NB of Western Pennsylvania/Western NB, Pittsburgh, PA (Charter 4918)
NB of Western Pennsylvania/Western NB, Pittsburgh, PA (Chartered 1893 - Liquidated 1923)
Town History
Pittsburgh is a city in the state of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. As of the 2020 census, the population was 302,971 living within the city limits making it the 68th-largest city in the U.S. and the second-most populous city in Pennsylvania, behind Philadelphia. The Pittsburgh metropolitan area is the anchor of Western Pennsylvania; its population of 2.37 million is the largest in both the Ohio Valley and Appalachia, the second-largest in Pennsylvania, and the 27th-largest in the U.S.
Pittsburgh is located in the southwest of the state, at the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River, forming the Ohio River. Pittsburgh is known both as "the Steel City" for its more than 300 steel-related businesses and as the "City of Bridges" for its 446 bridges. The city features 30 skyscrapers, two inclined railways, a pre-revolutionary war fortification and the Point State Park at the confluence of the rivers. The city developed as a vital link of the Atlantic coast and Midwest.
Aside from steel, Pittsburgh has led in the manufacturing of other important materials — aluminum and glass — and in the petroleum industry. Additionally, it is a leader in computing, electronics, and the automotive industry. For part of the 20th century, Pittsburgh was behind only New York City and Chicago in corporate headquarters employment; it had the most U.S. stockholders per capita. Deindustrialization in the 1970s and 1980s laid off area blue-collar workers as steel and other heavy industries declined, and thousands of downtown white-collar workers also lost jobs when several Pittsburgh-based companies moved out. The population dropped from a peak of 675,000 in 1950 to 370,000 in 1990. However, this rich industrial history left the area with renowned museums, medical centers, parks, academic institutions, research centers, and a diverse cultural district.
After the deindustrialization of the mid-20th century, Pittsburgh has transformed into a hub for the health care, education, and technology. Pittsburgh is a leader in the health care sector as the home to large medical providers such as University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). The area is home to 68 colleges and universities, including research and development leaders Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Google, Apple Inc., Bosch, Facebook, Uber, Nokia, Autodesk, Amazon, Microsoft and IBM are among 1,600 technology firms generating $20.7 billion in annual Pittsburgh payrolls. The area has served as the long-time federal agency headquarters for cyber defense, software engineering, robotics, energy research and the nuclear navy. The nation's fifth-largest bank, eight Fortune 500 companies, and six of the top 300 U.S. law firms make their global headquarters in the area, while RAND Corporation (RAND), BNY Mellon, Nova, FedEx, Bayer, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have regional bases that helped Pittsburgh become the sixth-best area for U.S. job growth.
Pittsburgh was named in 1758, by General John Forbes, in honor of British statesman William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. Pittsburgh was incorporated as a borough on April 22, 1794. From 1891 to 1911, the city's name was federally recognized as "Pittsburg", though use of the final h was retained during this period by the city government and other local organizations including most, but not all national banks. After a public campaign, the federal decision to drop the h was reversed.
The North Side is home to various neighborhoods in transition. What is known today as Pittsburgh's North Side was once known as Allegheny City, and operated as a city independently of Pittsburgh until it was merged with Pittsburgh in 1907 under great protest from its citizens.
The South Side was once the site of the Pennsylvania Railroad rail yards and associated dense, inexpensive housing for mill and railroad workers. Since the late 20th century, the city undertook a Main Street program in cooperation with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, encouraging design and landscape improvements on East Carson Street, and supporting new retail. The area has become a local Pittsburgher destination. East Carson Street has developed as one of the most vibrant areas of the city, packed with diverse shopping, ethnic eateries, vibrant nightlife, and live music venues.
In 1993 the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh purchased the South Side Works steel mill property. It collaborated with the community and various developers to create a master plan for a mixed-use development, to include a riverfront park, office space, housing, health-care facilities, and indoor practice fields for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers. Construction began in 1998. The South-Side Works has been open since 2005, featuring many stores, restaurants, offices, and the world headquarters for American Eagle Outfitters.
