Kansas National Bank/First National Bank in Wichita, KS (Charter 2782)

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Postcard of the First National Bank in Wichita, ca1910s
Postcard of the First National Bank in Wichita, ca1910s. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

Kansas National Bank/First National Bank in Wichita, KS (Chartered 1882 - Open past 1935)

Town History

The old First National Bank building
The old First National Bank building on the corner of Douglas and Main Streets. Courtesy of Google Maps, ca2021
Keno Corner, Douglas and Main in 1871
Keno Corner, Douglas and Main in 1871. Drawing by French artist assisted by Kos Harris.[1]

Wichita is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County. It is located in south-central Kansas along the Arkansas River. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532 and the Wichita metropolitan area had a population of 647,610. In 1880 the population was 4,911 growing to 111,110 by 1930.

Wichita began as a trading post on the Chisholm Trail in the 1860s and was incorporated as a city in 1870. It became a destination for cattle drives traveling north from Texas to Kansas railroads, earning it the nickname "Cowtown". In 1875, Wyatt Earp served as a police officer in Wichita for about one year before going to Dodge City.

In the 1920s and 1930s, businessmen and aeronautical engineers established aircraft manufacturing companies in Wichita, including Beechcraft, Cessna, and Stearman Aircraft. The city became an aircraft production hub known as "The Air Capital of the World". Textron Aviation, Learjet, Airbus, and Boeing/Spirit AeroSystems continue to operate design and manufacturing facilities in Wichita, and the city remains a major center of the American aircraft industry. Several airports located within the city of Wichita include McConnell Air Force Base, Colonel James Jabara Airport, and Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, the largest airport in Kansas.

As an industrial hub, Wichita is a regional center of culture, media, and trade. It hosts several universities, large museums, theaters, parks, shopping centers, and entertainment venues, most notably Intrust Bank Arena and Century II. The city's Old Cowtown Museum maintains historical artifacts and exhibits the city's early history. Wichita State University (WSU) is the third-largest post-secondary institution in the state.

Wichita had 11 National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and 10 of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

An advertisement for the Farmers' & Merchants' Bank
An advertisement from May 1877 for the Farmers' & Merchants' Bank of Wichita, Kansas.[2]
Advertisement from January 1881
Advertisement from January 1881 for the Farmers' & Merchants' Bank with capital of $100,000. H.W. Lewis was president; A.A. Hyde, cashier; and G.C. Strong, assistant cashier.[3]
  • Organized September 12, 1882
  • Chartered September 25, 1882
  • Succeeded Farmers and Merchants Bank
  • 1: Assumed Citizens Bank 1895
  • 1: Assumed Sedgwick County Bank 1898
  • 1: Assumed 5169 by consolidation February 24, 1920 and assumed its circulation (National Bank of Commerce, Wichita, KS)
  • Bank was Open past 1935
  • For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
  • Changed Institution Name to Intrust Bank, N.A. May 1, 1993
  • Still in business as Intrust Bank (February 2026)

A new bank, the "Farmers' & Merchants' Bank of Wichita" with capital of $50,000 began business on November 1, 1876. It occupied the new bank building located one block west of the depot on the corner of Douglas and Fourth Avenues recently built by Mr. J.R. Mead. Major H.W. Lewis had recently returned from the east where he made arrangements with correspondents of the highest standing in Kansas City, St. Louis, and New York.[4]

In May 1877, the Oxford Independent reported the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Wichita was rising rapidly in popular favor with almost the entire stock and grain business of that city transacted through this bank. With the failure of the First National Bank of Wichita, Farmers' and Merchants' was something wonderful. The bank was in the process of erecting an elegant two-story cut stone bank building on Main Street which it planned to occupy around June 15th. H.W. Lewis was president, and George C. Strong, cashier.[5]

On September 25, 1882, John Jay Knox, Comptroller of the Currency, authorized The Kansas National Bank of Wichita to commence business. The bank with $50,000 capital succeeded the Farmers' & Merchants' Bank of Wichita. H.W. Lewis was president, and A.A. Hyde, cashier.[6]

In January 1883, the directors were James L. Dyer, R.H. Roys, Samuel Honck, R.E. Lawrence, Dr. J.H. Russell, H.W. Lewis, president; and A.A. Hyde, cashier. The bank was located at No. 50 Main Street, Wichita.[7]

