Last 4 Pages Viewed: First National Bank of the City of Battle Creek, MI (Charter... » First National Bank/Alliance First NB, Alliance, OH (Charter...

First National Bank/Alliance First NB, Alliance, OH (Charter 3721)

From Bank Note History
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Postcard of the Alliance First National Bank
Postcard of the Alliance First National Bank, ca1930s. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

First National Bank/Alliance First NB, Alliance, OH (Chartered 1887 - Closed (Merger) 1988)

Town History

First National Bank of Alliance
The old First National Bank of Alliance, Ohio, located on the corner of Main Street and Freedom Avenue. Inset at top left of plaque on Freedom Avenue side with First National City Bank of Alliance, Main Office. Courtesy of Google Maps, ca2023

Alliance is a city in eastern Stark County, Ohio. It was established in 1854 by the merger of three smaller communities and was a manufacturing and railroad hub for much of the 20th century. It is associated with the state flower of Ohio, the scarlet carnation, and is known as the "Carnation City". The University of Mount Union, a private liberal arts college established in 1846, is located in Alliance. Partially extending into Mahoning County, the city is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area. The population was 21,672 as of the 2020 census. In 1890 the population was 7,607, growing to 23,047 by 1930.

Alliance was founded in 1854 by the merger of three smaller communities called Williamsport, formed in 1827, Freedom, formed in 1838, and Liberty, formed in 1850 to act as a station and support hub for the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad. A fourth community, Mount Union, was added in 1888. Alliance was incorporated as a city in 1889.

There are two popular theories regarding the origin of the city's name. One holds that it was chosen because of the "alliance" of three small settlements into a larger entity. The other theory says the name reflects the fact that two major railroad lines, the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad and the Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroad, intersected at Alliance, once known as "The Crossing".

In 1923, Alliance Rubber Company was founded in Alliance. It was a manufacturer of rubber bands cut from discarded rubber inner tubes into small strips.

Alliance had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, First National Bank of Alliance, OH (Charter 2041), The First National Bank (Charter 3721) and the National Bank of Alliance (Charter 12034 (no issue)), and two of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

City Savings Bank and Trust Company of Alliance
The old City Savings Bank and Trust Company of Alliance, Ohio, located on Main Street near Freedom Avenue. Inset at top left of the eagle above the bank's entrance. Courtesy of Google Maps, ca2025
  • Organized June 1, 1887
  • Chartered June 11, 1887
  • 1: Assumed 12034 by consolidation January 30, 1922, with title change (Alliance NB (No Issue), Alliance, OH)
  • Bank was Open past 1935
  • For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
  • Merged into Bank One, Akron, N.A. in Akron, OH, March 1, 1988

In March 1905, officials of the First National Bank of Alliance accepted the plans of a Cleveland architect and would erect a fine three-story stone and brick building at the corner of the square.[1]

In July 1905 the Alliance National Bank of Alliance, OH, with capital of $100,000, had its application to organize approved by the Comptroller of the Currency.[2] [NOTE: this bank never organized]. J.J. Phillips, R.L. Haugh, R.S. Thomas, R.A. Groch, and H.D. Marble, all of Cleveland, and 18 local stockholders took the preliminary steps to organize the Alliance National Bank.[3] Marble was a vice president of Cleveland's Euclid Avenue Trust Co., J.J. Phillips was a director, and R.S. Thomas was secretary and treasurer.[4] A local committee was authorized to secure a building and fixtures. This would have given Alliance four banks.[5]

In May 1921, two of Alliance's strongest financial institutions, the First National Bank and the Alliance Bank Co., took initial steps toward merging. The combined assets of the two banks would be about $7,250,000, making one of the strongest banks in Stark County. The Alliance Bank Co. building would be occupied by the merged institution, undergoing considerable remodeling. Directors of the two banks would constitute the board of the merged bank. The First National Bank was organized in 1887 and the Alliance Bank in 1872.[6] In August 1921 the Comptroller of the Currency Crissinger authorized the conversion of the Alliance Bank Company to the Alliance National Bank. The capital was $150,000.[7]

On Tuesday, February 14, 1922, the Alliance First National Bank completed the organization at a stockholders' meeting by electing a board of 14 directors. The directors elected the following officers: A.L. Atkinson, president; M.S. Milbourn, first vice president; W.E. Davis, second vice president; George B. Hall, cashier; C.E. Graf and Ralph Henn, assistant cashiers. The new bank was a merger of the First National Bank and the Alliance Bank and had a capital of $300,000, a surplus of $300,000, and resources of over $6 million.[8] 

On October 22, 1931, five banks located in Canton, Massillon, Alliance, Brewster and Monroeville with total resources of more than $32 million were turned over to the State Department of Banking for liquidation. Frozen assets was given as the cause in each case. The banks closed were the George D. Harte Bank Company, Canton's largest financial institution; the City Savings Bank and Trust Company, Alliance; The Ohio Merchants' Trust Company, Massillon; Brewster Banking Co. of Brewster; and the Farmers and Citizens' Bank of Monroeville.[9] The City Savings Bank & Trust Co. was able to reorganize and resume business on August 17, 1932.[10] The trust company reopened Monday, August 22d, releasing $200,000 to depositors.[11]