The East End of Pittsburgh is home to the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Carlow University, Chatham University, The Carnegie Institute's Museums of Art and Natural History, Phipps Conservatory, and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall. It is also home to many parks and public spaces including Mellon Park, Westinghouse Park, Schenley Park, Frick Park, The Frick Pittsburgh, Bakery Square, and the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. The neighborhoods of Shadyside and Squirrel Hill are large, wealthy neighborhoods with some apartments and condos, and pedestrian-oriented shopping/business districts. Squirrel Hill is also known as the hub of Jewish life in Pittsburgh, home to approximately 20 synagogues. Oakland, heavily populated by undergraduate and graduate students, is home to most of the universities, and the Petersen Events Center. The Strip District to the west along the Allegheny River is an open-air marketplace by day and a clubbing destination by night. Bloomfield is Pittsburgh's Little Italy and is known for its Italian restaurants and grocers. Lawrenceville is a revitalizing rowhouse neighborhood popular with artists and designers. The Hill District was home to photographer Charles Harris as well as various African-American jazz clubs. Other East End neighborhoods include Point Breeze, Regent Square, Homewood, Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, Larimer, East Hills, East Liberty, Polish Hill, Hazelwood, Garfield, Morningside, and Stanton Heights.
The West End includes Mt. Washington, with its famous view of the Downtown skyline and numerous other residential neighborhoods such as Sheraden and Elliott.
Pittsburgh had 47 National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and 46 of those banks issued National Bank Notes. Pittsburgh also had several Obsolete Banks that issued Obsolete Bank Notes during the Obsolete Bank Note Era (1782-1866).
Bank History
- Organized May 17, 1893
- Chartered June 8, 1893
- 1: Assumed 432 by consolidation February 14, 1910 (Fourth National Bank, Pittsburgh, PA)
- 2: Liquidated December 27, 1923
- 2: Absorbed by 3874 (Monongahela National Bank, Pittsburgh, PA)
In May 1893, the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania, with $300,000 capital and $75,000 surplus, organized by the election of the following directors: Jas. Hemphill, Frank Semple, E.M. Ferguson, J.M. Schoonmaker, John C. Wallace, W.W. Lawrence, David P. Black, O.H. Allerton, Jr., Jos. Wood, D.G. Stewart, and Chas. McKnight. The new bank would do business on Penn Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets. The officers were James Hemphill, president; Frank Semple, vicep president; Charles McKnight, cashier. The bank planned to open for business by June 15th. On June 3, 1893, W.A. Herron & Sons completed sale of property No. 958 on Penn Avenue which was purchased for the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania for $38,000.
On August 6, 1894, Comptroller of the Currency Eckels announced the following changes in officers: George S. McCrum appointed assistant cashier. The government property at Penn Avenue and Garrison Alley was sold on November 8, 1894 for $215,000. Charles McKnight, cashier, gave a cashier's check for $10,750 to Col. Weeks to bind the bargain. This was 5% of his bid of nearly a quarter of a million dollars. The property fronted 100 feet on Penn Avenue and ran back to low water mark on the Allegheny. It had always been occupied by the government as a recruiting station. The government acquired it as woodland, getting the title from the Penns at a nominal figured. It had old stables and sheds, besides the recruiting office building on the corner of the alley, and a more or less valuable dwelling house on the lower end. David Black of Black & Baird's represented the bank in the bidding.
In December 1896, Architects George S. Orth & Bro. were preparing plans for a magnificent building to be erected by the National Bank of western Pennsylvania. They planned for construction using granite, and the estimated cost was $80,000. Cashier Charles McKnight said it was the intention of the bank officials to make the new building the nucleus of a business center. The structure would be built at Penn Avenue and Ninth street.
