National Bank/First NB, Greenville, SC (Charter 1935)

First National Bank of Greenville, South Carolina, at 102 South Main Street, ca2023. At the time of the photo, the building housed a branch of TD Bank. Lower left shows details of the building. Courtesy of Google Maps

National Bank/First NB, Greenville, SC (Chartered 1872 - Open past 1935)

Town History

An 1890 sketch of the Mansion House, Greenville, South Carolina.

Greenville (/ˈɡriːnvɪl/ GREEN-vil; locally /ˈɡriːnvəl/ GREEN-vəl) is a city in and the county seat of Greenville County, South Carolina. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the 6th-most populous city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway between Atlanta, Georgia, and Charlotte, North Carolina, along Interstate 85. Its metropolitan area also includes Interstates 185 and 385. Greenville is the anchor city of the Upstate, a combined statistical area with a population of 1,487,610 at the 2020 census. Greenville was the fourth fastest-growing city in the United States between 2015 and 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Numerous large companies are located within the Greenville, such as Michelin, Prisma Health, Bon Secours, and Duke Energy.

Greenville County was created in 1786. Some sources state it was named for its physical appearance, while others say the county is named after General Nathanael Greene in honor of his service in the American Revolutionary War, or after early settler Isaac Green. Lemuel J. Alston came to Greenville County in 1788 and bought 400 acres and a portion of Pearis' former plantation. In 1797 Alston used his land holdings to establish a village called Pleasantburg at Greenville Courthouse where he also built a stately mansion. In 1816, Alston's land was purchased by Vardry McBee, who then leased the Alston mansion for a summer resort before making the mansion his home from 1835 until his death in 1864. In 1824, on the northwest corner of Court Square, Col. William Toney from Charleston opened the Mansion House, the most prominent and longest-running hotel in 19th century Greenville. Across the street from the Mansion House on the northeast corner of Court Square, Dr. John Crittenden opened a small hotel under his name that later became known as the Carolina Hotel. The Mansion House was one of the few structures that would survive the devastating effects of the Civil War. Pleasantburg was renamed as Greenville in 1821 and became a village in 1831.

Considered to be the father of Greenville, McBee donated land for many structures such as churches, academies, and a cotton mill. Furman University was funded by McBee who helped bring the university to Greenville from Winnsboro, South Carolina in 1851. In 1853 McBee and other Greenville County leaders funded a new railroad called the Greenville and Columbia Railroad. Greenville boomed to around 1,000 in the 1850s due to the growth of McBee's donations and the attraction of the town as a summer resort for visitors.

National Register of Historic Places, F.F. Beattie House was the house built in 1834 by F.F. Beattie, a successful dry goods merchant. The house was occupied by Beattie descendants until 1940 and now is used as the Greenville Woman's Club; it is the third oldest structure remaining in Greenville.

Greenville had six National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all six of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

• Organized January 24, 1872
• Chartered February 14, 1872
• Succeeded H. Beattie & Co.
• 2: Absorbed 9190 Mar 25, 1919 (Fourth National Bank, Greenville, SC)
• Bank was Open past 1935
• Merged with South Carolina NB, Charleston, SC (Charter 2044) February 1957

In 1872, Mr. Hamlin Beattie established the National Bank of Greenville, capital stock $100,000, one of the first banks in the upper section of the state and the first in Greenville. The National Bank of Greenville was only the 12th national bank in South Carolina. Mr. Beattie had served as an agent for the Bank of Charleston while conducting his store, performing banking services for Greenville including the selling of New York exchange. Mr. Beattie remained president of the bank until his death in January 1914.

In January 1872, a meeting of gentlemen proposing to organize a national bank in the the City of Greenville met in the parlor of the Mansion House. Rev. Dr. J.P. Boyce was called to the chair and James Birnie, Esq., was requested to act as secretary. Subscription of $80,000 were obtained and the necessary papers were signed to send to the comptroller of the currency in Washington. The following officers and directors were elected: Hamlin Beattie, Esq., president; John J. Blackwood, cashier; James P. Boyce, Alexander McBee, James Birnie, R.M. Oates, J.J. Palmer, William Beattie, M.J. Bearden, Col. H.P. Hammett, and Dr. J.M. Sullivan. A branch of the Citizens Savings Bank was planned for the same office with the national bank which would give other opportunities for business. In February 1872, Mr. Hamlin Beattie, Esq., returned from Washington having perfected full and complete arrangements for the operation of his bank. The large safe was already shipped and the bank would open in rooms of the old Goodlett House on Main Street. In March 1872, the bank commenced operations.

