Old NB/Old-Commercial NB/First NB In Oshkosh, WI (Charter 6604)
Old National Bank/Old-Commercial NB/First NB, Oshkosh, WI (Chartered 1903 - Closed (Merger) 1996)
Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat. The city had an estimated population of 67,004 in 2019, making it the ninth-largest city in Wisconsin.
Oshkosh was named for Menominee Chief Oshkosh, whose name meant "claw" (cf. Ojibwe oshkanzh, "the claw"). Although the fur trade attracted the first European settlers to the area as early as 1818, it never became a major player in the fur trade. The 1820s mining boom in southwest Wisconsin along with the opening of the Erie Canal shifted commercial activity away from the Fox River Valley and Green Bay. Soon after 1830, much of the trade moved west, as there had been over-trapping in the region. Following the publicity caused by the Black Hawk War in 1832, there was increased interest in settling Wisconsin by whites from the East Coast, especially New York, Indiana, and Virginia, and by 1836 the cities of Milwaukee, Madison, Janesville, Beloit, and Fond du Lac were founded, with Madison the capital of a new territorial government, setting the stage for the economic and political importance of the southern part of the state. However, Oshkosh would continue to be one of Wisconsin's top five largest cities into the twentieth century.
The establishment and growth of the wood industry in the area spurred development of Oshkosh. Already designated as the county seat, Oshkosh was incorporated as a city in 1853. It had a population of nearly 2,800. The lumber industry became well established as businessmen took advantage of navigable waterways to provide access to both markets and northern pineries. The 1859 arrival of rail transportation expanded the industry's ability to meet the demands of a rapidly growing construction market. At one time, Oshkosh was known as the "Sawdust Capital of the World" due to the number of lumber mills in the city, 11 by 1860.
On April 28, 1875, Oshkosh had a "Great Fire" that consumed homes and businesses along Main Street north of the Fox River. The fire engulfed 70 stores, 40 factories, and 500 homes, costing nearly $2.5 million (or $51.2 million in 2010 money).
Oshkosh had 10 National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all 10 of those banks issued National Bank Notes. Oshkosh also had three Obsolete Banks that issued Obsolete Bank Notes during the Obsolete Bank Note Era (1782-1866).
Bank History
- Organized January 17, 1903
- Chartered February 2, 1903
- Opened for business February 2, 1903
- 1: Succeeded 2877 (National Bank, Oshkosh, WI)
- 1: Absorbed 4196 April 6, 1909 (German National Bank, Oshkosh, WI)
- 1: Absorbed 5557 November 1, 1919 with title change (Commercial National Bank, Oshkosh, WI)
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Changed name to First Wisconsin National Bank of Oshkosh, July 16, 1970
- Changed name to Firstar Bank Oshkosh, National Association September 14, 1992
- Merged into Firstar Bank Wisconsin in Madison, WI, April 29, 1996
On February 1, 1903, the corporate existence of The National Bank of Oshkosh ended. But a new bank was organized, The Old National Bank of Oshkosh with capital stock of $300,000, an increase of $100,000 over the previous amount. It was optional whether or not to secure an extension of the old charter or entirely wipe the slate and reorganize a brand new charter. The new company was organized mostly with the old officers and stockholders, but also a number of new ones. The comptroller of the currency in Washington had expressed himself in favor of the petition of the Oshkosh bankers to reorganize the National Bank of Oshkosh. The Officers were S.M. Hay, president; Edgar P. Sawyer, vice president; Charles Schriber, cashier; R.P Finney, assistant cashier. Directors were S.M. Hay, William J. Hay, Edgar P. Sawyer, Phil H. Sawyer, Charles Schriber, Moses Hooper and Joseph H. Porter.
On January 13, 1903, stockholders of the National Bank of Oshkosh re-elected the same directors. The directors reorganized by electing the following officers: Edgar P. Sawyer, president; Charles Schriber, vice president and cashier; and Roland P. Finney, assistant cashier. On Monday, February 2, 1903, The Old National Bank of Oshkosh opened in the quarters occupied by its predecessor on the corner of Main and Washington Streets. The same officers and directors were in charge of the new bank.
The bank traced its history as follows: 1852 Private bank of Darling, Wright, Kellogg, & Company 1856 Organized as The Bank of Oshkosh 1863 Organized as The First National Bank of Oshkosh 1883 Organized as the National Bank of Oshkosh 1903 Organized as The Old National Bank of Oshkosh
On Monday, April 5, 1909, stockholders of the German National Bank decided to liquidate and sell the entire banking business including the stock, deposits and good will to the Old National Bank effective April 9. The plan called for the transfer of Frank Labudde, cashier of the German National to the Old National as an assistant cashier.
