National Bank of Fayette County, Uniontown, PA (Charter 681)
National Bank of Fayette County, Uniontown, PA (Chartered 1864 - Receivership 1931)
Town History
Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 46 miles southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Greater Pittsburgh Region. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat and largest city of Fayette County. Popularly known as "Beesontown", the "town of Union" was founded by Henry Beeson on July 4, 1776, the same day the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
In the late nineteenth century, the town grew based on the development of coal mines and the steel industry. Uniontown was the site of violent clashes between striking coal miners and guards at the local coke works during the bituminous coal miners' strike of 1894. Fifteen guards armed with carbines and machine guns held off an attack by 1,500 strikers, killing five and wounding eight.
As with most of Western Pennsylvania, Uniontown's economy waned during the region's deindustrialization of the late 20th century, when the steel industry restructured and many jobs went elsewhere, including offshore. This decline continued into the 21st century, and the population is about half its peak of 1940.
In 1967, Uniontown was the birthplace of the McDonald's Big Mac sandwich. In 2007, the Big Mac Museum was opened in North Huntingdon Township in Westmoreland County, to the disappointment of some Uniontown residents. For a list of notable persons from Uniontown, including General of the Army George C. Marshall, see the wiki links section below.
Uniontown had five National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and four of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized December 19, 1864
- Chartered December 31, 1864
- Succeeded Bank of Fayette County
- Assumed Fayette Title and Trust Company, Uniontown by consolidation November 1, 1930
- Receivership October 12, 1931
The Bank of Fayette County was a state bank established in 1858, receiving its charter as a national bank in 1864. In January 1865, the National Bank of Fayette County increased its capital to $65,000. In January 1867, Directors elected for the ensuing year were: Hon. J.K. Ewing, Hon. Daniel Sturgeon, Hon. John Huston, Col. W.H. Bailey, John H. McClelland, James T. Gorley, A. Hadden, E. Bierer, and Richard Miller.
The Killing of Captain Nutt
Captain A.C. Nutt arrived in Uniontown on the train Saturday night having traveled from Harrisburg. On Sunday, December 24, 1883, with a young relative named Craft, he met his nephew, Clark Breckenridge, cashier of the People's Bank of Uniontown. They went to Breckenridge's bank across the street and transacted some business privately. Nutt said he had received two letters from N.L. Dukes and intended to call on him and asked Breckenridge to accompany him. Breckenridge and his uncle came out of the bank and crossed the street to the Jennings House and asked for Mr. Dukes. They were shown to his room and Nutt entered while Breckenridge remained outside. A scuffle ensued and Breckenridge entered. He found the two gentlemen struggling together and attempted to separate them. A gentlemen down stairs named James I. Feather, son-in-law of the landlord, hearing the noise, ran up to see what was the matter. He found Breckenridge holding Nutt and succeeded in grabbing Dukes, pushing him to a corner of the room. Dukes raised a revolver and fired at Captain Nutt, the bullet entering just below the left eye. Captain Nutt expired a few moments later, never speaking after he was shot. After the fatal shot, Mr. Feather succeeded in securing the revolver out of Dukes' hands, not however without a desperate struggle. Dukes put on his coat and walked swiftly down a back street to the jail and gave himself up to the sheriff, remarking there had been trouble down the street. Mayor H.F. Detweiler arrived at the jail a few minutes later and Dukes asked him "How are matters down street?" Bad enough, he's dead was the reply.
Dukes was jailed and watched closely to ensure he didn't commit suicide. He was about 33 years old, unmarried, a graduate of Princeton College, class of 1873, and had just been elected as a democrat to the state legislature to represent Fayette County.
Captain Nutt was well known throughout the state having for a number of years been cashier of the National Bank of Fayette County, a member of the State Historical Society, and of the bar. He was appointed state cashier, Pennsylvania Treasury Department, soon after the election of General Bailey. He had a wife and seven children.
The dispute was rumored to have grown out of certain outrageous statements made by Dukes about Captain Nutt's eldest daughter and at the time of the killing the captain was demanding justice. The captain was armed with a cane and a 38 caliber Colt's revolver in his hip pocket that he never removed. Captain Nutt since his connection with the bank had carried arms. The revolver Dukes used was a 32 caliber Smith and Wesson which he purchased less than a week prior. The funeral of Captain Nutt took place on December 26, 1882 and was in the charge of the Masonic order, escorted by Company C, Tenth regiment of the state militia.
On March 17, 1883, the law-abiding citizens of Uniontown were shocked and horrified by the verdict of the jury of "Not Guilty." The Judge denounced the verdict and reprimanded the jurors. N. Lyman Dukes resigned from the House prior to taking the oath of office, March 26, 1883. He died in Uniontown on June 14, 1883, refusing to leave the city despite warnings of the citizens. The eldest son of Captain Nutt, James, fired five shots, the first penetrating near the heart followed by two more within 4 inches of the first and another two while the man was dying near the door to the post office. Papers at the time thought he would be acquitted on a plea of temporary insanity.
Murderous threats were made by Dukes' defenders against Clark Breckenridge. The trial of James Nutt was removed to Pittsburgh and began on Monday Jan. 14, 1884. On January 22, 1884, the jury returned a verdict of "Not Guilty" and this was received with rejoicing and remarks of approbation on "all sides."