In August 1890, the National Bank of Greenville had been established for seventeen years and had capital $100,000, surplus and undivided profits $180,000. The directors were H.P. Hammett, H.C. Markley, Wm. Wilkins, Alex. McBee, W.H. Perry, and Hamlin Beattie. Hamlin Beattie was president and W.E. Beattie, cashier.

In April 1891, the Piedmont Savings and Investment Company of Greenville capital stock $100,000, a new enterprise chartered by the Secretary of State, was organized and officers elected. In June 1895, the company had assets over $125,000, with Hamlin Beattie, president; F.F. Capers, secretary and treasurer; Julius C. Smith, vice president; and L.W. Parker, manager of loans. Interest on deposits was 5% paid in the office in the National Bank of Greenville.

In December 1900, the National Bank of Greenville occupied its magnificent new building at the southwest corner of Main Street and McBee Avenue. The building was two-stories high and the bank occupied the first floor while the second floor was fitted with comfortable offices. An iron stairway was placed on the outside leading to the second floor. The front rooms of the second floor would be occupied by the Piedmont Manufacturing Co. The office force of the bank and the Piedmont Savings and Investment Co. consisted of Hamlin Beattie, president; W.E. Beattie, cashier; H.C. Beattie, assistant cashier; James Birnie, teller; Perry Beattie, bookkeeper; and John Turner, collector. The officers of the Piedmont Savings and Investment Co. were F.F. Capers, secretary and treasurer and Wilson Glover, teller. In January 1901, the local offices of the Piedmont Manufacturing Co. moved into the second story of the new building of the Greenville National Bank. The bank was originally located near Main and Washington Streets, but moved to four doors below their present building.

In January 1912, The First National Bank of Greenville, successor to the National Bank of Greenville, founded in 1872, had capital $100,000, Surplus $100,000, and undivided profits $42,000. Hamlin Beatie was president; J.E. Beattie, vice president; and Perry Beattie, cashier.

On Thursday, January 9, 1913, the stockholders met and re-elected all directors and officers. The directors were Hamlin Beattie, H.C. Markley, J.E. Beattie, W.E. Beattie, N.C. Poe, L.M. McBee, and Charles McAlister. The officers were Hamlin Beattie, president; J.E. Beattie, vice president; H.C. Markley, vice president; W.E. Beattie, vice president; and Perry Beattie, cashier.

On Tuesday, February 18, 1919, following a meeting of the board of directors of the Fourth National Bank, announcement was made that an agreement had been ratified whereby the business of the Fourth National bank would be consolidated with the First National Bank, the consolidated business retaining the name of the First National Bank, conducting business at the home of this institution on the corner of Main Street and McBee Avenue. W.C. Cleveland, president of the Fourth National would become active vice president of the First National and H.J. Winn, cashier of the Fourth National would be assistant cashier of the First National Bank. The Fourth National Bank was established in Greenville in 1908 by J.P. Rickman. Mr. Cleveland was elected president in 1910. The Fourth National Bank was located at 106 North Main Street, the building was later in the year leased by the newly organized Woodside National Bank of Greenville. The negotiations between the two banks had been pending for some weeks and were handled by Vivian M. Manning of Greenville. In November 1919, the officers of the First National Bank and its Savings Department, Piedmont Savings & Trust Co., were Fountain F. Beattie, president; William C. Cleveland, vice president, William E. Beattie, vice president and Chairman; William R. Cely, vice president; Henry J. Winn, cashier; George S. Sloan, assistant cashier; Charles E. David, treasurer, and Alfred G. Taylor, secretary.

A 1957 photo of W.W. McEachern, president and chairman of the board of the First National bank of Greenville (left) and B.M. Edwards, president of the South Carolina National Bank.