On Friday, February 9, 1940, Manfull S. Milbourne, retired director of the First National Bank died at his home, 123 S. Union Avenue. Mr. Milbourne became cashier of the Alliance Banking Co. in 1894. He was made a director of the bank in 1896 and became vice president in 1910. Since reorganization of the bank as the Alliance First National Bank, he had been a director and chairman of the board, retiring recently as chairman because of ill health. He was associated with various Masonic bodies, including Salem Commandery No. 42, Knights Templar. He was an honorary trustee of Hiram college.[12]

W.H. Purcell, 88, president of the Alliance Machine Co., and board chairman of the Alliance First National Bank, died Sunday, May 28, 1944.[13]

In 1951, Hartville got its first bank since depression days. The Alliance First National Bank opened an office there showing its faith in Hartville as a business center.[14] In October 1951, James G. Eardley of Sebring, president of the Eardley Lumber Co., Inc. of Newark and Utica, was elected a director of the Alliance First National Bank. Eardley was general manager of the Spaulding China Co. of Sebring and a brother of Russell Eardley, secretary-treasurer of the Eardley Lumber Co.[15]

In September 1958, the board of directors of the new First National City Bank of Alliance elected W.L. Sebrell to the office of president. He previously was president of the Alliance First National Bank. Mack Hopkins, former president of the City Savings Bank and Trust Company was named vice president in charge of the city office, and B.Y McCready was elected chairman of the board. The consolidation of the Alliance First National Bank and the City Savings Bank and Trust Company became effective October 1st with the final approval of the Comptroller of the Currency. Stockholders of both banks had already approved the merger. The consolidation represented the largest financial transaction in the history of Alliance, combining two widely recognized banks. First National, the city's oldest and largest banking institution was founded in 1872 and City Savings in 1892, making a total of over 150 years of combined service. With the consolidation, the First National City Bank had capital stock of $1,000,000, surplus of $1,150,000 and undivided profits in excess of $1,100,000. Its total resources were over $39 million, making it the second largest national bank in Stark County and the 20th largest in Ohio.[16] The Alliance First National Bank would become the main office for the First National City Bank and the City Savings Bank & Trust Co. would become the city office, continuing as a complete banking facility.[17]

  • 09/09/1971 Main Office moved to 504 East Main Street, Alliance, OH 44601.
  • 05/22/1979 Acquired First National Bank of Sebring (FDIC #16669), located at 305 N. 15th Street, Sebring, OH.
  • 11/01/1983 Changed Institution Name to Bank One, Alliance, National Association.
  • 03/01/1988 Merged and became part of Bank One, Akron, National Association (FDIC #2293) in Akron, OH.
  • 05/17/1997 Merged and became part of Bank One, National Association (FDIC #6559) in Columbus, OH.
  • 11/13/2004 Merged and became part of JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (FDIC #628) in Columbus, OH.

Official Bank Titles

1: The First National Bank of Alliance, OH

2: Alliance First National Bank, Alliance, OH (1/30/1922)

Bank Note Types Issued

1882 Brown Back $5 bank note
1882 Brown Back $5 bank note with pen signatures of W.M. Reed, Cashier and J.A. Zang, Vice President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1902 Plain Back $10 bank note
1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with stamped signatures of G.E. Graf, Cashier and A.L. Atkinson, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 1 $10 bank note
1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with printed signatures of George B. Hall, Cashier and A.L. Atkinson, President. This is a Replacement note. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 2 $10 bank note
1929 Type 2 $10 bank note with printed signatures of F.J. Chambers, Cashier and A.L. Atkinson, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $2,858,950 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1887 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 294,848 notes (175,830 large size and 119,018 small size notes).

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

Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments
1: 1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 6225
1: 1882 Brown Back 50-100 1 - 269
1: 1902 Red Seal 4x10 1 - 312
1: 1902 Date Back 4x10 1 - 7200
1: 1902 Plain Back 4x10 7201 - 17000
2: 1902 Plain Back 4x10 1 - 20286
2: 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 17048
2: 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 16730

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1887 - 1935):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Known Bank Note Signers

  • No other known bank note signers for this bank

Bank Note History Links

Sources

  • Alliance, OH, 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
  1. ↑ The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, Sun., March 26, 1905.
  2. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Tue., July 25, 1905.
  3. ↑ The Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Thu., Aug. 10, 1905.
  4. ↑ The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, Thu., Jan. 5, 1905.
  5. ↑ The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, Thu., Aug. 10, 1905.
  6. ↑ The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, Thu., May 12, 1921.
  7. ↑ Springfield News-Sun, Springfield, OH, Fri., Aug. 5, 1921.
  8. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Wed., Feb. 15, 1922.
  9. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Fri., Oct. 23, 1931.
  10. ↑ The Piqua Daily Call, Piqua, OH, Wed., Aug. 17, 1932.
  11. ↑ Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, Lancaster, OH, Wed., Aug. 24, 1932.
  12. ↑ The Salem News, Salem, OH, Mon., Feb. 12, 1940.
  13. ↑ The Logan Daily News, Logan, OH, Tue., May 30, 1944.
  14. ↑ The Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Sun., Feb. 6, 1955.
  15. ↑ The Newark Advocate, Newark, OH, Tue., Oct. 16, 1951.
  16. ↑ The Evening Independent, Massillon, OH, Mon., Sep. 22, 1958.
  17. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, Fri., Aug. 22, 1958.
Retrieved from "https://banknotehistory.mywikis.wiki/w/index.php?title=First_National_Bank/Alliance_First_NB,_Alliance,_OH_(Charter_3721)&oldid=64242"