Penn Street in 1897 had a large furniture store on the corner of Penn Avenue and Tenth Street and three doors intervened between it and the bank building, on the other side of which were located the immense stables of T.C. Jenkins & Co. The bank building was a two-story brick structure, unpretentious and of limited floor space. It was formerly used as a dwelling house, but the bank officials were occupying it during the erection of their new building. Paralleling Penn Avenue in the rear of the bank was Spring Alley, but the bank did not extend to the alley, there being a small yard protected by a 15-foot board fence. In equipment the bank had the latest approved vaults, safes with intricate and burglar-proof combinations, wired by the Holmes Electric Protective Company of Fifth Avenue with an individual wire charged with alternating current passing out the rear close to the roof of the Jenkins stables running to the main office of the Holmes Co. When the bank vaults were closed, the fact was indicated on the galvanometer located in the Holmes office which marked every opening and closing. On Thursday, July 29, 1897, a clang sounded from the bank's alarm bell and one of the office reserves went at a dead run to the bank. Nothing was wrong there. The galvanometer needle nonetheless was bobbing about, decidedly out of its orbit. The line was checked, but nothing discovered to explain the mystery.
On Saturday when the bank closed between 1 and 2 PM, the needle became flighty again and Holmes' linemen started another check. In the rear of the Jenkins stable a startling discovery was made, and one of the more ingenious and daring attempts at safe-cracking in the history of Pittsburgh was revealed. Close to the rear of the stable stood one of the company's poles, the wire of which was strung about even with the roof of the stable. Here the wire was cut and to the severed ends about thirty feet had been added, forming a loop, which was carried through the lattice down into the hay loft, where the ends, soldered together, were carefully hidden under the hay. The circuit had only been broken a short time, but the addition of the extra wire had made a change in the resistance indicated on the galvanometer in the main office. The plan was to attach an instrument to the loop, measure the ohms, supply an equal voltage so that when the connection was cut by severing the wire between the loop and the bank, the fact would not be indicated by the galvanometer. This done the rest would be easy. Entrance to the bank could be made in several ways, janitor and watchman, one man filling both positions would be looked after, and then work on the vaults would begin uninterrupted.
The bank was doubly guarded and eventually the police notified. However, no robbers were caught. It had been over twenty years since an attempt was made to rob a Pittsburgh bank and the criminals of old had long retired or were dead. Chief of Detectives Roger O'Mara recalled an affair with five men of international reputation as safe-crackers. Recalling just three names, Jimmy Hope, Sheeney Mike and Billie Porter, the Second National Bank then on the corner of Liberty Street and Garrison Alley, was the target. The bank was a three-story building with tenements above. A stairway went up from the side and from this a hole was cut into the bank. While the men were at work, a boy came up the stairs to go to bed. He was bound and gagged. A few moments later the boy's brother ran in the door and the burglars, thinking the police were on them, jumped from a window and ran towards the river. On Duquense way they ran into Policeman Andy Cronin and one of the men sent a bullet through his liver. They escaped. Later, Sheeney Mike, Shang Draper, Red Leary and some other good ones came with the intention of robbing the Commercial Bank of Fourth Avenue. O'Mara got them and sent two of the men to the workhouse as suspicious characters. The other one could not be held.
On July 9, 1897, the bank took out a permit for a three-story banking house to cost $62,000. The building would be 40X68 feet with a granite front. A. & S. Wilson had the contract.
In January 1898, the officers were James Hemphill, Frank Semple, vice-president; Joseph Wood, E.M. Ferguson, J.M. Schoonmaker, D.P. Black, John C. Wallace, W.W. Lawrence, D.G. Stewart, Henry C. Fownes and Charles McKnight, president. At 11 o'clock on July 12, 1898, the beautiful new building of the bank was formally opened and between that hour and 4 o'clock a large number of friends and patrons of the bank inspected the facilities. The building was one of the prettiest in the city and was two stories in height and of granite. It was finished throughout in Mexican onyx and mahogany and in arrangement was rather out of the ordinary. Each officer and clerk had their own compartment, communication being provided by telephones. The third floor contained a watchman's room. In the basement were the dining room, kitchen, pantry, steam plant, stationary and storage rooms and vault, all well appointed and finished, the dining room in white and gold. The main floor is given over to the main vault, president and customers' rooms and the offices. The most attractive of them all was President McKnight's office. It was Dutch in design and finished in Flemish oak, richly carved. The windows were quaintly leaded and in the center displayed the coats of arms of William Pitt, the city of Pittsburgh, William Penn and the state of Pennsylvania. The building throughout was tastefully decorated with palms and fragrant bunches of sweet peas.
