gap. As head of this vast enterprise, he guided its affairs to outstanding success and had himself come to be regarded as one of the world's leading poultrymen. W.S. Simpson who had been second vice president was elected to the first vice presidency. Mr. Simpson was a retired Juniata merchant. Other directors of the bank were J.L. Gruver, cashier and in banking for 32 years; Dr. J.L. Brubaker, veteran medical practitioner; N.E. Roher, undertaker; and Thomas G. Peoples, register and recorder of Blair County.
On April 20, 1931, the First National Bank of Juniata opened for business as a branch of the First National Bank of Altoona. The First National Bank of Altoona and First National Bank of Juniata consolidated with combined resources in excess of $7 million. The comptroller of the currency already approved the operation by the First National Bank of Altoona of the banking house at Fifth Avenue and Seventh Street in Juniata as a branch. A second branch operated by the First National of Altoona was located at Eighth Avenue and Twenty-fourth Street. Officers of the First National Bank of Altoona were John Lloyd, president; John M. Skyles, vice president; Robert C. Wilson, cashier; F.C. Wray and D.E. France, assistant cashier; and N.F. Lane, assistant cashier and trust officer.
On Friday, November 6, 1931, Esther Burley, 47, assistant cashier of the former First National Bank of Juniata, pleaded guilty in Federal Court to embezzling $1,500 of the bank's funds to help support three sisters. She was employed by the bank for 22 years. Judge Gibson placed her on probation for two years.[1]
David H. Meek, a well-known Juniata Citizen died on Tuesday February 23, 1932. Mr. Meek was a native of Centre County, born at Pine Grove Mills, July 7, 1852. He went to Altoona in 1885, retiring from the Pennsylvania Railroad where he was first employed. He entered the real estate and grocery business and was located in the section of Juniata then known as Blair Furnace. He purchased the Crawford farm whose center became Eleventh Street and Fourth Avenue, Juniata. The Farm was surveyed and mapped out in building lots for a residential section known as East Juniata, since annexed to Altoona. In addition to his real estate business, Mr. Meek was one of the founders of the First National Bank of Juniata and served the organization as vice president and director for a number of years. Mr. Meek laid the corner stone for the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Juniata having donated the plot of land to the church.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The First National Bank of Juniata, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $482,450 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1906 and 1931. This consisted of a total of 61,144 notes (55,888 large size and 5,256 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments 1902 Red Seal 4x5 1 - 675 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 545 1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 2400 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 1660 1902 Plain Back 4x5 2401 - 7919 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1661 - 4833 1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 527 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 267 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 82
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1906 - 1931):
Presidents:
- David Etnier Parker, 1906-1922
- Venantius Aloysisus Oswald Sr., 1923-1931
- Joseph Walker Parks, 1931-1931
Cashiers:
Other Bank Note Signers
- There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.
Wiki Links
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History
- General information on Juniata (Wikipedia)
- General information on Blair County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Juniata, PA and the Altoona Works, 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
- Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Wed., Sep. 13, 1893.
- Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Thu., Feb. 15, 1906.
- Altoona Times, Altoona, PA, Tue., Apr. 24, 1906.
- Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Wed., June 27, 1906.
- Altoona Mirror, Altoona, PA, Tue., July 10, 1906.
- Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Wed., Jan. 15, 1913.
- Altoona Times, Altoona, PA, Wed., Jan. 12, 1916.
- Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Sat., Jan. 15, 1916.
- Altoona Mirror, Altoona, PA, Fri., Mar. 15, 1929.
- Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Thu., Jan. 15, 1931.
- Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Mon., Mar. 23, 1931.
- Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Sat., Mar. 28, 1931.
- Altoona Tribune, Altoona, PA, Mon. Apr. 20, 1931.
- Tyrone Daily Herald, Tyrone, PA, Wed., Feb. 24, 1932.
- ↑ The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, Fri., Nov. 6, 1931.