In January 1895, the Citizens Bank of Wichita had capital of $200,000 and J.O. Davidson was president, and Arthur Faulkner, cashier.[8] On Monday morning, April 29, 1895, the Citizens Bank of Wichita, the oldest banking institution in the city, went into liquidation. They placed enough funds in the hands of the Kansas National Bank to pay off all indebtedness. Arthur Faulkner, vice president of the Citizens Bank, was made cashier of the Kansas National which succeeded the Citizens in business,[9] and takes its old banking room on the corner of Main and Douglas.[10]

In January 1898, the officers were J.O. Davidson, president; C.H. Davidson, cashier; Chas. Testard, assistant cashier; and F.A. Russell, teller.[11] 

On August 20, 1858, Elsberry Martin was born on a farm in Kansas Territory, near what would become Highland. He attended an academy located at Highland and a business college at Tarkio, Missouri, across the river. He taught school at Highland, Sparks and Troy, moving to Bozeman, Montana in 1884 and engaging in banking. He came to Wichita 13 years later and became cashier of the Kansas National Bank, retiring in 1917.[12] His brother, James E. Martin, was cashier or president of two Bozeman and two Big Timber national banks.

In May 1898, the directors of the Kansas National were E. Martin, Thos. G. Fitch, W.E. Stanley, J.O. Davidson, C.L. Davidson, and C.H. Davidson. The officers were J.O. Davidson, president; C.H. Davidson, vice president; and Elsberry Martin, cashier. The bank had capital of $100,000 and surplus $10,000.[13] On Thursday, September 1, 1898, the Kansas National opened up with the business of the Sedgwick County Bank. Window placards were placed in the Sedgwick County Bank room that it had moved. Quite a number of people came in from the country who did not know of the change. John Kelley of the Sedgwick became receiving teller in the Kansas National.[14] J.H. Longstreet was president of the Sedgwick County Bank of Wichita. The Cashier was Charles H. Pool.[15] The Boston store had the vault removed from the store at the corner of Main and Douglas formerly occupied by the Sedgwick County Bank. The Boston store planned to open a store with a grocery department.[16]

On February 14, 1912, Colonel Hiram W. Lewis, president of the Gold Savings State Bank and one of the most widely known businessmen of Wichita, died in a Chicago Hospital. Soon after coming to Wichita, Colonel Lewis opened the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank which later became a national bank under the name of the Kansas National, one of the foremost financial institutions in the state. He was for several years president of the Kansas National at the same time being connected with the National Loan Company of Wichita and the First National Bank of Pratt, and the Kingman National Bank. He was also interested in one of the largest flouring mills in the early days of Wichita. He was born in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio and was educated in the public schools, in Garfield Eclectic Institute also of Warren, and Williston Seminary, Easthampton, Mass. In May 1863, he enlisted in the Army of the Cumberland and served two years and one month. He was sounded in the battle of Chickamauga. After the war he went to Mississippi and became a cotton planter. He was for a time editor of The Press, a republican paper at Columbus, Miss. He was elected to the Mississippi legislature and was also sheriff and tax collector. He came to Wichita from Columbus. Col. Lewis was married in 1868 to Miss Lucy F. Strong at Easthampton, Mass., who died in Wichita in 1880. He afterward married Miss Kitty Strong, sister of his first wife who survived him.[17]

In January 1920, an open letter to patrons of the Kansas National Bank and the National Bank of Commerce announced the consolidation of the two banks. Business would continue at the present locations without interruption. C.Q. Chandler was president of the Kansas National, and F.L. Carson, cashier. C.W. Carrey was president of the National Bank of Commerce of Wichita, with F.A. Russell as cashier.[18] Shareholders of the two banks voted on January 27th, approving the proposed consolidation.[19] The consolidation was effective on Tuesday, February 24th, with the institution taking the title of First National Bank in Wichita. With capital and surplus of $2 million and resources of $20 million, the First National was the largest bank in Kansas. Customers of both banks would transact business at the home of the National Bank of Commerce across the street from the Kansas National Bank while construction of a new large banking home occurred on the site of the Kansas National Bank.[20] 

