Merchants National Bank, Grinnell, IA (Charter 2953)
Merchants National Bank, Grinnell, IA (Chartered 1883 - Receivership 1924)
Town History
Grinnell is located in Poweshiek County in central Iowa.
Grinnell was founded in 1854 by four men: Josiah B. Grinnell, a Congregationalist from Vermont; Homer Hamlin, a minister; Henry Hamilton, a surveyor; and Dr. Thomas Holyoke. The city was to be named "Stella," but J.B. Grinnell convinced the others to adopt his name, describing it as rare and concise. Grinnell was incorporated on April 28, 1865.
Grinnell was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Grinnell was also a stop along the Mormon Trail.
Grinnell is home to Grinnell College, established in 1846. In 1889, Grinnell College and the University of Iowa played each other at Grinnell in the first football game played west of the Mississippi River
Grinnell was home to Spaulding Manufacturing. H.W. Spaulding began making carriages and spring wagons in Grinnell, Iowa in 1876. In 1909 the Spaulding Manufacturing Company added automobiles to its production line.
During the National Bank Note Era, the population of Grinnell was 1,482 in 1870, climbing greatly to 5,036 in 1910, and dropping slightly to 4,949 in 1930. It's highest population and current population is 9,320 (2018).
For more information on the town of Grinnell, see their Wikipedia page.
Bank History
- Organized Apr 28, 1883
- Chartered May 18, 1883
- Receivership Nov 12, 1924
The Merchants National Bank building is one of the eight Midwestern "jewel-box" banks designed by Louis Sullivan, legendary American architect and mentor of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Merchants National Bank of Grinnell, IA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $744,700 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1883 and 1924. This consisted of a total of 10,822 notes (10,822 large size and 0 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s 1882 Brown Back 50-100 1 - 866 1902 Red Seal 50-100 1 - 1067 1902 Date Back 50-100 1 - 800 1902 Date Back 3x50-100 1 - 1339
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Merchants National Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1883 - 1924):
Presidents:
- Samuel F. Cooper, 1883-1895
- Charles Ransom Morse, 1896-1899
- Samuel Austin Cravath, 1900-1911
- George Homer Hamlin, 1912-1924
Cashiers:
- George Homer Hamlin, 1883-1911
- Hallie E. (Cox) Burd, 1914-1914
- William Charles Staat, 1917-1921
- Bernard J. Carney, 1922-1922
- John Henry Horn, 1923-1924
Other Bank Note Signers
- Hallie E. (Cox) Burd, Assistant Cashier (1913, 1920-1922)
- Bernard J. Carney, Vice President (1922-1924)
References
- Grinnell, IA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grinnell,_Iowa
- 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://bbdata.banknotehistory.com
- Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator, Louis Henry Sullivan, Kent R Newell, Department Of Architecture Iowa State University, Wesley Ivan Shank, Masataka Okazaki, and Lynn Marie Carr, Thall, Robert, photographer. Merchants' National Bank, Northwest corner of Fourth Avenue & Broad Street, Grinnell, Poweshiek County, IA. Documentation Compiled after 1933. Photograph.