Lincoln National Bank, Washington, DC (Charter 4247)
Lincoln National Bank, Washington, DC (Chartered 1890 - Open past 1935)
Town History
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia, also known as just Washington or simply D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. It is located on the east bank of the Potomac River, which forms its southwestern and southern border with Virginia, and it shares a land border with Maryland on its other sides. The city was named for George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States, and the federal district is named after Columbia, a female personification of the nation. As the seat of the U.S. federal government and several international organizations, the city is an important world political capital. It is one of the most visited cities in the U.S. with over 20 million annual visitors as of 2016.
Washington, DC had 29 National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and 25 of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized January 16, 1890
- Chartered March 5, 1890
- Bank was Open past 1935
- Consolidated with The Riggs National Bank (Charter 5046) on November 10, 1958
The Lincoln National Bank was chartered March 5, 1890 and opened its doors for business on March 25th. The bank opened in a building which replaced Lincoln Hall, later Herzog's Ninth Street Opera House and also known by other names, located on the northeast corner of Ninth and D Streets which burned on December 5, 1886, resulting in a total loss. Upon being rebuilt the structure was named Lincoln Music Hall and later became the Academy of Music, and a motion picture house. A leaflet printed in English and German announced "THE LINCOLN NATIONAL BANK OF WASHINGTON, D. C. CAPITAL, $200,000. We beg to inform you that the Lincoln National Bank will open for business on or before March 25th, 1890, in the recently erected LINCOLN MUSIC HALL BUILDING, Corner Ninth and D Streets N.W. Banking business in all its branches; money received on deposit; time and demand loans and collections made on all points with promptness and accuracy..." John A. Prescott, president; J. Harrison Johnson, vice president; Frederick A. Stier, cashier; Henry F. Bauer, teller; Paul H. Cromelin, receiving teller. Directors were William E. Abbott, Augustus Burgdorf, Job Barnard, Seymour Cunningham, Augustus B. Coppes, H. Bradley Davidson, William O. Denison, Jesse C. Ergood, Willie S. Hoge, J. Harrison Johnson, Watson J. Newton, John A. Prescott, Frederick W. Pratt, Frederick A. Tschiffely, and Richard A. Walker.
On Thursday, December 18, 1890, at a meeting of the board of trustees of the Lincoln National Bank, Mr. Jesse B. Wilson was elected a member of the board to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. John A. Prescott, president of the bank. Stab. Mr. J. Harrison Johnson, vice president, nominated Mr. Wilson for the position of president of the bank and he was elected unanimously. Mr. Wilson would commence his new duties at once, though he will not sever his present connection with the Mutual Fire Insurance Company. On behalf of the clerks in the bank, Mr. Bauer presented the new president with a magnificent floral horseshoe.
In January 1898, the bank was moved from its original location to its historic quarters at Seventh and D Streets.
In 1927, a branch was opened at Seventeenth and H Street. Wallace McK. Stowell was made manager. The trust department was organized in 1927 by George F. Williams. For a photo of the branch, see: A.F. Jorss Iron Works Inc., Doors of The Lincoln National Bank, 17th and H St. NW, Washington, DC. Horydczak photograph collection (Library of Congress).
In March 1940, the officers were Floyd E. Davis, president; Albert S. Gatley, executive vice president; James A Soper, vice president and cashier; Henry T. Offterdinger, vice president; Richard A. Norris, vice president; George Francis Williams, general counsel and trust officer; J. Frank Rice, assistant cashier and assistant trust officer; Robert E. Lee, D. Hammond Wetzel, Nelson M. Stokes, Edward H. Story, assistant cashiers; Helena D. Reed, assistant trust officer; Louis Paladini, controller and William M. Harris, auditor. Mrs. Reed, the assistant trust officers, was the first woman elected an officer of this bank. She was a member of the District Bar and the president of the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia. The directorate was composed of George I. Borger, William W. Brawner, Floyd E. Davis, Albert S. Gatley, W.W. Griffith, Franklin W. Harper, Melvin C. Hazen, Le Roy W. Herron, Richard A. Norris, Howard R. Norton, Henry T. Offterdinger, George C. Pumphrey, John Paul, Fred A. Smith, James A. Soper, W. McK. Stowell, Channing S. Walker, Howard L. Wilkins, and W. Crosdale Witts.