The National Bank of Commerce organized on June 16th, 1896, as a State bank. It was nationalized on June 23rd, 1899, with capital of $100,000. Directors were George P. Dold, R.R. Vermilion, S.W. Cooper, M.C. Campbell, W.E. Brown, C.S. Gleed, A.C. Jobes, J.H. Stewart, C.W. Carey, and J.H. Black. The officers were A.C. Jobes, president; J.H. Black, vice president; C.W. Carey, cashier; and F.A. Russell, assistant cashier. The deposits at the time of the consolidation were approximately $7 million.[21]

The directors of the First National Bank in Wichita were J.W. Berryman, J.H. Black, C.H. Brooks, A.E. Bowers, W.E. Brown, C.W. Carey, C.Q. Chandler, M.C. Campbell, S.W. Cooper, W.R. Dulaney, W.M.G. Howse, L.R. Hurd, Chester I. Long, L.L. Marcell T.J. McDonald, A.S. Parks, F.A. Russell, C.W. Southward, J.H. Stewart, Geo. Theis, Jr., G.G. Tucker, R.R. Vermilion, H.V. Wheeler, and E.E. Masterman. The officers were C.Q. Chandler, chairman and executive manage; C.W. Carey, president; J.W. Berryman, J.H. Black, E.E. Masterman, F.A. Russell, C.W. Southward, and J.H. Stewart, vice presidents; F.L. Carson, cashier; F.O. Carr, Leland Scrogin, J.H. Stewart, Jr.; Leslie Sullivan; Chas Testard, Geo. A. Winters, and E.S. Worrell, assistant cashiers.[22] 

In 1928, Charles J. "C.J." Chandler comes to his father’s bank after gaining experience at the First State Bank in Gage, Oklahoma, a Chandler family-owned bank. C.J. becomes president of First National Bank in Wichita in 1943.

In July 1992, First Bancorp of Kansas applied to the Federal Reserve Board for permission to merge with WRB Bankshares, Inc., and its subsidiary bank, Will Rogers Bank & Trust Co., Oklahoma City.[23] On Wednesday, November 18, 1992, First Bancorp of Kansas announced completion of the acquisition of Will Rogers Bank. Will Rogers Bank with $62 million in assets would operate as a subsidiary of First Bancorp and would retain the same name and management. The acquisition increased First Bancorp's assets to $1.2 billion. A deal to buy Kansas State Financial Corp., the holding company of Kansas State Bank & Trust Co., Wichita's fourth-largest bank with assets of $390 million was pending. First Bancorp also owned Haysville Bank, Arkansas Valley State Bank in Valley Center, National Bank of El Dorado and First Colonial Bank in Prairie Village.[24] 

In 1992, becoming the first Kansas financial entity to announce plans to acquire an out-of-state bank, the company purchases Will Rogers Bank in Oklahoma.

In April 1993, shareholders of First Bancorp of Kansas, parent of First National Bank in Wichita, voted to change the name to Intrust Financial Corp., making its banks Intrust bank offices.[25] To distinguish the Wichita institution, directors of First Bancorp of Kansas selected Intrust Bank as its new name. The holding company would become Intrust Financial Corp., and its 21 Kansas banks would become Intrust Banks. The change would help First Bankcorp avoid treading on the rights of other banks named First National, important as First Bancorp expanded into other markets. In addition to Wichita offices, the company operated banks in Valley Center, Haysville, El Dorado, Derby, Shawnee, and Prairie Village. The company's Will Rogers Bank in Oklahoma would retain its name. As for the First National name, the case of the Derby branch resulted in the awkward name of First National Bank in Wichita in Dillons in Derby. The Webster's definition of the new name was the process of committing to another with confidence. According to C.Q. Chandler IV, First Bancorp president, "We feel that's the way we have dealt with our customers and the way they have dealt with us for well over 100 years."[26] 

