National Bank, Saint Joseph, MO (Charter 2970)

Advertisement from January 1904 for The National Bank of St. Joseph, located on Fourth and Felix Streets.

National Bank, Saint Joseph, MO (Chartered 1883 - Liquidated 1905)

Town History

St. Joseph is a city in Andrew and Buchanan counties and the county seat of Buchanan County, Missouri. Located on the Missouri River, it is the principal city of the St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Buchanan, Andrew, and DeKalb counties in Missouri and Doniphan County, Kansas. As of the 2020 census, St. Joseph had a total population of 72,473, making it the 8th most populous city in the state, and the 3rd most populous in Northwest Missouri. St. Joseph is located roughly 30 miles north of the Kansas City, Missouri, and approximately 125 miles south of Omaha, Nebraska. The city was named after the town's founder Joseph Robidoux and the biblical Saint Joseph. St. Joseph is home to Missouri Western State University.

St. Joseph was founded on the Missouri River by Joseph Robidoux, a local fur trader of French Canadian descent. It was officially incorporated in 1843. In its early days, it was a bustling outpost and rough frontier town, serving as a last supply point and jumping-off point for travelers on the Missouri River toward the "Wild West". It was the westernmost point in the United States accessible by rail until after the American Civil War. The main east–west downtown streets were named for Robidoux's eight children: Faraon, Jules, Francois (Francis), Felix, Edmond, Charles, Sylvanie, and Messanie. The street between Sylvanie and Messanie was named for his second wife, Angelique.

St. Joseph, or "St. Joe", as it was called by many, was a "Jumping-Off Point" for those migrants headed to the Oregon Territory in the mid-1800s. Such cities, including Independence, and St. Joseph, were where pioneers would stay and purchase supplies before they headed out in wagon trains across the Great Plains. The town was a very lively place.

Between April 3, 1860, and late October 1861, St. Joseph was one of the two endpoints of the Pony Express, which operated for a short period over the land then inaccessible by rail, to provide fast mail service. Today the Pony Express Museum hosts visitors in the former stables of the company. St. Joseph is identified by the slogan, "Where the Pony Express started and Jesse James ended."

Outlaw Jesse James lived here under the alias "Mr. Howard". The song, "Jesse James", includes the lines, "...that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard has laid poor Jesse in his grave." On April 3, 1882, James was killed at his home, originally located at 1318 Lafayette. It has been relocated next to the Patee House and still has the visible bullet hole from the fatal shot. It is now operated as the Jesse James Home Museum.

Saint Joseph had ten National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all ten of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

The old National Bank of St. Joseph, Missouri, located at Fourth and Felix Streets, ca2023. Courtesy of Google Maps

• Organized April 6, 1883
• Chartered June 8, 1883
• Succeeded Bank of Saint Joseph
• Liquidated December 19, 1905
• Consolidated with 4939 (First NB of Buchanon County/FNB, Saint Joseph, MO)

The National Bank of St. Joseph was the out growth of the old Bank of St. Joseph, an institution organized under the state banking laws in 1874 by James N. Burnes, Sr., and associates, all members of the Burnes family. James N. Burnes, Sr., was the first president of the Burnes bank and Dr. Robert P. Richardson was its first cashier. James N. Burnes Sr. was succeeded in 1875 by Calvin Burnes who came to St. Joseph from St. Louis. L.C. Burnes succeeded him upon his death in 1896. Dr. Richardson died in 1881 and was succeeded as cashier by George C. Hull, followed by C.F. Enright and the latter by E.D. McAllister. In 1883, it was reorganized under the national banking laws and became the National Bank of St. Joseph, all the stock remaining in the hands of different members of the Burnes family.

In 1874, the Bank of St. Joseph was at the northeast corner of Fifth and Felix. Nearly two years later the German Savings Bank building at Third and Felix was purchased. Here it stayed until 1903. In May 1882, The Gazette moved to its new building located on the east side of Third Street just above Felix. The west entrance was the first door above the Bank of St. Joseph, the bank on the alley between Third and Fourth. J.N. Burnes, Jr., was president of the Gazette Publishing Co.

On June 8, 1883, John J. Knox, Comptroller of the Currency, authorized The National Bank of St. Joseph to commence the business of banking. C.F. Burnes was president; and George C. Hull, cashier.

Hon. James Nelson Burnes was stricken in the Capitol and died on January 23, 1889, in his suite in the Willard Hotel in Washington. Congressman Burnes was born in Indiana on August 22, 1827, and graduated from Harvard Law school in 1853, returning to Missouri where he practiced for 20 years, finally leaving to attend to his large business interests. His father was a native of Culpeper County, Virginia, and immigrated to Indiana and later to Missouri where he was one of the leading pioneers in what was known as the Platte Purchase. Shortly after coming to St. Joseph, Col. Burnes organized the Bank of St. Joseph and was a large stockholder at the time of his death. He was a stockholder and director in the private banking house of Schuster, Hax & Co., and was president of the St. Joseph Water Co. and was interested in various other local affairs. Col. Burnes led the syndicate of gentlemen who built the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad bridge across the Missouri at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and through him the bridge at Atchison, Kansas, was constructed. He built the Atchison branch of the Atchison & Southwestern Railroad and was its president.

