National Bank/Central NB/Central NB & TC, Saint Petersburg, FL (Charter 7796)
National Bank/Central NB/Central NB & TC, Saint Petersburg, FL (Chartered 1905 - Receivership 1931)
Town History
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the largest city in the state that is not a county seat (the city of Clearwater is the seat of Pinellas County). Along with Clearwater, these cities are part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area, the second-largest in Florida with a population of around 2.8 million. St. Petersburg is on the Pinellas peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, and is connected to mainland Florida to the north. Locals often refer to the city as St. Pete. In 1900 the population was 1,575 growing to 40,425 by 1930.
The city and its tourism industry burgeoned in the 1920s, with up to a quarter million visitors annually coming from Canada, the North and the Midwest by automobile, yacht, and railroad. The city was the principal Gulf Coast destination for long-distance trains of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's Southland (from Chicago and Cincinnati) and Gulf Coast Limited (from New York, succeeded by the West Coast Champion), and Seaboard Air Line Railroad trains such as the Southern States Special (from New York, succeeded by the Silver Meteor). Travel time from across the bay was cut due to the Gandy Bridge's opening in 1924, allowing direct access to Tampa and the rest of central Florida.
With an average of 361 days of sunshine annually, and a Guinness World Record for the most consecutive days of sunshine (768 days between 1967 and 1969), it is nicknamed "The Sunshine City." Located on the Gulf of Mexico, the average water temperature is typically around 76 °F. Due to its good weather, the city has long been a popular retirement destination, although in recent years the population has moved in a much more youthful direction.
Saint Petersburg had four National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and three of those issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized April 18, 1905
- Chartered June 20, 1905
- 3: Receivership April 21, 1931
In January 1907, the stockholders re-elected officers as follows: F.A. Wood, J.R. Williams, A. Welton, W.E. Heathcote, Cyrus W. Butler, Noel A. Mitchell, Roy S. Hanna, R.H. Thomas, T.K. Wilson, directors. The officers elected were F.A. Wood, president; W.E. Heathcote, vice president; T.K. Wilson, cashier; and A. G. Marchant, assistant cashier. The capital stock was increased from $25,000 to $50,000 and a liberal dividend declared.[1]
In April 1909, T.K. Wilson, former cashier of the St. Petersburg National Bank and president of the Tarpon Springs Bank was the new general manager of the Favorite Steamship Co. This new company had taken over all the business of the Independent Line of Steamships as well as the St. Petersburg Transportation Co.[2]
On Tuesday, January 11, 1910, at the annual meeting of the stockholders the board was increased from nine to eleven with Messrs. A.F. Thomasson and L.B. Skinner newly elected, the remaining director were all re-elected. It was also decided to change the name of the bank to the Central National Bank. After the business meeting was adjourned, the stockholders were treated to a sumptuous banquet at the Hollenback hotel.[3] In July, C.M. Gray, Jr. assistant cashier of the Central National Bank, was on vacation in Tennessee visiting old places of interest where he went to school. Later, he would continue to Warm Springs and Columbus, Georgia, for stops before returning home.[4]
In January 1912, the officers were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the office and bank fixtures and furnishings for the new building. The goods were ship and the installers were present awaiting their arrival.[5] In April 1912, the new Central National Bank building opened on the corner of Central Avenue and Fourth Street. The plans of Willis R. Riggers of Tampa were accepted the latter part of 1911 and construction was carried out under the supervision of the architects. Bank fixtures were competed and George W. Muller Bank Fixture Co. of Atlanta was the winner. The banking room was finished in elaborate mission style. Three large and spacious vaults, one for the banking room books and money, one fitted-up with steel safe-deposit boxes, and one on the mezzanine floor over these vaults. Also on the mezzanine was the magnificent quarters for the directors' room. The banking room had a ceiling height of 20 feet and the large circle windows afforded abundance of light. The building was five stories in height including the basement. The corridor floors were of mosaic tile and the office floors were of hardwood. The offices of the second floor each had an iron balcony with concrete floors and over the stores and banking entrances were Marquise awnings. The pilasters between the large windows of the banking room were illuminated by an electric bronze torch. The building was constructed of reinforced concrete with steel trusses for the room and finished with an elaborate red clay Spanish tile. The exterior was trimmed in white with the body in cream. Architect Willis R. Riggers also had plans accepted for the new court house and jail of Pinellas county, the Citrus County court house, the Sumter County court house and jail, the University High School of Gainesville, Florida, the high school at Fort Meade and Webster Florida. The construction was carried out by Harry F. Wildman of New Haven Connecticut. The directors of the Central National were F.A. Wood, president; R.S. Hanna, vice president; A.F. Thomasson, cashier; C.M. Gray, assistant cashier; Miss G.P. Sloat, secretary; W. Keith Armistead, Herbert T. Davis and E.V. Oberting, assistants. The directors were F.A. Wood, R.S. Hanna, A.F. Thomasson, R.H. Thomas, H.A. Kellam, D.W. Budd, W.H. Burns, N.A. Mitchell, H.A. Murphy, A. Welton, and Horace Williams.[6]