In July 1993, the bank celebrates a successful merger with Kansas State Bank & Trust, bringing company assets to $1.25 billion, with 20 locations and 35 ATMs.
  • 11/01/1876 Institution established. Original name: Farmers' & Merchants' Bank of Wichita (FDIC #4799).
  • 05/01/1993 Changed Institution Name to Intrust Bank, National Association.
  • 07/09/1993 Acquired Kansas State Bank and Trust Company (FDIC #13899) in Wichita, KS.
  • 02/11/1995 Acquired Intrust Bank, El Dorado, National Association (FDIC #26313) in El Dorado, KS.
  • 02/11/1995 Acquired Intrust Bank (FDIC #17363) in Valley Center, KS.
  • 02/11/1995 Acquired Intrust Bank, Haysville, National Association (FDIC #17371) in Haysville, KS.
  • 02/11/1995 Acquired Intrust Bank, Johnson County, National Association (FDIC #33113) in Prairie Village, KS.
  • 12/01/1995 Acquired The First National Bank of Ottawa (Charter 1718) (FDIC #4750) in Ottawa, KS.
  • 09/24/1999 Branch Purchased
  • 08/10/2001 Acquired Will Rogers Bank (FDIC #21110) in Oklahoma City, OK.
  • 03/16/2007 Acquired First State Bank (FDIC #17278) in Junction City, KS.
  • 11/30/2018 Branch Purchased
  • 11/09/2019 Acquired First Bank of Newton (formerly Charter 2777) (FDIC #4738) in Newton, KS.

Official Bank Titles

1: The Kansas National Bank of Wichita, KS

2: First National Bank in Wichita, KS (2/24/1920)

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Red Seal $50 bank note
1902 Red Seal $50 bank note with pen signatures of 1902 Red Seal $50 bank note with pen signatures of Elsberry Martin, Cashier and E.E. Masterman, Vice President. Courtesy of the NBNCensus.com
1929 Type 1 $5 bank note
1929 Type 1 $5 bank note with printed signatures of F.O. Carr, Cashier and J.L. Carson, President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Auctions, www.lynknight.com

A total of $2,765,350 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1882 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 450,432 notes (27,912 large size and 422,520 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 50-100 1 - 1409
1: 1902 Red Seal 4x5 1 - 2000
1: 1902 Red Seal 50-100 1 - 1201
1: 1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 3085
1: 1902 Date Back 50-100 1 - 502
1: 1902 Date Back 3x50-100 1 - 337
2: 1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 46732
2: 1929 Type 2 5 1 - 142128

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1882 - 1935):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Known Bank Note Signers

Bank Note History Links

Sources

  1. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, KS, Sun., May 23, 1920.
  2. ↑ Oxford Independent, Oxford, KS, Thu., May 3, 1877.
  3. ↑ The Daily Republican, Wichita, KS, Thu., Jan. 13, 1881.
  4. ↑ The Weekly Eagle, Wichita, KS, Thu., Oct. 26, 1876.
  5. ↑ Oxford Independent, Oxford, KS, Thu., May 3, 1877.
  6. ↑ The Weekly Eagle, Wichita, KS, Thu., Oct. 12, 1882.
  7. ↑ The Wichita Weekly Beacon, Wichita, KS, Wed., Jan. 3, 1883.
  8. ↑ The Wichita Beacon, Wichita, KS, Thu., Jan. 3, 1895.
  9. ↑ The Severyite, Severy, KS, Fri., May 3, 1895.
  10. ↑ The Wichita Star, Wichita, KS, Sat., May 11, 1895.
  11. ↑ The Wichita Beacon, Wichita, KS, Mon., Jan. 24, 1898.
  12. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, KS, Wed., Mar. 16, 1949.
  13. ↑ The Kansas Commoner, Wichita, KS, Thu., May 26, 1898.
  14. ↑ The Weekly Eagle, Wichita, KS, Fri., Sep 2, 1898.
  15. ↑ The Wichita Price Current, Wichita, KS, Sat., Oct. 1, 1898.
  16. ↑ The Wichita Beacon, Wichita, KS, Mon., Oct 3, 1898.
  17. ↑ The Wichita Beacon, Wichita, KS, Thu., Feb. 15, 1912.
  18. ↑ The Democrat, Wichita, KS, Sat., Jan. 10, 1920.
  19. ↑ The Democrat, Wichita, KS, Sat., Jan. 24, 1920.
  20. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, KS, Wed., Feb. 18, 1920.
  21. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, KS, Sun., May 23, 1920.
  22. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, KS, Sun., May 23, 1920.
  23. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, KS, Thu., July 30, 1992.
  24. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, KS, Thu., Nov. 19, 1992.
  25. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, KS, Sun., Mar. 14, 1993.
  26. ↑ The Wichita Eagle, Wichita, KS, Thu., Mar. 11, 1993.
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