In May 1910, the bank moved across Main Street and the building formerly occupied was to be razed and a handsome two story brick building erected there. In March 1911, the bank announced a series of openings starting on Friday afternoon, March 17th where scholars of the schools of Oshkosh were entertained and presented a souvenir. On March 18, the Formal Opening of the new quarters invited the public to inspect the equipment and banking room. And on March 20th, the institution opened for regular business. The officers were E.P. Sawyer, president; Chas. Schriber, vice president; Louis Schriber, cashier; J.P. Fitch and F.A. Labudde, assistant cashiers. The directors were Edgar P. Sawyer, president; Chas Schriber, vice president; S.W. Hollister, Hollister-Amos & Co., Lumber; Phil. H. Sawyer, secretary, Oshkosh Gas Light Co.; Moses Hooper, Hooper & Hooper, attorneys; W.H. Hatten, President, Hatten Lumber Co.; D.N. Cameron, general agent, N.W. Mutual Life Insurance Co.
On October 27, 1919, stockholders of the Old National Bank and the Commercial National Bank ratified the plans for consolidation. For the Commercial National Bank there were 1,920 shares out of 2,000 represented in person or by proxy and the vote in favor of uniting was unanimous. The following directors of the Commercial National Bank were elected to membership in the directorate of the new organization to be known as The Old Commercial National Bank: Thomas Daly, George F. Gilkey, E.R. Williams, D.C. Buckstaff, W.J. Campbell, W.E. Pollock, Charles P. Bray, John C. Thompson, and T.R. Wall. Three new directors were elected: O.T. Waite, H.C. Roenitz, and R.C. Brown. At a meeting of the board of directors on the 28th, new officers were elected as follows: Edgar P. Sawyer, president; Thomas Daly, vice president; Louis Schriber, vice president; E.R. Williams, vice president; J.P. Fitch, cashier; F.A. Labudde, E.R. Dickmann, and E.R. Heisinger, assistant cashiers; and Reid Murray, manager of the farm business department. Opening was planned for Saturday, November 1 in the quarters of the Old National Bank building, corner of Main and Washington Streets, the interior of which had been remodeled to accommodate the increased business and enlarged force of employees. All employees of the Commercial National Bank were retained in the combined institution.
In September, 1925, the new names for two well-know financial institutions, The Old-Commercial National Bank and Oshkosh Savings and Trust Company whose Trust and Investment business would be carried on separately by two individual companies. Hereafter, The Old-Commercial National Bank was known as the First National Bank in Oshkosh and the Oshkosh Savings and Trust Company as the First Trust Company in Oshkosh and First Investment Company in Oshkosh.
On the morning of August 10, 1852, Messrs. Darling, Wright, Kellogg, & Company opened their banking office in a jewelry store on Ferry Street, now Main Street. The capital was $4,000. In 1913 the directors of the bank organized a Trust Company to act as executor of estates, handle corporate and living trusts, to sell and advise in the sale and purchase of bonds and mortgages. This addition rounded out a well balanced financial institution with complete banking, trust and investment facilities all under one roof. In consecutive periods, the bank operated under the names The Bank of Oshkosh, The First National Bank, The National Bank, The Old National Bank, and the Old-Commercial National Bank. Mergers were made with the German National Bank in 1909 and the Commercial National Bank in 1919, each acting as another addition to the financial strength for the First National Bank. In 1925, the First National Bank in Oshkosh was the oldest and largest bank in the state north of Milwaukee with more than 12,000 clients.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Old National Bank of Oshkosh, WI
2: The Old-Commercial National Bank of (11/1/1919), Oshkosh, WI
3: First National Bank in (9/15/1925), Oshkosh, WI
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $4,506,300 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1903 and 1996. This consisted of a total of 362,719 notes (233,948 large size and 128,771 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 3x10-20 1 - 4300 1: 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 6500 1: 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 6501 - 7500 2: 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 22000 3: 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 24687 3: 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 14580 3: 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 4374 3: 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 11855 5989-6000 Not issued 3: 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 3192
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1903 - 1996):
Presidents:
- Edgar Philetus Sawyer, 1903-1923
- Louis Schriber, 1924-1935
Cashiers:
- Charles Schriber, 1903-1906
- Louis Schriber, 1907-1917
- Joseph P. Fitch, 1918-1922
- Frank A. Labudde, 1923-1925
- Edward Heisinger, 1926-1935
Other Bank Note Signers
- Louis Schriber signed notes as Vice President
- There are currently no known Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.
Wiki Links
- Wisconsin Bank Note History
- General information on Oshkosh (Wikipedia)
- General information on Winnebago County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Wisconsin (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Oshkosh, WI, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshkosh,_Wisconsin
- 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 Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI, Tue., Dec. 9, 1902.
- The Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI, Wed., Jan. 14, 1903.
- The Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI, Sat., Jan. 31, 1903.
- The Watertown News, Watertown, WI, Fri., Apr. 9, 1909.
- The Post-Crescent, Appleton, WI., Tue., May 10, 1910.
- The Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI, Sat., Mar. 11, 1911.
- The Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI, Sat., June 29, 1912.
- The Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI, Tue., Oct. 28, 1919.
- The Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, WI, Wed., Sep. 16, 1925.