March 25, 1950 marked the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Lincoln National Bank, one of the city’s leading financial institutions. The latest statement of condition showed resources of $36,464,500 and deposits of $34,624,826. One of the senior officers, Albert S. Gatley, vice president, helped open the bank 60 years ago. He was formerly executive officer, and still active and was treasurer of the District Bankers; Association for more than 30 years. Other senior officers were Floyd E. Davis, president; Richard A. Norris, executive vice president; Robert E. Lee and Fred A. Smith, vice presidents; Nelson M. Stokes, vice president in charge of the Seventeenth Street Branch; Louis C. Paladini, cashier, and William M. Harris, auditor. The main office was at Seventh and D streets NW. Directors were George I. Borger, William W. Brawner, Floyd E. Davis, Floyd E. Davis, Jr., Albert S. Gatley, Arthur C. Keefer, Robert E. Lee, David L. Maxwell, Richard A. Norris, George H. Norton, Fred A. Smith, Guy Steuart, and Channing S. Walker.
In January 1958, stockholders of Lincoln National Bank re-elected all members of the board at their annual meeting. The board included: James P. Benfer, Jr., William W. Brawner, William Caloniris, Charles A. Camalier, Jr., H. Wayne Clarke, Floyd E. Davis, Floyd E. Davis, Jr., Albert S. Gatley, Arthur C. Keefer, H. Burton Leary, Jr., Robert E. Lee, Robert I. Lyon, John W. Miller, Richard A. Norris, George H. Norton, Samuel H. Rogers, Jr., Fred A. Smith, Guy T. Steuart, and Channing S. Walker. Richard A. Norris was president.
In November 1958, The Riggs National Bank announced the merger with The Lincoln National Bank of Washington, DC. This action would unite the largest bank in the nation's capital, founded in 1836, with The Lincoln National Bank, founded in 1890. Under the plan officers and employees of both banks would become officers and employees of The Riggs National Bank. The three offices of the Lincoln National would be known as the Lincoln Branch (17th and H Streets, NW); the Seventh and D Street Branch (318 7th St., NW); and the Northeast Branch (1348 4th St., NE). This would give the Riggs National 15 locations including a facility at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the Trust Department at 1508 H Street, NW. At the close of business November 10, 1958, the Capital was $8,850,000, Surplus 16,200,000, Undivided profits $9,079,067.77 with deposits of $493,569,509.07 and total assets of $531,539,070.78. The officers were Robert V. Fleming, chairman of the board; Charles C. Glover, Jr., vice chairman of the board and chairman of the executive committee; Hulbert T. Bisselle, president; John Oliver La Gorce, Lloyd B. Wilson, Morris Cafritz, Nelson T. Hartson, E. Taylor Chewning, Andrew Parker, Arthur M. Hill, William T. Faricy, Charles Stanley White, A.G. Neal, Harry A. Debutts, James B. Morrison, Alfred H. Lawson, Samuel H. Kauffmann, Frederick M. Bradley, Leo Goodwin, Sr., Samuel Spencer, Richard P. Dunn, J. Willard Marriott, Floyd E. Davis, Jr., Richard A. Norris and Alvin M. Parker, directors. In addition, Coleman Jennings, Edward D. Merrill, Ralph Bradford, Edward L. McAleer, A. Chambers Oliphant, William E. Pearson, William W. Brawner, William Calomiris, George H. Norton, Fred A. Smith, Guy T. Steuart, and Channing S. Walker were honorary directors.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Lincoln National Bank of Washington, DC
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $2,989,360 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1890 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 236,514 notes (204,228 large size and 32,286 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 3x10-20 1 - 11160 1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 1008 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 10100 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 10101 - 38889 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 2980 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 1492 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 3041 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 2413
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1890 - 1936):
Presidents:
- John A. Prescott, 1890-1890
- Jesse Burch Wilson, 1891-1908
- Richard Alfred Walker, 1909-1912
- Floyd Etheward Davis Sr., 1913-1935
Cashiers:
Other Known Bank Note Signers
- No other known bank note signers for this bank
Bank Note History Links
- Lincoln National Bank, Washington, DC History (NB Lookup)
- District of Columbia Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)
Sources
- 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
- Evening Star, Washington, DC, Thu., Dec. 18, 1890.
- Evening Star, Washington, DC, Sun., Mar. 3, 1940.
- Evening Star, Washington, DC, Mon., Mar. 25, 1940.
- Evening Star, Washington, DC, Tue., Jan. 10, 1950.
- Evening Star, Washington, DC, Sun., Mar. 26, 1950.
- Evening Star, Washington, DC, Tue., Jan. 14, 1958.
- Evening Star, Washington, DC, Fri., Nov. 14, 1958.