First National Bank, Trevorton, PA (Charter 7722)
First National Bank, Trevorton, PA (Chartered 1905 - Open past 1935)
Town History
Trevorton is a census-designated place (CDP) in Zerbe Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The population was 1,834 at the 2010 census.
Trevorton is located in a narrow valley on a tributary of the Mahanoy Creek, just outside of the coal basin in the northern part of Zerbe Township. It was connected with Shamokin 8 miles to the east and the Susquehanna River 12 miles to the west by a branch of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. It was named after John B. Trevor who was one of the developers of the Shamokin and Mahanoy Improvement Company that bought the bonds, developed the mines, and constructed a railroad to the Susquehanna River.
On May 28, 1850, there was a sale of town lots which attracted people from all parts of Northumberland and adjoining counties. Some speeches were made and Judge Jordan broke the first ground and in the hole a bottle of Susquehanna water, a lump of coal from Zerbe Gap, and a lump of iron ore from the adjacent mountain were deposited. Lots were sold and ranged from $25 to $100. Laborers were able to buy without money and pay a portion of their wages each month. By October there were nearly 100 houses. The company opened a large store and managed to haul a few boat-loads of coal to the river and had it shipped to New York by canal.
Work was suspended in December 1851 for nearly two years. In the fall of 1853, a New York company acquired the concern and they erected a sawmill, built a large breaker, and completed the railroad to the river including a 3600 ft. long bridge to Port Trevorton. Wharves were constructed in Port Trevorton where coal was loaded in canal boats. The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company purchased the railroad and acquired an interest in the Trevorton coal lands. They operated two collieries at Trevorton and in its most prosperous days the population exceeded 2,600.
Trevorton had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized April 11, 1905
- Chartered May 4, 1905
- Opened for business June 15, 1905
- Bank was Open past 1935
- Bank History Research Resources Pennsylvania Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)
- Merged with The National Dime-Bank (Charter 6942) on June 2, 1958
On January 20, 1922, the First National Bank of Trevorton was burglarized and, according to the officials of the institution, $1,080 In silver was taken. Cashier Albert C. Fisher, upon reporting for work in the morning, found that the wires leading to the burglar alarm had been cut away and the iron bars on one of the windows sawed off. Entrance was effected through the window. Entering the banking, room the burglars burned away the combination lock on a safe, presumably with acetylene, and got away with bags of silver and a number of Liberty Bonds. No attempt was made to make an opening into the burglar-proof vault. The night looters left through the front door. State police were notified, but the case was almost wholly without a clue. The burglars had cut telephone wires leading to town to prevent summoning of outside help in the event they were discovered. W.L. Helfenstein of Shamokin and president of the bank said the loss was fully covered by insurance.
On January 13, 1925, the stockholders re-elected the old board of directors as follows: B.F. Deppen, Tobias Dunkelberger, A.C. Fisher, W.L. Helfenstein, Isaac M. Jones, E.J. Otto, D.F. Reichert, and H. Nelson Wilkinson. Later, the directors-elect met for organization and after taking the administrative oath named the following officers: W.L. Helfenstein, president; D.F. Reichert, vice president; A.C. Fisher, cashier; I.M. Jones, assistant cashier and secretary; and Miss Margaret Heenan, clerk. On June 16, 1925, Thomas C. Leddy, teller of the First National Bank of Tamaqua began his new duties as cashier of the First National Bank of Trevorton succeeding A.C. Fisher who retired. In March 1926, Mr. Leddy resigned to accept a similar position at higher salary at Coaldale. Miss Margaret Heenon succeeded Mr. Leddy as cashier. She had been working at the bank for several years as was the first woman cashier in the history of Trevorton. In May 1926, J.O. Michaels, assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Elysburg was made cashier.
In January 1926, at the annual meeting of the stockholders, the following directors were elected: W.L. Helfenstein, David F. Reichert, B.F. Deppen, Isaac M. Jones, Tobias Dunkelberger, A.C. Fisher, Nelson Wilkinson, Edward J. Otto, and T.C. Leddy. The directors organized and chose W.L. Helfenstein, president; D.F. Reichert, vice president; T.C. Leddy, cashier; Miss Margaret Heenan, assistant cashier, and Edward O'Rourke, teller.