On August 7, 1900, James Hemphill of Mackintosh, Hemphill & Co. died at his home at 258 Shady Avenue. He was born in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, July 22, 1827 and lived there until 1846 when his family moved to Tarentum. He was apprenticed to Samuel Black in McKeesport at the blacksmith trade. In 1850, he went to Pittsburgh and found employment with Joseph French, then the engineer of the Pittsburgh Water Works. When Mr. French became superintendent, Mr. Hemphill succeeded him as engineer. During his leisure hours he cast baggage checks for the Pennsylvania Railroad and was commended by President Thomas Scott for his workmanship. About 1857 he invested some money in a little machine shop, the abandoned steel works of McKelvey and Blair. As an engineer, Mr. Hemphill was noted as being far in advance in the massiveness and solidity of his work. His reversing blooming mill was placed at the Pittsburgh Bessemer Steel works; it was the small plant from which the great Homestead works of the Carnegie Steel Company developed. He held more than 100 patents for blast furnace improvements. In 1893, he retired from active participation in the steel works and accepted the presidency of the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania. He still suggested big ideas for work in the steel business, but left other men to work them out.
On January 11, 1910, at the annual election of directors of the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania, it developed that the institution would absorb the Fourth National Bank. The first step in this direction was taken by increasing the board of directors of the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania from 13 to 20 members. The new directors were selected from the directors of the Fourth National Bank, and were F.E. Richardson, F.R. Stoner, W.A. Somers, Charles A. Wolfe, W.T. Pierce, Reade W. Bailey, and G.P. Bassett, Jr. The other directors who were re-elected were Charles McKnight, Joseph Wood, W.W. Lawrence, D.G. Stewart, H.C. Fownes, O.H. Childs, George H. Flinn, Edward A. Woods, J.S. Crutchfield, C.W. Brown, T. Patterson, R.A. Bole, and George S. Macrum. The announcement that the two banking institutions would be merged came as a surprise. To carry out the consolidation the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania would increase its capital stock from $500,000 to $1,000,000. When completed the merged institution would have deposits of over $4,000,000 and undivided profits of over $450,000. Following the election of directors the board organized by re-electing Charles McKnight, president. D.G. Stewart, president of the Fourth National Bank, was made vice president; George S. Macrum, cashier of the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania, was elected second vice president; J.S.M. Phillips, cashier of the Fourth National Bank, was elected cashier, and H.C. Burchinal was made assistant cashier. A stockholders meeting was scheduled for February 10 to vote on the merger proposition and take action on the proposition of doubling the capitalization. Stockholders of the Fourth National Bank would meet February 14. If stockholders of both institutions approve of the merger, stockholders of the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania would receive a stock dividend of 55%. The balance would be issued in exchange for the Fourth National stock. The following directors were elected by the Fourth National to serve until the merger was effective: W.A. Somers, F.M. Wallace, C.A. Wolfe, D.G. Stewart, Reade W. Bailey, F.R. Stoner, W.T. Pierce, J.C. Grooms, C.P. Bassett, Jr., and J.S.M. Phillips.
The Fourth National was located at 242 Fourth Avenue and the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania occupied the building erected a few years ago at the corner of Penn Avenue and Ninth Street. The National Bank of Western Pennsylvania was incorporated in 1893, with a capital stock of $500,000 and 5,000 shares with par value of $100. Its dividend rate was 8%, payable quarterly. On November 16, when the last bank call was made, the surplus and undivided profits were $589,390. Its book value was placed at $217.88. The Fourth National bank was incorporated in 1864, with capital of $300,000. Its annual dividend rate was 6%, payable semi-annually. On November 16, its surplus and undivided profits were $73,580 and its book value was $124.53 per share.