In February 1936, the officers were F.F. Beattie, president; W.R. Cely, vice president and trust officer; and H.J. Winn, cashier. The bank was located on the corner of Main Street and McBee Avenue with total resources of over $7.7 million.

In January 1955, shareholders approved a stock split of two for one on the outstanding 25,000 shares with a par value of $20. The bank had capital of $500,000 and a surplus of $2,000,000. The following directors were re-elected: F.W. Symmes, Robert E. Henry, N.C. Noe, Jr., Charles A. Gibson, Herman N. Hipp, R.E. Ebert, William H. Beattie, Charles E. Daniel, Fountain F. Beattie, W. Gordon McCabe, Jr., Henry J. Winn, and W.W. McEachern. W.W. McEachern was president.

In February 1957, an announcement was a made in Greenville by President B.M. Edwards, Jr. and President W.W. McEachern of the Greenville bank that the boards of directors of the South Carolina National Bank and of the First National Bank of Greenville had reached an agreement to consolidate the two institutions, the surviving entity to be known as the South Carolina National Bank. Merger would be effected by exchange of stock on a basis of one and three tenths shares of South Carolina National Bank stock for each share of the First National Bank of Greenville stock. Headquarters of the new institution would remain at Columbia with 31 branch offices and resources of $250,000,000. On the dale of the merger if effected Mr. McEachern would become president and chief executive officer while Mr. Edwards would remain as chairman of the board of directors for the remainder of 1957, retiring at the end of the year. Mr. Edwards stated that he had served his institution for four years beyond his retirement date and welcomed the opportunity to relinquish the office of president. Mr. McEachern, who had been president of the First National Bank since 1950, had served as president of the Union Trust Company, St. Petersburg, Florida, and the First National Bank of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. From 1946 to 1950, he served as executive vice president of the Bank of Virginia in Richmond. The South Carolina National Bank had at the end of 1956 total resources of $193,612,616.51 with offices at Anderson, Belton, Charleston, Cheraw, Columbia, Dillon, Florence, Fort Jackson, Georgetown, Greenville, Leesville, Mt. Pleasant Naval Base, Newberry, North Charleston, Pickens, St. Matthews, Seneca, Shaw Air Force Base, and Sumter.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The National Bank of Greenville, SC

2: The First National Bank of Greenville, SC (1/25/1912)

Bank Note Types Issued

1882 Brown Back $20 bank note with pen signatures of Perry Beattie, Cashier and Hamlin Beattie, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with stamped signatures of H.J. Winn, cashier and F.F. Beattie, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with printed signatures of H.J. Winn, cashier and F.F. Beattie, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $3,019,830 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1872 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 293,485 notes (236,808 large size and 56,677 small size notes).

This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s	Sheet Comments
1: Original Series	4x5	1 - 3250
1: Original Series	3x10-20	1 - 1000
1: Series 1875	4x5	1 - 2750
1: Series 1875	3x10-20	1 - 4922
1: 1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 11100
1: 1882 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 3476
2: 1902 Date Back	4x10	1 - 7750
2: 1902 Plain Back	4x10	7751 - 32704
2: 1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 7170
2: 1929 Type 2	10	1 - 13657

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1872 - 1935):

Presidents:

• Hamlin Beattie, 1872-1913 NOTE: A featured biography is available
• John Edgeworth Beattie, 1914-1916
• Fountain Fox Beattie Sr., 1917-1935

Cashiers:

• John J. Blackwood, 1872-1879
• Luther M. McBee, 1880-1880
• Harris Tinker Poe, 1881-1881
• William E. Beattie, 1882-1904
• Benjamin Franklin Perry Beattie, 1905-1916
• William Riley Cely Sr., 1917-1918
• Henry John Winn, 1919-1935

Other Known Bank Note Signers

• No other known bank note signers for this bank

Bank Note History Links

• National Bank/First NB, Greenville, SC History (NB Lookup)
• South Carolina Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)

Sources

• Greenville, SC, 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
• Glimpses of Greenville: Greenville’s Antebellum Hotels, accessed Jan. 27, 2024.