Consolidation with the Fayette Title and Trust Company
The board of directors elected in January 1930 consisted of M.H. Bowman, president, James G. Binns, vice president, Charles S. Bowman, Homer I. Burchinal, W. Russell Carr, R.M. Fry, W.C. Hood, S.W. Metzler, Jos. W. Ray, Jr., Dr. F.C. Robinson, and Harry Whyel. Mr. Bowman died on February 15, in route by motor to Florida. He was stricken with pneumonia and while in a Raleigh, North Carolina hospital, suffered a heart attack. Mr. Bowman started his banking career as a clerk in the First National Bank of Uniontown followed by work in McKeesport, the People's Bank of Uniontown and finally becoming cashier of the National Bank of Fayette County. He succeeded the late Captain Nutt as cashier of the National Bank of Fayette County and served until April 13, 1914 when he was elected president. The institution had remarkable growth under Mr. Bowman as president.
On October 26, 1930, a special meeting of the shareholders of the National Bank of Fayette County was held at the banking house at No. 12 East Main Street for the purpose of determining whether to consolidate with the Fayette Title and Trust Co. of Uniontown under a plan developed by the directors of both institutions. The Fayette Title and Trust Co. was led by John M. Core, president and Robert E. Umbel, secretary. James G. Binns had taken the lead as president of the National Bank of Fayette County with cashier H.H. Hess. The merger was approved by stockholders of the two institutions on November 18, 1930.
Bank closes its doors, Monday, October 12, 1931
The directors elected in January 1931 were J.W. Abraham, James G. Binns, C.S. Bowman, H.L. Burchinal, W. Russell Carr, John M. Core, A.E. Crow, R.M. Fry, Guy B. Gillmore, Homer H. Hess, W.C. Hood, J.H. Lynn, G.O. Rush, S. Ray Shelby, A.C. Sherrard, Robert E. Umbel, Harry Whyel. Officers elected were James G. Binns, president; John M. Core, vice president; S.W. Metzler, vice president; Homer H. Hess, cashier; Wm. B. Beeson, T.P. Darby, J.S. conrad, J.W. Sembower, and L.M. Reed, assistant cashier; Wm. B. Beason trust officer and R.B. Brehm, assistant trust officer.
In the February 25th edition of the Morning Herald of Uniontown, a statement from the directors of the National Bank of Fayette County told customers that rumors being circulated by irresponsible or wrongly informed persons, or those with criminal intentions were absolutely false. Also, that the bank was prepared to meet any situation that may arise. They welcomed information regarding the persons spreading false and malicious rumors. The bank run forced the directors to close the bank on Monday, October 12, 1931, placing it into the hands of B.J. Bleakley, receiver. In December, disconsolate since the closing of the bank of which he was a director, J.H. Lynn, 62, ended his life by shooting himself. In January 1932, the receiver, John K. McKee, found the books showed almost exactly $1,000,000 more in assets than liabilities, according to the first quarterly statement of the progress of liquidation. As of October 1931, the receiver showed assets of 11,033,618.81 and liabilities of $10,039,362.91 of the bank that was declared insolvent on October 10, 1931. By March 1934, the third dividend was expected to be paid out, made possible by a loan negotiated with the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, resulting in an aggregate of 35% to have been paid out since the institution closed two and a half years earlier.
Official Bank Title
1: The National Bank of Fayette County, Uniontown, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $2,691,650 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1864 and 1931. This consisted of a total of 189,096 notes (185,844 large size and 3,252 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments Original Series 4x5 1 - 3250 Original Series 3x10-20 1 - 1700 Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 2700 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 9464 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 3800 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 8800 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 8801 - 24220 1902 Plain Back 3x50-100 1 - 1327 1929 Type 1 6x50 1 - 415 1929 Type 1 6x100 1 - 127
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1864 - 1931):
Presidents:
- Alfred Patterson, 1865-1865
- Judge John Kennedy Ewing, 1865-1899
- Judge Nathaniel Ewing Jr., 1900-1913
- Morgan Henderson Bowman, 1914-1929
- James G. Binns, 1930-1930
Cashiers:
- William Wilson, 1865-1877
- Capt Adam Clarke Nutt, 1878-1881
- Morgan Henderson Bowman, 1882-1913
- Benjamin Betterton Howell, 1914-1923
- Homer Hoyt Hess, 1924-1930
Other Bank Note Signers
- Dr. Levi S. Gaddis, Vice President, 1900...1913
- B.B. Howell signed as an Assistant Cashier before he became the bank's cashier
Wiki Links
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History
- General information on Uniontown (Wikipedia)
- General information on Fayette County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Uniontown, PA, 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://bbdata.banknotehistory.com
- The Pittsburgh Daily Commercial, Pittsburgh, PA, Fri., Jan. 13, 1865.
- Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Tue., Jan. 22, 1867.
- Harrisburg Daily Independent, Harrisburg, PA, Tue., Dec. 26, 1882.
- The Lancaster Examiner, Lancaster, PA, Wed., Jan. 2, 1884.
- The Evening Dispatch, York, PA, Fri., June 15, 1883.
- The Somerset Herald, Somerset, PA, Wed., Jan. 16, 1884
- The Somerset Herald, Somerset, PA, Wed., Jan. 23, 1884.
- The Morning Herald, Uniontown, PA, Wed., Jan. 15, 1930.
- The Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA, Sat., Feb. 15, 1930.
- The Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA, Tue., Nov. 18, 1930.
- The Morning Herald, Uniontown, PA, Wed., Jan. 14, 1931.
- The Morning Herald, Uniontown, PA, Wed., Feb. 25, 1931.
- The Gettysburg Times, Gettysburg, PA, Tue., Dec. 1, 1931.
- The Evening News, Harrisburg, PA, Mon. Oct. 12, 1931.
- The Evening Standard, Uniontown, PA, Fri., Jan. 15, 1932.
- The Evening Standard, Uniontown, PA, Mon., Mar. 5, 1934.