National Exchange Bank, Greenville, RI (Charter 1498)
National Exchange Bank, Greenville, RI (Chartered 1865 - Liquidated 1928)
Town History
Greenville is a village and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Smithfield in Providence County, Rhode Island. The population was 8,658 at the 2010 census. The CDP is centered on the village of Greenville but also encompasses the nearby villages of West Greenville and Spragueville, as well as the Mountaindale Reservoir and beach.
The village of Greenville is named after Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene, who was born in Rhode Island in 1742. The location, however, was first settled in the 17th century. The village contains the Greenville Baptist Church (American Baptist Churches, USA), Greenville Public Library, and William Winsor School, and there are many apple orchards in the surrounding area. The area was active in the Free Will Baptist movement in the 19th century, and the Smithville Seminary, a Free Baptist institution, was nearby. U.S. Route 44, known locally as "Putnam Pike", runs through the center of Greenville.
Greenville had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized June 10, 1865
- Chartered August 1, 1865
- Conversion of The Smithfield Exchange Bank
- Liquidated July 20, 1928
- Succeeded by Greenville Trust Company
The Smithfield Exchange Bank was incorporated in 1822 at the Greenville Tavern. Nathan B. Sprague, Jr. was a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives and served as its speaker in 1826-1827. He was one of the original incorporators of the Smithfield Exchange Bank. The name was changed to the Exchange Bank circa 1863 and in 1865 it became the National Exchange Bank, charter number 1498.
William Winsor (1819–1904) was a philanthropist, town treasurer, bank officer, farmer, supporter of education, and co-founder of the Greenville Public Library. He was from Smithfield, Rhode Island where the William Winsor School was named after him. He studied at Smithville Seminary in 1841-49. He entered the Smithfield Exchange Bank in March 1845, becoming its cashier in July. He became cashier of the National Exchange Bank at its start in 1865, and treasurer of the Smithfield Savings Bank at its organization in 1872. With Hon. Benedict Lapham he bought the buildings of Smithville Seminary, giving the school to the association as Lapham Institute. He generously supported this institute himself, bearing its whole expense for the last year or two of its existence. He was generous with gifts to Bates College and to Storer College. He was the father of banker Nicholas Steere Winsor.
In January 1900, the following officers were elected by the stockholders of the National Exchange Bank: President, Hon. A.P. Mowry; vice president, M.I. Mowry; cashier, N.S. Winsor. The directors were Wm. Winsor, J.S. Appleby, S.H. Mowry, Simeon Sweet, Stephen C. Irons, S.H. Clemence, A.J. Mowry, and Alden B. Paine.
On Tuesday, January 12, 1909, at the annual meeting the following officers were elected: President, A.P. Mowry; Vice President, A.J. Mowry; Cashier, N.S. Winsor; Board of Directors, H.S. Turner, A.J. Mowry, Simeon Sweet, Walter A. Read, S.H. Mowry, Stephen H. Clemence, S.C. Irons, Daniel A. Smith and C.E. Walcott. The usual dividend was declared. After the business the officers adjourned to the vestry of the Baptist Church where a dinner was served by the Ladies Society of the church.
On Tuesday, July 7, 1914, Alonzo P. Mowry, a respected and prominent citizen of Smithfield, died at his home near this village after an illness of several weeks. Mr. Mowry received his education at the Smithfield schools and at Lapham Institute, North Scituate. He was at one time engaged in the shoe business in Providence and had for many years carried on the large farm where he resided. Mr. Mowry held various town offices; he also represented Smithfield for a number of years in the Rhode Island General Assembly. He was president of the National Exchange Bank of Greenville and a director of the Smithfield Savings Bank. He was a member of the Baptist Church of this place. A widow and two daughters, Mrs. Chester Walcott and Miss Bessie Mowry, survived him.
On Tuesday, January 12, 1915, the stockholders held their annual meeting at the banking rooms. The following officers were elected: President, Albert J. Mowry; Vice President, Chester E. Walcott; Directors, Walter A. Read, Stephen E. Clemence, Sidney H. Mowry, Stephen C. Irons, Marshall H. Mowry, Henry S. Turner, Daniel A. Clarke, Franklin S. Colwell, Chester E. Walcott and N.S. Winsor. At a meeting of the directors, Nicholas L. Winsor was elected cashier and Marshall H. Mowry, secretary. The annual dinner was served in the Baptist Vestry.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The National Exchange Bank of Greenville, RI
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $1,244,330 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1865 and 1928. This consisted of a total of 138,638 notes (138,638 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 Original Series 3x1-2 1 - 5600 Original Series 4x5 1 - 3775 Original Series 3x10-20 1 - 2710 Original Series 50-100 1 - 220 Series 1875 4x5 1 - 3405 Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 2220 Series 1875 50-100 1 - 322 1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 4254 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 2632 1882 Brown Back 50-100 1 - 309 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 1460 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 3900 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 3901 - 8178
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1865 - 1928):
Presidents:
- Elisha Smith, 1865-1872
- Benjamin Read Vaughan, 1873-1873
- Benjamin Read Vaughan, 1874-1874
- Benjamin Read Vaughan, 1875-1877
- Henry Esek Smith, 1878-1899
- Alonzo Percy Mowry, 1900-1913
- Albert J. Mowry, 1914-1920
- Chester Eugene Walcott, 1921-1928
Cashiers:
Other Known Bank Note Signers
Bank Note History Links
- National Exchange Bank, Greenville, RI History (NB Lookup)
- Rhode Island Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)
Sources
- Greenville, RI, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenville,_Rhode Island
- 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 Olneyville Times, Providence, RI, Fri., Jan. 19, 1900.
- The Olneyville Times, Providence, RI, Fri., Jan. 15, 1909.
- The Olneyville Times, Providence, RI, Fri., July 10, 1914.
- The Olneyville Times, Providence, RI, Fri., Jan. 15, 1915.