First National Bank of Brownsville, TX (Charter 4577)
First National Bank of Brownsville, TX (Chartered 1891 - Liquidated 1925)
Town History
Brownsville is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Cameron County, located on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The city covers 145.2 sq mi, and had a population of 186,738 at the 2020 census. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, it is the 139th-largest city in the United States and 18th-largest in Texas. It is part of the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan area. The city is known for its year-round subtropical climate, deep-water seaport, and Hispanic culture.
The city was founded in 1848 by American entrepreneur Charles Stillman after he developed a successful river-boat company nearby. It was named for Fort Brown, itself named after Major Jacob Brown, who fought and died while serving as a U.S. Army soldier during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). As a county seat, the city and county governments are major employers. Other primary employers fall within the service, trade, and manufacturing industries, including a growing aerospace and space transportation sector. It operates international trading through the Port of Brownsville. The city experienced a population increase in the early 1900s, when steel production flourished.
Due to significant historical events, the city has multiple houses and battle sites listed under the National Register of Historic Places. The city played a primary role in the Mexican–American War with the Siege of Fort Texas and the first engagements of the war: The Battle of Palo Alto and The Battle of Resaca de la Palma. Several key events of the American Civil War took place in the city, such as the Battle of Brownsville and the Battle of Palmito Ranch. The city was also involved in the Texas Revolution.
Brownsville had four National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all four of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized Apr 25, 1891
- Chartered Jun 2, 1891
- Liquidated Oct 20, 1925
- Succeeded by 12792 (First National Bank in, Brownsville, TX)
- Circulation assumed by 12792 (First National Bank in, Brownsville, TX)
On May 2, 1891, the subscribers to the stock of the First National Bank of Brownsville met at the office of William Kelly and perfected the organization. The following directors were elected: G.M. Raphael, William Kelly, Robert Datzell, M.B. Kingsbury, Emile Kleiber, and J.D. Anderson. At a meeting of the directors, the following officers were elected: G.M. Raphael, president; William Kelly, vice president; and J.D. Anderson, cashier.[1]
On January 9, 1900, stockholders elected the following directors: Wm. Kelly, M.B. Kingsbury, R. Dalzell, J.S. Cross, S.L. Dworman, and A. Ashheim. The directors elected the following officers, Wm. Kelly, president; M.B. Kingsbury, vice president; and A. Ashheim, cashier.[2] On July 27, 1900, M.B. Kingsbury, the new commercial agent of the Southern Pacific at Cuero, departed for his headquarters.[3]
In October 1900, the directors were William Kelly, Robert Dalzell, S.L. Dworman, C.H. Maris, and A. Ashheim, the officers were Wm. Kelly, president; S.L. Dworman, vice president; and A. Ashheim, cashier.[4]
In April 1904, the directors were A. Ashheim, M. Alonzo, James A. Browne, M.H. Cross, John Closner, S.L. Dworman, Robert Dalzell, E.C. Forto, William Kelly, C.H. Maris, W.M. Ratcliffe, W.F. Sprague, and James B. Wells. The officers were Willilam Kelly, president; S.L. Dworman and W.M. Ratcliffe, vice presidents; and A. Ashheim, cashier. The bank was on Elizabeth Street and had capital, surplus and undivided profits of $120,000.[5]
On July 1, 1925, reorganization of the First National Bank was going forward with the aid of banking officials. R.B. Creager was president of the institution with Grover C. Wagner, active vice president having been elected to that post recently replacing J.B. Lindsey. Mr. Creager issued the following statement: "Plans for the reorganization of the First National Bank of Brownsville have been consummated and go into effect at once. The bank will have a capital of $200,000 and a surplus of $50,000, fully paid." The same officers and the same members of the board of directors were expected to hold over with some new directors likely added to the board. The bank was organized in 1891 by J.D. Anderson and for many years was the only chartered banking institution in Texas south of Corpus Christi and east of Laredo. The capital stock until the reorganization was $100,000.[6]
On July 16, 1925, acting comptroller of the currency, Charles W. Collins, authorized the First National Bank in Brownsville, charter 12792, to commence business.[7]
On Tuesday, January 12, 1926, there were no changes made in the boards of directors in Brownsville, the First National Bank adding several names to the list of directors and confirming the appointment of W.B. Sellers as vice president. The First National following its election had eleven directors. They were R.B. Creager, chairman of the board, John T. Lomax of San Benito, A. Wayne Wood, W.B. Sellers, C.P. Barreda, Wm. S. West, G.C. Wagner, F.W. Seaburh, Bert Cromack, Al Parker of La Feria, and R.C. Morris. The officers elected were R.B. Creager, president; John T. Lomax, C.P. Barreda, and A. Wayne Wood, vice presidents; W.B. Sellers, active vice president; G.C. Wagner, vice president and cashier; and Ephrem Champion, assistant cashier.[8]
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The First National Bank of Brownsville, TX
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $1,148,920 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1891 and 1925. This consisted of a total of 107,240 notes (107,240 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 - 4275 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 3300 1882 Date Back 4x5 1 - 2111 1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 1729 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 6300 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 6301 - 15395
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1891 - 1925):
Presidents:
- Gabriel M. Raphael, 1891-1897
- CPT William Kelly Sr., 1898-1907
- James A. Browne, (Sr.), 1908-1910
- Samuel Leon Dworman, 1911-1914
- James Andrew Browne, (Jr.), 1916-1917
- Rentfro Banton Creager, 1918-1925
Cashiers:
- James D. Anderson, 1891-1896
- D. A. Duncan, 1897-1899
- Adolph Ashheim, 1899-1912
- Alexander Wayne Wood, 1913-1918
- Grover Cleveland Wagner Sr., 1919-1925
Other Known Bank Note Signers
Bank Note History Links
Sources
- Brownsville, TX, 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
- ↑ The Galveston Daily News, Galveston, TX, Sun., May 3, 1891.
- ↑ The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville, TX, Sat., Jan. 13, 1900.
- ↑ The Houston Post, Houston, TX, Sat., July 28, 1900.
- ↑ The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville, TX, Mon., Oct. 8, 1900.
- ↑ The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville, TX, Fri., Apr. 22, 1904.
- ↑ The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville, TX, Wed., July 1, 1925.
- ↑ The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville, TX, Wed., Sep. 23, 1925.
- ↑ The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville, TX, Wed., Jan. 13, 1926.