First National Bank of Sewickley, PA (Charter 4462)
First National Bank of Sewickley, PA (Chartered 1890 - Liquidated 1933)
Town History
Sewickley is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 12 miles west northwest of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. It is a residential suburb of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 3,907 at the 2020 census. In 1890 the population was 2,776, growing to 5,599 by 1930.
The valley surrounding the Big Sewickley Creek was surveyed in 1785 and sold to American Revolutionary War veterans. After the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794, settlers began to trickle in to the area, with flatboats, keelboats, and steamboats forming an industry along the Ohio River.
In 1837, the Edgeworth Female Seminary was moved from Pittsburgh to what was then called Sewickley Bottom. The following year, Sewickley Academy was founded. Becoming a small center for education, by 1840 the community was formally established as Sewickleyville. The borough was incorporated as simply Sewickley on July 6, 1853, after growth continued as the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway was built through the area. In 1911, the Sewickley Bridge was completed, bringing an end to the ferry industry.
Sewickley had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and two of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized October 21, 1890
- Chartered November 10, 1890
- Assumed 13496 by consolidation November 28, 1930 (Union National Bank (No Issue), Sewickley, PA)
- Liquidated July 14, 1933
- Succeeded by 13699 (First National Bank in, Sewickley, PA)
- Circulation assumed by 13699 (First National Bank in Sewickley, PA)
On November 10, 1890, the First National Bank of Sewickley was authorized to commence business with a capital of $50,000.[3] The bank opened for business in its handsome quarters on Beaver Street.[4]
On November 10, 1890, the First National Bank of Sewickley opened its doors. On its 34th anniversary, the directors were R.J. Murray, Ezra P. Young, T.A. Standish, Eugene Murray, O.S. Richardson, E.F. Brooks, E.G. Cunningham, H.A. Tack, W.A. McElwain, and H.E. Beall. The officers were R.J. Murray, president; E.P. Young, vice president; H.E. Beall, 2nd vice president; W.G. Davis, cashier; and F.A. Nash, assistant cashier.[5]
In November 1894, the fourth anniversary of the First National Bank of Sewickley would be celebrated in a handsome new bank building just completed on the corner of Broad and Beaver Streets. A reception was held in honor of the event which was attended with much interest by the citizens. After four years its deposits aggregated $130,000 and the earnings reached $17,500. This amount and a little more were expended in the new building. It was of brick and stone and was a three-story structure. The entire front was of fine stone and the remainder was of brick. The first story was occupied by the bank and besides the regular banking room, there were small private rooms and a directors' room. The upper stories would be occupied by the YMCA of Sewickley. E.P. Coffin was cashier and had served in that capacity since its organization. The board of directors was composed of Dr. R.J. Murray, president; Charles T. Harbaugh, vice president; R.J. Stoney, Jr., Frank Semple, Jos. W. Craig, D.S. Anderson, J.W. Arrott, C.G. Woods, John B. Reno, Ezra P. Young, and John McElwain. The officers had served since the organization of the bank and there had been but one change in the board.[6]
In December 1907, the directors were R.J. Murray, P.P. Knapp, C.T. Harbaugh, T.A. Standish, Ezra P. Young, Frank Semple, C.G. Woods, R.J. Stoney, Jr., Edw. B. Taylor, John B. Reno, and Eugene Murray. The officers were R.J. Murray, president; Ezra P. Young, vice president; and E.P. Coffin, cashier. The bank had capital of $100,000 and surplus and profits $84,750.[7]
On January 29, 1911, Robert J. Stoney, Jr., one of the foremost figures in banking circles in Pittsburgh, died suddenly at his home, 1130 South Negley Avenue. Mr. Stoney was vice president of the Anchor Savings Bank, director of the First National Bank of Sewickley and Allegheny Safe Deposit Co., and vice president of the United States Glass Co. He was a member of the Pittsburgh Stock Exchange and for 20 years had been editor and proprietor of The Banker, a well-known financial publication.[8]
In January 1915, the directors were R.J. Murray, Ezra P. Young, P.P. Knapp, E.B. Taylor, C.T. Harbaugh, Thomas A. Standish, Eugen Murray, S.C. Ritchey, George L. Craig, O.S. Richarson, and R.J. Cunningham.[9]
Early on Tuesday, April 5, 1927, Dr. R.J. Murray, aged 81, president of First National Bank of Sewickley, died in his home, 329 Broad Street, Sewickley. Although born in Pittsburgh, Dr. Murray had been a resident of Sewickley for the last 65 years and since the organization of the First National Bank of Sewickley in 1890 was its principal executive. His father, John Murray, was a prominent farmer with a large estate on Sewickley Heights. His education was received in Joseph Travella's private school for boys in Pittsburgh and in Jefferson Medical College where he graduated in 1867. Dr. Murray engaged in general practice in Sewickley. Three sons survived Dr. Murry, Eugene Murray. vice president and treasurer of the Fidelity Title & Trust Co. of Pittsburgh; Dr. C.S. Murray and R.G. Murray, of Sewickley; two daughters. Mrs. S.H. Ralston of the Eastend, and Mrs. L.M. Anderson of Cleveland; two brothers. Rev. J.F. Murray of Pittsburgh, retired Methodist Episcopal minister, and W.G. Murray of Sewickley.[10]
On October 9, 1930, the comptroller of the currency issued a charter to the Union National Bank of Sewickley, with capital of $100,000. Eugene Murray was president and Frank R. Denton, cashier.[11] Mr. Denton was associated with the Mellbank Company becoming its chief executive officer in 1946 and an architect of its branch banking system.
