First National Bank, Laurens, IA (Charter 4795)

Real photo postcard of the First National Bank building in 1910.

First National Bank, Laurens, IA (Chartered 1892 - Liquidated 1930)

Town History

Photo of the First National Bank building in 2016. Courtesy of Flickr user Tom McLaughlin

Laurens is located in Pocahontas County in north central Iowa. Laurens was platted in 1881. Laurens was named in honor of Henry and John Laurens, father and son, two French Huguenots who became residents of Charleston, South Carolina, and who were patriotic and loyal to the Colonial cause during the Revolution.

During the National Bank Note Era, the population of Laurens was 318 in 1890, jumping to 1,071 in 1930. It's highest population was 1,799 in 1960, and the current population is estimated at 1,140 (2018).

Laurens had 1 National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.

For more information on the town of Laurens, see their Wikipedia page.

Bank Note History Wiki links:

Iowa Bank Note History

Bank History

Organized Aug 2, 1892
Chartered Sep 8, 1892
Succeeded Bank of Laurens
Liquidated Jun 6, 1930
Absorbed by State Bank of Laurens

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The First National Bank of Laurens, IA

Bank Note Types Issued

Serial #1 1902 Date Back $10 bank note with pen signatures of William A. McNee, Cashier and Frank Howard Helsell, President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Currency Auctions, http://www.lynknight.com

1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with pen signatures of Arthur David Claussen, Cashier and William A. McNee, Vice President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Currency Auctions, http://www.lynknight.com

1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with printed signatures of Arthur David Claussen, Cashier and Martin W. Shaner, President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Currency Auctions, http://www.lynknight.com

A total of $185,100 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1892 and 1930. This consisted of a total of 14,916 notes (14,160 large size and 756 small size notes).

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

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s
1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 1310
1882 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 335
1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 750
1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	751 - 1895
1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 117
1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 9

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

First National Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1892 - 1930):

Presidents:

Frank Howard Helsell, 1892-1925
Martin W. Shaner, 1926-1929

Cashiers:

William A. McNee, 1892-1918
Arthur David Claussen, 1919-1929

Other Bank Note Signers

William A. McNee, Vice President 1920-1929

References

Laurens, IA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurens,_Iowa
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://bbdata.banknotehistory.com