First National Bank, Yazoo City, MS (Charter 3566)
First National Bank, Yazoo City, MS (Chartered 1886 - Liquidated 1911)
Town History
Yazoo City is the county seat of Yazoo County, Mississippi. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle in 1682 as "Rivière des Yazous" in reference to the Yazoo tribe living near the river. According to the 2010 census, the population was 11,403. The most important industry in 2021 is a group of federal prisons.
The community now known as Yazoo City was founded in 1824 with the name Hannan's Bluff. It was later renamed Manchester, then changed to Yazoo City in 1841. Yazoo City became the county seat in 1849. A yellow fever epidemic struck Yazoo City in 1853.
During the American Civil War, the Confederate ironclad CSS Arkansas was completed at a makeshift shipyard in Yazoo City after the Confederate loss of New Orleans and Memphis. During her short career, the Arkansas challenged the Union navy's control of the Mississippi River and helped avert the early fall of Vicksburg. On May 21, 1863, as a Union fleet steamed up the Yazoo River, the Confederate forces burned down the shipyard to keep their foes from capturing the vessels being built there. The Federal forces then burned down the sawmill and lumberyard before withdrawing. After their capture of Vicksburg in July 1863, another Union raid briefly occupied Yazoo City, but this time the Union ironclad USS Baron DeKalb was sunk by a mine. Federal troops occupied the town in September and again in October 1863. Another occupation resulted in the Battle of Yazoo City on March 5, 1864 between the Union troops and Confederates led by Robert V. Richardson and Lawrence Sullivan Ross. The Union troops held their ground but departed the following day. The Federal forces returned again on May 19, 1864, doing more damage to the town.
Yazoo City was rebuilt, but yellow fever struck and took more victims in 1878. On May 25, 1904, a fire destroyed much of central Yazoo City. The fire quickly spread, and three-fourths of the town was destroyed, including most of the homes. It was stopped by a canal, which saved the new courthouse (built in 1872 to replace the one burned by the Union forces) and 10 antebellum homes nearby.
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 did much damage to the entire Delta, but Yazoo City was restored and is now protected by an effective flood-prevention system.
A strong tornado, rated EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale and with a path width of 1.75 mi, hit Yazoo County on April 24, 2010. Four people were killed in the Yazoo City area, and a number were seriously injured. On November 29, 2010 around 8:05 pm local time, Yazoo City was struck by two EF2 tornadoes: the first one tracked 3 miles southwest of town. The second went right through downtown causing significant damage to several buildings. A high-end EF1 tornado passed through the southeast side of the city on May 2, 2021. Multiple mobile homes were destroyed and trees, power lines, and homes were damaged.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons operates the Federal Correctional Complex, Yazoo City, which consists of FCI Yazoo City Low, FCI Yazoo City Medium, FCI Camp, and FCI USP Yazoo City.
Yazoo City had two National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and both of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized Sep 22, 1886
- Chartered Oct 6, 1886
- Liquidated Mar 10, 1911
The bank was organized in 1886 with L. Lippman as president with paid up capital of $50,000.
The final report on the condition of the First National Bank of Yazoo City was submitted March 11, 1911 by cashier C.G. Dunn and directors Wm. Hamel, F.H. Hamel and H. Wise attested to its correctness. It listed capital stock of $100,000, a surplus fund of $30,000 and deposits of $314,517.43 against loans and discounts of $264,713.58, U.S. bonds to secure circulation $25,000, and lawful money reserve in bank of $42,214.95 ($63,939.95 in specie and $5,275.00 in legal-tender notes). Interestingly, there was $2,897 in notes from other national banks and $686.54 in fractional paper currency, nickels and cents.
The bank had been a success, making money each year for its stockholders and the capital stock having been increased to $100,000. The liquidation was brought about because of the laws prohibiting national banks from making loans upon real estate; this handicap caused stockholders on February 9, 1911 to liquidate the bank's affairs effective March 10, 1911. At the same meeting, the Exchange bank of Yazoo City with a paid up capital of $50,000 was organized with officers and directors consisting of W.C. Craig, president, Wm. Hamel, vice president, D.R. Barnett, manager, C.G. Dunn, cashier, and directors Owen Brown, W.C. Craig, Wm. Hamel, H. Wise, C.H. Clark, I.S. Reed, and F.H. Hamel. The Exchange Bank occupied the building of the old First National on Main Street, but operated as a state bank.
The First National was Yazoo City's second oldest bank, the Bank of Yazoo City being older, incorporated in 1876 by Robert C. Shepherd, Hiram Harrison, I.N. Gilruth, Garnett Andrews, Chas. Roberts, and Ben Price. During its 25 years, four other banks and two savings banks were organized; the Commercial State having retired in the winter of 1909.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The First National Bank of Yazoo City, MS
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $519,420 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1886 and 1911. This consisted of a total of 68,952 notes (68,952 large size and No 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 - 7711 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 3247 1902 Red Seal 4x5 1 - 1650 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 1340 1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 2055 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 1235
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1886 - 1911):
Presidents:
- L. Lippman, 1887-1894
- W. C. Craig, 1895-1899
- Robert Langford Bennett, 1900-1904
- W. C. Craig, 1905-1910
Cashiers:
Other Known Bank Note Signers
- No other known bank note signers for this bank
Bank Note History Links
Sources
- Yazoo City, MS, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yazoo_City,_Mississippi
- 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 Yazoo Herald, Yazoo City, MS, Sep. 8, 1876
- The Yazoo Herald, Yazoo City, MS, Feb. 10, 1911.
- The Yazoo Herald, Yazoo City, MS, Mar. 17, 1911.