The name of the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania was changed to the Western National Bank of Pittsburgh. The change would take effect May 17, 1913 at which date the charter for the bank would be renewed. The change was to make the title more distinctive and less confusing. The bank, normally at Penn Avenue at Ninth (Anderson) Street, was in a temporary location in the Westinghouse Building.
In January 1914, the directors elected were: Charles McKnight, D.G. Stewart, William W. Lawrence, Henry W. Fownes, George H. Flinn, Edward A. Woods, Charles W. Brown, Robert A. Bole, James S. Crutchfield, F.E. Richardson, F.R. Stoner, W.A. Somers, Charles A. Wolfe, Reade W. Bailey, George P. Bassett, Jr., Charles C. Henderson, Henry V. Blaxter, George S. Macrum, H.C. Burchinal, and Ralph V. Hukill. The last two were new, taking the places of Joseph Wood and W.T. Pierce.
In January 1923, the directors were: Charles McKnight, Ralph V. Hukill, George H. Gerwig, D.G. Stewart, George S. Macrum, James S. Crutchfield, F.E. Richardson, F.R. Stoner, W.A. Somers, Reade W. Bailey, Charles C. Henderson, William E. Frick, J. Ramsey Speer, T.H.B. McKnight, James H. Childs, D.R. Wilson, Charles W. Brown, A.L. Humphrey, H.H. Robinson, Frank C. Neale. The officers were Charles McKnight, president; Ralph V. Hukill, vice president; B.J. Connell, secretary; H.C. Burchinal, cashier; George H. Gerwig and William J. Ittel, assistant cashiers.
On December 15, 1923, the merger of the Monongahela National Bank, Wood Street and Sixth avenue, and the Western National Bank, Penn Avenue and Ninth street, was announced by officials of both institutions. More than $23,000,000 combined resources were represented by these banks. Negotiations were said to have been under way for three weeks. Business under the consolidation would be conducted in the Monongahela Bank effective the 16th and officers of the Western National would relocate there. The Monongahela National Bank was incorporated March 1888, with $1,000,000 capital. At the close of business, September 14, 1922, the bank's statement showed the same capital with $600,000 surplus and undivided profits of $740,023.37. The officers were James W. Grove, president; George Arnold and Frederick C. MacMillan, vice presidents; J.E. Fulton, cashier; and Ralph W. Mercer and Malcolm S. Vandevort, assistant cashiers. The directors were Mr. Grove, Christian C. Hax, George M. Jones, John W. Lloyd, D.W. McNaugher, Mr. MacMillan, Alex Laughlin, Jr., Robert L. Clause, P.L. Logan, Edward W. Crellin and Mr. Fulton. The Western National Bank was incorporated in 1893 as the National Bank of Western Pennsylvania with $600,000 capital, which was increased to $1,000,000 in January 1910.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The National Bank of Western Pennsylvania at Pittsburgh, PA
2: Western National Bank of (5/17/1913), Pittsburgh, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $7,289,950 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1893 and 1923. This consisted of a total of 406,252 notes (406,252 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 1: 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 45000 $10s with Abnormal Border Variety 1: 1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 45504 2: 1902 Date Back 3x50-100 1 - 11059
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1893 - 1923):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
- Charles McKnight Jr., 1893-1896
- George S. Macrum, 1897-1909
- James Smith Miller Phillips, 1910-1911
- Herbert Clark Burchinal, 1912-1923
Other Bank Note Signers
- There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.
Wiki Links
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History
- General information on Pittsburgh (Wikipedia)
- General information on Allegheny County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Pittsburgh, PA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh,_Pennsylvania
- 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 Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, Tue., May 16, 1893.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Sat., 27 May 1893.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Sat., June 3, 1893.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Tue., Aug. 7, 1894.
- The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA, Thu., Nov. 8, 1894.
- Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Sun., Dec. 27, 1896.
- Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Sat., July 10, 1897.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Mon. Aug. 2, 1897.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Jan. 12, 1898.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., July 13, 1898.
- Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Aug. 8, 1900.
- Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Jan. 12, 1910.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Sat., May 17, 1913.
- Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Jan. 14, 1914.
- Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Jan. 10, 1923.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Sun., Dec. 16, 1923.