On December 1, 1930, the consolidation of the First National Bank of Sewickley an the Union National Bank of Sewickley was approved by the Comptroller of the Currency. The consolidated institution would bear the corporate title of First National Bank of Sewickley with capital of $100,000.[12]
On Saturday, April 15, 1933, Ezra P. Young, 91, first vice president and one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Sewickley, died in his home, 330 Meadow Lane, Edgeworth. Born in Shousetown, Pennsylvania, January 16, 1843 Mr. Young was the only son of Captain Samuel and Margaret Clark Young. In the early sixties he followed his father's footsteps as a riverman and served as clerk and later as pilot of several boats. During the Civil War he served on the steamer John S. Hall. At end of the war he joined the Citizen's Bank at Pittsburgh, and later became cashier of the Peoples Savings Bank of Allegheny City. Later he was manager of the Pittsburgh Exposition for six years until it was destroyed by fire. He then organized the Tide Coal Company with the late Captain William B. Rodgers. Mr. Young was prominent in the organization of the Ohio Valley Gas Company and the Sewickley Electric Company. His last venture was the construction of the Edgeworth Water Company in 1897, which he owned and operated until he sold it in 1905. After his retirement he spent his winters with his son, Samuel C. Young, in Dunedin, Fla., and the summer months at his home in Bobcaygeon, Ontario. He had been a resident of Edgeworth since 1860 and was married in 1870 to the late Agnes W. Wardrop. He was a life- long member of the Shields Presbyterian Church. He also leaves a grandson, Ezra P. Young, a missionary at Adana, Turkey.[13]
On June 8, 1933, a charter was issued to the First National Bank in Sewickley by the comptroller of the currency. The new bank was the successor to the First National Bank of Sewickley and had a capital of $100,000.[14]
Official Bank Title
1: The First National Bank of Sewickley, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $2,334,810 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1890 and 1933. This consisted of a total of 325,466 notes (274,568 large size and 50,898 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 - 9475 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 3540 1882 Date Back 4x5 1 - 2394 1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 1702 1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 6500 1902 Date Back 4x10 1 - 6500 1902 Plain Back 4x5 6501 - 28136 1902 Plain Back 4x10 6501 - 23395 1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 5739 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 2744
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1890 - 1933):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
Other Known Bank Note Signers
- No other known bank note signers for this bank
Bank Note History Links
Sources
- Sewickley, PA, 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
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Sun., Dec. 29, 1907.
- ↑ The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Nov. 14, 1894.
- ↑ The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, PA, Tue., Nov. 11, 1890.
- ↑ Pittsburg Dispatch, Pittsburgh, PA, Sun., Nov. 16, 1890.
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Nov. 12, 1924.
- ↑ The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Nov. 14, 1894.
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Sun., Dec. 29, 1907.
- ↑ The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, Mon., Jan. 30, 1911.
- ↑ The Pittsburgh Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Jan. 13, 1915.
- ↑ The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Apr. 6, 1927.
- ↑ The Tribune, Scranton, PA, Sat., Oct. 11, 1930.
- ↑ The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA, Tue., Dec. 2, 1930.
- ↑ The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, Mon., Apr. 17, 1933.
- ↑ Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Pittsburgh, PA, June 13, 1933.