In 1927, the directors were re-elected as reported in 1925. Officers were W.L. Helfenstein, president, D.F. Reichert, vice president; O.J. Michael, cashier and secretary; Miss Heenan, assistant cashier; and Edward O'Rourke, teller. In November Mrs. Ralph Persing of Trevorton was again Northumberland County's only woman bank cashier. She was officiating in place of Mr. Michael who entered a city hospital for an operation. Mrs. Persing was cashier of the Trevorton bank prior to her marriage.
On January 12, 1932, 206 of the 250 stockholders were present and they elected the following directors: D.F. Reichert, Tobias Dunkelberger, Isaac M. Jones, Edward Otto, H.N. Wilkinson, F.W. Reichert, and Earl O. Haas. The latter was the only new director elected. The officers elected were D.F. Reichert, president; Edward J. Otto, vice president; H.N. Wilkinson, second vice president; Edward J. O'Rourke, cashier; Mae Rothermel, assistant cashier; and James Buchanan, teller.
Officers elected in January, 1933, were" D.F. Reichert, president; Earl Haas, first vice president; H.N. Wilinson, second vice president; Edward J. O'Rourke, cashier; H. Mae Rothermel, assistant cashier; and James Buchanan, teller. W.E. Reider was chosen as a director to succeed Tobias Dunkelberger and Grover Lytle, of Augustaville, was elected to replace Edward J. Otto who resigned as director.
On May 15, 1958, purchase of the First National Bank of Trevorton was announced. Following stockholder approval it became the Trevorton Branch of the National-Dime Bank on June 2. Edward J. O'Rourke became the manager of the Trevorton branch. The combined resources of the two banks was about $12 million. The National-Dime Bank was founded in 1903 as the National Bank of Shamokin.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The First National Bank of Trevorton, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $518,170 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1905 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 41,634 notes (34,076 large size and 7,558 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 3x10-20 1 - 1300 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 2470 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 2471 - 7219 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 425 426-472 canceled due to obsolete signatures 1929 Type 1 6x10 473 - 872 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 246 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 944 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 188
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1905 - 1936):
Presidents:
- Dr. John Seltzer Mengel, 1905-1905
- William Leonard Helfenstein, 1906-1930
- David F. Reichert, 1931-1934
- Luke E. Johnson, 1935-1935
Cashiers:
- Abraham B. Seal, 1905-1908
- Albert C. Fisher, 1909-1924
- Thomas C. Leddy, 1925-1925
- Oliver Jay Michael, 1926-1929
- Edward J. O'Rourke, 1930-1935
Other Bank Note Signers
- D.F. Reichert signed notes as Vice President
- E.J. O'Rourke signed notes as acting Cashier
Wiki Links
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History
- General information on Trevorton (Wikipedia)
- General information on Northumberland County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Trevorton, PA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevorton,_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
- Republican and Herald, Pottsville, PA, Fri., Apr. 21, 1922.
- Miltonian, Milton, PA, Thu., Apr. 27, 1922
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Wed., Jan. 14, 1925.
- The Plain Speaker, Hazleton, PA, Tue., June 16, 1925.
- Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Thu., Jan. 14, 1926.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Wed., Mar. 31, 1926.
- Reading Times, Reading, PA, Thu., Apr. 8, 1926.
- The Daily News, Mount Carmel, PA, Wed., May 19, 1926.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Wed., Jan. 12, 1927.
- Miltonian, Milton, PA, Thu., Nov. 3, 1927.
- Shamokin Daily News, Shamokin, PA, Wed., Jan. 13, 1932.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Thu., Jan. 12, 1933.
- The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Fri., May 16, 1958.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Tue., June 10, 1958.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Thu., Nov. 16, 1961.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Sat., Aug. 11, 1962.