On May 22, 1921, Frank A. Wood, one time candidate for governor and for many years prominent in the business and political affairs of St. Petersburg, died from a rare cancer of the lungs. Mr. Wood was 60 years old on March 31st last, and was born in Brownsville, Ontario, Canada. He spent his early life in British Columbia associated with E.H. Tomlinson in mining. They owned a silver and lead mine in British Columbia. Mr. and Mrs. Wood came to St. Petersburgh about 1901 and played an important role in the development of the Sunshine City. Mr. Wood erected the brick business block on Central Avenue between Third and Fourth Streets. It was one of the first brick business houses erected. Several years ago he retired from active service in the National Bank and sold all but a few shares of his stock in the bank. He was president of the board of directors at the time of his death. Mr. Wood was a representative in the lower house of the legislature for one term and was a candidate for governor when Catts was nominated in the primary. Johns Hopkins hospital discover the tumor in his lung by accident when assessing his abdomen for an abscess. It was declared inoperable and Mr. Wood was given only a short time to live.[7]
In January 1922, stockholders elected two new directors, Bayard S. Cook and William M. Davis. The rest of the board was re-elected as follows: J.F. Alexander, D.W. Budd, F.E. Cole, G.W. Cooper, H.A. Dann, H.C. Dent, R.S. Hanna, H.A. Kellam, A.F. Thomasson, J.W. Watson, W.L. Watson, A. Welton, and John J. Woodside. the directors at their meeting in the evening named C.L. Armstrong as a new assistant cashier. Other officers were re-elected as follows: A.F. Thomasson, president; R.S. Hanna, vice president; W.L. Watson, cashier; H.D. Smith, Floyd Thomasson, and F.P. Davis, assistant cashiers.[8]
On Tuesday, January 11, 1927, the stockholders elected the following directors: Bayard S. Cook of Cook and Harris; G.W. Cooper; Herman A. Dann of Dann-Gerow Co.; Dr. William M. Davis; H.C. Dent, Dent and English Company; Roy S. Hanna; Dixie M. Hollins; Frank S. Jonsberg, supervising architect; J.W. Ruff; J.H. Rutland of Rutland Bros.; H.D. Smith; A.F. Thomasson; J.L. Watson; W.L. Watson; and A. Welton. The officers elected were A.F. Thomasson, president; R.S. Hanna, W.L. Watson, and H.D. Smith, vice presidents; Floyd A. Thomasson, cashier; C.L. Armstrong, W.C. Stamper, and R.K. Bongard, assistant cashiers. J.C. Shelton was trust officer and J.A. Mead, auditor.[9] At the close of 1926, the bank reported total resources of $8,275,452.24, with capital $300,000, Surplus and net profits $706,779.88, circulation--none, and deposits of $7,250,672.36. Since its organization, the bank had paid $259,000 in dividends and the capital and surplus of the Central Investment Company, $142,000, was owned by the stockholders.[10]
On April 17, 1931, the Central National Bank and Trust Company closed its doors at 10 a.m. after remaining open one hour.[11]
In September 1936, the Central National Bank and Trust Company, according to the treasury's report, had paid 42% of outstanding obligations on the books when the bank closed in April 1931. Altogether, creditors received $767,909. There remained an estimated asset value of $95,225 to pay off the 58% of obligations still remaining. When the bank shut down, total liabilities were listed as $2,802,284, while assets on the books were valued at $3,126,111.[12]
Official Bank Titles
1: The National Bank of St. Petersburg, FL
2: The Central National Bank of St. Petersburg, FL (1/21/1910)
3: The Central National Bank and Trust Company of St. Petersburg, FL (1/16/1922)
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $1,175,550 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1905 and 1931. This consisted of a total of 99,012 notes (99,012 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: 1902 Red Seal 4x5 1 - 1625 1: 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 1306 1: 1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 445 1: 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 186 2: 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 6400 2: 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 6401 - 13300 3: 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 7891
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1905 - 1931):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
- Thomas K. Wilson, 1905-1908
- Alfred Ferdinand Thomasson, 1909-1912
- Charles McIlvaine Gray, 1913-1917
- William Leavitt Watson, 1918-1925
- H. D. Smith, 1925-1925
- Floyd Ayers Thomasson, 1926-1929
- Evard Ewart Puryear, 1930-1931
Other Known Bank Note Signers
Bank Note History Links
Sources
- Saint Petersburg, FL, 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
- ↑ The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, FL, Fri., Jan. 11, 1907.
- ↑ The Weekly Tribune, Tampa, FL, Thu., Apr. 1, 1909.
- ↑ The Weekly Tribune, Tampa, FL, Thu., Jan. 13, 1910.
- ↑ The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, FL, Thu., July 7, 1910.
- ↑ The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, FL, Tue., Jan. 23, 1912.
- ↑ The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, FL, Mon., Apr. 29, 1912.
- ↑ The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, FL, Tue., May 24, 1921.
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay, FL, Wed., Jan. 11, 1922.
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay, FL, Wed., Jan. 12, 1927.
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay, FL, Sat., Jan. 1, 1927.
- ↑ Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, FL, Fri., Apr. 17, 1931.
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay, FL, Sat., Sep. 19, 1936.