National City Bank/Grand Rapids NB, Grand Rapids, MI (Charter 3293)

Postcard showing an interior view of the main banking room, Grand Rapids National Bank, Grand Rapids, Michigan, ca1920s. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

National City Bank/Grand Rapids National City Bank/Grand Rapids NB, Grand Rapids, MI (Chartered 1885 - Receivership 1933)

Town History

Postcard of the Grand Rapids National City Bank at Night, ca1910s. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

Grand Rapids is the second-largest city in Michigan and the county seat of Kent County. Situated along the Grand River approximately 30 miles east of Lake Michigan, it is the economic and cultural hub of West Michigan, the fastest growing major city in Michigan, and one of the fastest growing cities in the Midwest. According to 2019 US Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 201,013, while the greater metropolitan area had a population of 1,077,370. In 1900 the population was 87,565 and in 1940, 164,292; it has been growing ever since.

A historic furniture manufacturing center, Grand Rapids is home to five of the world's leading office furniture companies and is nicknamed "Furniture City." The city and surrounding communities are economically diverse, based in the health care, information technology, automotive, aviation, and consumer goods manufacturing industries, among others.

Grand Rapids is the childhood home of U.S. President Gerald Ford, who is buried with his wife Betty on the grounds of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in the city. The city's main airport and one of its freeways are named after him.

Grand Rapids had 12 National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and 10 of those banks issued National Bank Notes. Grand Rapids also had two Obsolete Banks that issued Obsolete Bank Notes during the Obsolete Bank Note Era (1782-1866).

Bank History

Organized January 2, 1885
Chartered January 22, 1885
1: Succeeded 812 (City National Bank, Grand Rapids, MI)
2: Absorbed 2460 October 1, 1910 (Grand Rapids National Bank, Grand Rapids, MI)
3: Assumed 12108 by consolidation Mar 13, 1922 with title change (City National Bank (No Issue), Grand Rapids, MI)
3: Absorbed 2611 April 2, 1926 (Fourth National Bank, Grand Rapids, MI)
3: Conservatorship June 29, 1933
3: Receivership September 25, 1933

$20 National Bank Note on the Grand Rapids National City Bank of Grand Rapids, Michigan, check letter “B” series of 1902, W.T. Vernon, Register of the Treasury and Lee McClung, Treasurer of the United States, portrait of Hugh McCulloch/ This counterfeit bears the Charter Number 3293 in the border of the note which is the correct charter number of the bank, but in large blue figures on the face of the note the charter number is 3296. These blue numbers and the letter “M” indicating the geographical location of the bank are heavier than the genuine. The note is printed from photo-mechanical plates of fair workmanship on two pieces of paper between which a few fine silk threads have been distributed. These threads, however, cannot be seen on the face of the note as in the genuine.  From the Kenosha News, Kenosha, Wisconsin

On March 12, 1926, the directors of the Grand Rapids National Bank unanimously voted to absorb the Fourth National Bank, the control of which had passed to Joseph H. Brewer by reason of recent stock purchases. The consolidation, subject to approval by the comptroller of the currency, would add about $4,500,000 to the Grand Rapids National Bank's deposits, raising its total to more than $20 million and placing total assets in excess of $22 million. The Fourth National Bank's charter dated to January 9, 1882, when it was organized with a capitalization of $300,000 to take over the Merchants and Mechanics bank formed in 1879. The later bank was a merger of private banks. In May the comptroller of the currency announced that the Fourth National had gone into voluntary liquidation, having been Absorbed by the Grand Rapids National Bank.

On Tuesday, October 1, 1929, The Grand Rapids National Bank became affiliated with the Union Commerce Corporation of Detroit. The consolidation was approved at a director's meeting which recommended the proposition to all stockholders and authorized the sale of 75% of the capital stock. Joseph Brewer was the new president of the bank. Dudley E. Waters, former president, resigned to become chairman of the board. Charles H. Bender became a vice president and chairman of the executive committee and Alvah D. Crimmins retained the position of vice president and cashier.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The National City Bank of Grand Rapids, MI

2: Grand Rapids National City Bank (8/24/1910), Grand Rapids, MI

3: Grand Rapids National Bank (3/13/1922), Grand Rapids, MI

Bank Note Types Issued

1882 Brown Back $5 bank note with pen signatures of Frank Weldon, Cashier and James R. Wylie, President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Actions, www.lynknigt.com

1902 Plain Back $5 bank note with stamped signatures of R.M. Bremer, Assistant Cashier, and Charles H. Bender, Vice President. Courtesy of Heritage Actions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $50 bank note with printed signatures of A.D. Crimmins, Cashier and Dudley E. Waters, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $13,993,470 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1885 and 1933. This consisted of a total of 1,671,564 notes (1,451,196 large size and 220,368 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	4x5	1 - 20298
1: 1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 9404
1: 1902 Red Seal	4x5	1 - 15750
1: 1902 Red Seal	3x10-20	1 - 10200
1: 1902 Date Back	4x5	1 - 5077
1: 1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 4062
2: 1902 Date Back	4x5	1 - 42000
2: 1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 31800
2: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	42001 - 105000
2: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	31801 - 66200
3: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	1 - 83875
3: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	1 - 39882
3: 1902 Plain Back	3x50-100	1 - 3051
3: 1929 Type 1	6x5	1 - 21968
3: 1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 10274
3: 1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 3217
3: 1929 Type 1	6x50	1 - 932
3: 1929 Type 1	6x100	1 - 337

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Grand Rapids, Charter 3293, Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1885 - 1933):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Bank Note Signers

Wiki Links

Sources

Grand Rapids, MI, 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
Kenosha News, Kenosha, WI, Sat., Sep. 16, 1922.
Detroit Free Press, Detroit, MI, Sat., Mar. 13, 1926.
Battle Creek Enquirer, Battle Creek, MI, Thu., May 20, 1926.
The Herald-Press, Saint Joseph, MI, Wed., Oct. 2, 1929.