In January 1904, the officers were L.C. Burnes, president; Huston Wyeth and James N. Burnes, Jr., vice presidents; and E.D. McAllister, cashier. The bank had capital of $100,000, Surplus $100,000 and undivided profits $120,000.

At a meeting of the Burnes estate, it was decided by the majority stockholders to sell the stock in the National Bank of St. Joseph at a price of $500/share. Mr. L.C. Burnes refused to purchase at this price; the estate's entire stock was valued at $500,000. W.P. On Monday, November 27, 1905, W.P. Fulkerson, cashier of the First National Bank of Buchanan County, accepted for his bank the stock of the Burnes estate at the figure quoted; the heirs were Mrs. C.C. Burnes and daughter, Marjorie, of Chicago, Kenneth Burnes of St. Louis, Lewis C. Burnes and James N. Burnes, Jr., representing themselves and their sisters, Virginia D. Burnes and Mrs. Katherine Gatch. The First National secured a bank with a surplus of $100,000, undivided profits of $100,000, capital of $100,000 and a bank building worth $186,000. J.M. Ford was president of the First National Bank. The First National was established by Shuster-Hax, consolidating in 1894. As a result of the absorption, The First had resources of over $8,000,000 and occupied the palatial home of the old National Bank on Fourth and Felix Streets. The National Bank was the outgrowth of the old Bank of St. Joseph founded by James N. Burnes in 1872.

During the night of November 27th/28th, 1905, the effects of the First National Bank of Buchanan County were removed from its old home at Fourth and Francis Streets to its new building where business began on Tuesday, the 28th. The directorate of the first was expanded with the addition of Huston Wyeth, president of the Wyeth Hardware & Manufacturing Co., vice president of the National Bank; James H. McCord, director of the National Bank and president of the McCord Rubber Co.; and Mrs. Fannie B. Burnes, a director of the National Bank.

On December 15, 1905, L.C. Burnes received notice from the comptroller of the currency of the approval of the application for the Burnes National Bank of St. Joseph for a charter. The vaults in the building at 120 North Fourth Street which would be occupied temporarily were being placed into the best condition and M. Marks, agent of the Moser Safe Company said the screw door safe ordered was on the way. The bankers were also assured that the stationary would be ready by January 1st. A new building was planned with work expected to begin the following Spring.

On December 22nd, Lewis C. Burnes who until two weeks ago was the head of the Burnes estate and president of the National Bank of St. Joseph, announced that he would at once open the Burnes National Bank at 120 North Fourth Street with capital of $200,000. Since the great surprise caused by the action of the other Burnes heirs in disposing of their bank stock to the First National Bank which absorbed the Burnes institution, competition among local banks for accounts throughout this and other states had been very sharp. Higher rates of interest for deposits were being paid compared to any time in the history of the city. John J. Walsh, formerly teller in the National Bank of St. Joseph, resigned his position with the First National Bank of Buchanan County and accepted the position of paying teller with the new Burnes National Bank. Mr. Walsh was from one of the oldest and most highly respected families of the city and was employed by the National Bank of St. Joseph for many years, gradually working himself up to one of the most important positions in the old bank.

On December 23, 1905, a telegram was received from the comptroller of the currency that the charter for the Burnes National Bank of St. Joseph had been issued. The legion of patrons of the old National Bank of St. Joseph were glad to see the old institution with a slight change in the name would again be launched as The Burnes National Bank of St. Joseph. The bank planned to open its doors to the public on or about January 1st. Mr. L.C. Burnes was at the head of the bank. The name of Burnes had been connected with banking institutions in St. Joseph for a third of a century. The Burnes National had capital of $200,000 and the following directors: Jas. H. McCord, J.A. Johnston, John D. Richardson, H.J. Mueller, R.W. Powell, W.H. Curtin, Jas. N. Burnes, Chas. E. Woodbury, L.C. Burnes, Gov. D.R. Francis of St. Louis, and R.M. Stevenson of Tarkio. The officers were L.C. Burnes, president; J.H. McCord, J.A. Johnston, and James N. Burnes, vice presidents; and George A. Nelson, cashier.

Official Bank Title

1: The National Bank of St. Joseph, MO

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Red Seal $10 bank note with printed signatures of E.D. McAllister, Cashier and L.C. Burnes, President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Auctions, www.lynknight.com

A total of $543,050 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1883 and 1905. This consisted of a total of 43,444 notes (43,444 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
1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 9118
1902 Red Seal	3x10-20	1 - 1743

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1883 - 1905):

Presidents:

• Calvin Fletcher Burnes, 1883-1895
• Lewis Calvin Burnes, 1896-1905

Cashiers:

• George C. Hull, 1883-1895
• Charles Frederick "Cully" Enright, 1896-1897
• Eugene D. McAllister, 1900-1905

Other Known Bank Note Signers

• No other known bank note signers for this bank

Bank Note History Links

• National Bank, Saint Joseph, MO History (NB Lookup)
• Missouri Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)

Sources

• Saint Joseph, MO, 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