First National Bank, Tekamah, NE (Charter 4324)
First National Bank, Tekamah, NE (Chartered 1890 - Liquidated 1986)
Town History
Tekamah (pronounced "teh-KAY-muh") is a city in Burt County, Nebraska. It is the county seat of Burt County. The population was 1,714 at the 2020 census. In 1890 the population was 1,244, growing to 1,804 by 1930.
Tekamah was founded in October 1854 by Benjamin R. Folsom and incorporated on March 14, 1855. The name is derived from the Omaha language, meaning "big cottonwood". Its development was stimulated by the construction of railroads through the area, such as the Chicago & North Western.
Tekamah had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized May 23, 1890
- Chartered May 28, 1890
- Succeeded Burt County Bank (J. P. Latta)
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Failed. Received Government Assistance and was insured until Closed, March 6, 1986
In February 1880, J.P. Lata was with M.R. Hopewell and H.M. Hopewell in the Exchange and Banking House of Hopewell, Latta & Co., Tekamah.[2] Around March 1880, J.P. Latta decided to start a bank on his own. Material for a new frame building was acquired to be erected on the corner occupied by C.W. Conkling.[3] Mr. Latta planned to open his bank around May 1st. C.W. Conkling would occupy the Wood saloon building for his real estate office.[4] The partnership between Mr. R. Hopewell, J.P. Latta, and H.M. Hopewell doing business as private bankers under the firm name of Hopewell, Latta & Co. was dissolved on March 13th. W. Harrington would take the place of J.P. Latta and the new firm known as Hopewell, Harrington and Co. would continue the business at the old stand in the Brick Block, Tekamah.[5]
In August 1881, Mr. J.P. Latta planned to use Milwaukee pressed brick for the outer courses of his new bank and store.[6]
In January 1884, J.P. Latta, proprietor of the Burt County Bank, took as a partner Mr. R.A. Templeton. Mr. Templeton was one of the heaviest cattle dealers in Nebraska.[7]
On January 1, 1885, the co-partnership between J.P. Latta and R.A. Templeton doing a private banking business in Tekamah under the firm name of J.P. Latta & Co. was dissolved by mutual consent. R.A. Templeton retired and J.P. Latta continued the business.[8]
In March 1890, preliminary papers had been filed for the First National Bank of Tekamah, Nebraska, by G.W. Green, J.P. Latta, William Nesbit, Ed Latta, G.B. Hancock, W.W. Latta, and J. Spilman.[9] On May 22, 1890, stockholders met at the Burt County Bank and elected the following directors: J.P. Latta, W.W. Latta, R.A. Templeton, W.M. Nesbit, G.B. Hancock, Jesse Speilman, Ed. Shafer, G.W. Green. Besides the directors, J.B. Whittier of Olathe, Kansas and J.H. Willard of Omaha were stockholders. The new bank would begin business around July 1st with a capital of $50,000 and would issue currency in the bank's name to the amount of $12,500. The officers elected were J.P. Latta, president; Geo W. Green, cashier; and Ed. Latta, assistant cashier.[10]
On Sunday, November 11, 1923, George W. Green, former well-known Tekamah merchant for many years, passed away at his home in Boise, Idaho. Geo. W. Green was a longtime resident of this part of Nebraska, moving to Boise in 1901. He came to Blair in 1869, where he was deputy postmaster until moving to Tekamah in 1872 to engage in the drug business with his uncle J.J. Adams. Mr. Green was an expert clerically and was in the employ of the First National Bank in Tekamah for a number of years. After moving to Boise, Idaho with his family 22 years ago, he again became connected with the banking business and continued until recent illness caused him to retire in his 75th year. Mr. Green was a native of Wisconsin. The Green's began housekeeping in Tekamah where they built their first home in the winter of 1875.[11]
Official Bank Title
1: The First National Bank of Tekamah, NE
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $1,477,410 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1890 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 130,035 notes (109,550 large size and 20,485 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments 1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 7775 1882 Brown Back 50-100 1 - 1000 1882 Date Back 4x5 1 - 1205 1882 Date Back 50-100 1 - 37 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 5200 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 5201 - 17889 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 2198 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 592 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 3001 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 744
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1890 - 1935):
Presidents:
- James P. Latta, 1890-1911
- Edward Latta, 1912-1918
- Emmett I. Ellis, 1919-1928
- Robert Irving Stout, 1929-1935
Cashiers:
- George W. Green, 1890-1892
- Edward Latta, 1893-1911
- Emmett I. Ellis, 1912-1917
- Herman J. Wragge, 1918-1935
Other Known Bank Note Signers
Bank Note History Links
Sources
- Tekamah, NE, 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
- ↑ Tekamah Journal, Tekamah, NE, Thu., Apr. 22, 1880.
- ↑ Tekamah Journal, Tekamah, NE, Thu. Feb. 5, 1880.
- ↑ Nebraska Advocate, Tekamah, NE, Thu., Mar. 11, 1880.
- ↑ Tekamah Journal, Tekamah, NE, Thu., Mar. 11, 1880.
- ↑ Tekamah Journal, Tekamah, NE, Thu., Mar. 18, 1880.
- ↑ Tekama Journal, Tekamah, NE, Thu., Aug. 11, 1881.
- ↑ Omaha Daily Bee, Omaha, NE, Mon., Jan. 28, 1884.
- ↑ Burt County Herald, Tekamah, NE, Fri., Mar. 20, 1885.
- ↑ Omaha Daily Bee, Omaha, NE, Wed., Mar. 19, 1890.
- ↑ Burt County Herald, Tekamah, NE, Fri., May 23, 1890.
- ↑ Burt County Herald, Tekamah, NE, Thu., Nov. 15, 1923.