Old National Bank/Old National City Bank, Lima, OH (Charter 8701)

Postcard showing the Old National Bank of Lima, Ohio on the corner of Main and High streets, ca1930s. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

Old NB/Old National-City Bank/Old National City Bank, Lima, OH (Chartered 1907 - Receivership 1931)

Town History

The Old National-City Bank moved into its new, 14-story white limestone building on Thursday, October 28, 1926 on 121 W. High Street.

Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio. The municipality is located in northwest Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately 72 miles north of Dayton, 78 miles southwest of Toledo, and 63 mi southeast of Fort Wayne, Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,771. Lima was founded in 1831.

The Lima Army Tank Plant, officially called the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, built in 1941, is the sole producer of the M1 Abrams. In May 1941, construction began on Lima Army Tank Plant to manufacture centrifugally cast gun tubes. In November 1942, United Motors Services took over operation of the plant to process vehicles under government contract. The plant prepared many vehicles for Europe, including the M5 light tank and the T-26 Pershing tank. At its peak during the war, the Lima Tank Depot employed over 5,000 people.

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

Bank History

Organized March 29, 1907
Chartered May 20, 1907
Opened for business June 21, 1907
1: Succeeded 3772 (Ohio National Bank, Lima, OH)
3: Receivership April 29, 1931

Authority to organize the Old National Bank of Lima with a capital of $100,000 was approved in March 1907. Application was made by L.H. Kibby, J.C. Thompson, F.W. Holmes, F.E. Harman, J.R. Sinclair, and H.F. Colvin. The Comptroller of the Currency authorized the Old National Bank of Lima to commence business on May 20, 1907. The Old National Bank Charter 8701 succeeded the Ohio National Bank Charter 3772 with no change in officers or location.

The Ohio National Bank of Lima, Ohio closed its affairs, its corporate existence having expired at the close of business on June 20, 1907. It was organized in March 1887 by James H. Woods, J.C. Thompson, L.H. Kibby, F.W. Holmes, J.B. Roberts, Thos. Duffield, J.C. Lineman, Dr. Frank Ewing, I.W. Satterthwaite, and Jacob Wise, with a capital of $120,000. The Ohio National Bank was on the corner of W. Market Street and the Public Square.

In 1907 The Old National Bank moved to the Opera House block on the corner of Main and High streets. Five national banks preceded the Old National Bank, those being The First National (2035), The Merchants National (2497), The Lima National (2859), the Ohio National (3772), and the American National (5125).

On October 10, 1925, the Old National Bank and the City Bank of Lima with a combined banking experience of nearly 92 years merged and began operating as The Old National-City Bank of Lima, Ohio under charter 8701. The City Bank of Lima was organized as a private bank in 1874. The Baxter brothers privately owned the City Bank. Two brothers, Dr. S.A. Baxter and A.C. Baxter, had their banking house at two sites over the years, the latest at the northeast corner of the Public Square. The Baxter interest was sold to Thornton T. Mitchell and his three sons in 1881. E.B. Mitchell was president at the time of the merger.

The Old National-City Bank moved into its new, 14-story white limestone building on Thursday, October 28, 1926 on 121 W. High Street. The bank officials and board of directors consisted of F.L. Maire, President; Elmer B. Mitchell, vice president and chairman of the Board of Directors; F.E. Harman, H.A. Holdridge, F.W. Cook, H.O. Jones, Edward C. Haneke, vice presidents; Worley F. Watts, cashier; Otis McBride and W.N. Jordan, assistant cashiers; E.C. Rohn, manager of the savings department; E.C. Haneke, trust officer; Gus Holstine, Charles Killian, Ortha O. Barr, J.E. Porter, Frank J. Banta, Thomas R. Schoonover, B.F. Thomas, W.L. Mackenzie, Wm. T. Agerter, Harold Cunningham, K.H. Mitchell, F.L. Maire, and F.E. Harman, directors.

The Comptroller of the Currency on August 7, 1931 informed the public that any claims against The Old National City Bank of Lima, Ohio must be presented to the receiver, C.H. Ellis within three months. Additionally, legal notice was given to stockholders that they were assessed $300,000 to make good the debts of the bank with C.H. Ellis to take necessary proceedings to enforce the decision.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Old National Bank of Lima, OH

2: The Old National-City Bank of (10/12/1925), Lima, OH

3: The Old National City Bank of [1929], Lima, OH

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Date Back $10 bank note with printed signatures of H.O. Jones, Cashier and J.C. Thompson, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $1,522,330 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1907 and 1931. This consisted of a total of 218,666 notes (159,572 large size and 59,094 small size notes).

1902 Plain Back $5 bank note with stamped signatures of W.F. Watts, Cashier and F.L Maire, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

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 - 1350
1: 1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 4700
1: 1902 DB/PB	3x10-20	4701 - 5100	Type uncertain
1: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	5101 - 12950
2: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	1 - 25593
3: 1929 Type 1	6x5	1 - 9849

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1907 - 1931):

1929 Type 1 $5 bank note with printed signatures of W.F. Watts, Cashier and F.L. Maire, President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Auctions, www.lynknight.com

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Bank Note Signers

There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.

Wiki Links

Sources

Lima, OH, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lima,_Ohio
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 Allen County Republican-Gazette, Lima, OH, Tue., Mar. 5, 1907.
The Lima News, Lima, OH, Tue., Oct. 26, 1926.
The Lima Morning Star and Republican-Gazette, Lima, OH, Tue., Oct. 26, 1926.
The Lima Morning Star and republican-Gazette, Lima, OH, Sat., Aug. 1, 1931.
The Lima News, Lima, OH, Thu., Sep. 10, 1931.