Pittsfield National Bank, Pittsfield, NH (Charter 1020)
Pittsfield National Bank, Pittsfield, NH (Chartered 1865 - Closed (Merger) 1978)
Town History
Pittsfield is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire and is located on the Suncook River. The population was 4,075 at the 2020 census. In 1860, the population was 1,838, growing to 2,605 by 1890.
For many years prior to its 1782 incorporation, the area was an unnamed parish of Chichester. Like Pittsburg in the north, Pittsfield was named for William Pitt, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and a great friend of the colonies prior to the American Revolution. The town was settled in 1768 by several families originally from Hampton, New Hampshire. Founder John Cram built grist and sawmills here in the late 18th century. Since 1901, Globe Manufacturing has made protective clothing for firefighters here.
Pittsfield had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes. Pittsfield also had one obsolete bank, the Pittsfield Bank, and it issued bank notes.
Bank History
- Organized February 16, 1865
- Chartered April 17, 1865
- Succeeded Pittsfield Bank
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Merged into Concord National Bank, Concord, NH, June 30, 1978
The New Hampshire Legislature in 1850 drove a large amount of business through the two branches. The banking capital of the State was increased $390,000, by creating six new banks, viz.: Carroll County Bank, at Sandwich; Pittsfield Bank, at Pittsfield; Warner Bank, at Warner; Monadnock Bank, at Jaffrey; Amonoosuck Bank, at Bath; White Mountain Bank, at Lancaster; capital, $50,000 each. Additionally, increased capital in the amount of $50,000 was granted to Amoskeag Bank, Manchester, whose present capital was $100,000, and $40,000 to Claremont Bank, Claremont, present capital $60,000.
On December 26, 1899, at a meeting of the stockholders of the Pittsfield National Bank, it was voted to move the institution to Dover, New Hampshire, the change to take place at once. The capital stock was authorized to be increased from $50,000 to $100,000 and in its new location the bank would be known as the Dover National Bank. The bank was established in 1850 and reorganized as the Pittsfield National Bank in 1865. The officers of the institution were: president, Hon. C.H. Carpenter of Chichester; cashier, J.A. Goss, Pittsfield; assistant cashier, C.C. Goss, Pittsfield. It was understood that Assistant Cashier C.C. Goss would go to Dover and become identified with the bank and its new location. The reason assigned for the change is that an unusually good opportunity was offered for the bank in Dover while the business that was carried on Pittsfield was limited.
On February 4, 1903, John A. Goss, town treasurer and one of Pittsfield's most prominent citizens died after suffering from Bright's disease for several days. No man in town had been more active in business and political life that he for the past 30 years. He was born in Epsom, New Hampshire, August 28, 1847, the son of William and Maryette Goss of that town. At the age of 14 he learned the blacksmith trade, thus paving his way to carriage manufacturing which he engaged in throughout his entire career. He became a resident of Pittsfield in 1876, entering upon the duties of cashier of the Pittsfield National Bank, succeeding Josiah Carpenter who moved to Manchester. When it was proposed in 1900 to remove the institution to Dover, Mr. Goss exerted himself with great zeal for its retention in Pittsfield and was successful. The bank was reorganized under new stockholders and placed upon a firm financial basis, Mr. Goss remaining its cashier. In January 1884, he founded the Farmers' Savings Bank, becoming its treasurer until his death. He was town treasurer as well as the school fund treasurer for the past 10 years. He was an Odd Fellow, Mason, and member of the Amoskeag veterans of Manchester. He was married to Miss Electa Carpenter, daughter of Hon. Charles Carpenter of Chichester and they had three children.
On the morning of November 8, 1931, Mrs. Electa A. Goss, 85, former president of the Pittsfield National Bank which her father and her son had once headed as president, died at her home on Main Street. She was one of the few women bank presidents in the world. Mrs. Goss, who was the widow of the late John Abbott Goss, was born in Chichester, August 2, 1846, the daughter of Charles H. and Joann (Maxfield) Carpenter. She attended the town schools and Miss. Merrill's private school for girls in Concord, New Hampshire. After her marriage to Mr. Goss, June 18, 1869, they lived for a time in Epsom and Manchester, New Hampshire. In 1876 they came to Pittsfield, where her husband was made cashier In the Pittsfield National Bank, of which Mrs. Goss’ father was president. Mrs. Goss became the business comrade and assistant in this family bank and was well fitted to assume the responsibilities of its management on the death of Mr. Goss in 1903, when she became cashier and director of the bank. In 1915, on the death of her son, Charles Carpenter Goss, who had succeeded his grandfather in 1911, she became the bank’s president. She was elected treasurer of the Farmers Savings Bank in 1903. To these banks Mrs. Goss gave faithful service for nearly 50 years. She also was treasurer of the Ladies Aid Society of the Congregational Church for many years. She was a past noble grand of Beulah Rebekah Lodge, IOOF, and a member of the Society of Colonial Dames in New Hampshire, of Benjamin Sargent Chapter, DAR, WCTU, and Woman’s Club, all of Pittsfield. She was survived by a son, William A. Goss of Dover, and five grandchildren.
In January 1948, the following officers and directors were elected: President, Herbert W. Dustin; cashier, Sumner G. Moody; assistant cashier, Wayne B. Emerson; directors, Herbert W. Dustin, Robert H. Fischer, George J. Sargent, Henry J. Danis, Thomas B. Dustin, and George R. Grant, Jr.
In January 1953, the following officers and directors were elected: President, Herbert W. Dustin; vice president, Robert H. Fischer; secretary and cashier, Sumner G. Moody. The directors re-elected were: Herbert W. Dustin, Robert H. Fischer, George J. Sargent, Henry J. Danis, Thomas B. Dustin, Thomas E. Hillsgrove, and George R. Grant, Jr.
On the night of March 11, 1954, Herbert W. Dustin, 89, president of the Pittsfield Savings Bank, died suddenly at his home on Bridge Street. He was born in Antrim the son of Benjamin Franklin Dustin and Roxanna (Robb) Dustin. He had been a resident of Pittsfield for 70 years. For several years he worked for the H.A. Tuttle Clothing company and in 1905, he and the late Alvah J. Griffin founded the Griffin and Dustin dry goods company in which firm he was partner until seven years ago. At the time of his death and for more than 23 years he had been superintendent of the Pittsfield Aqueduct Company. For 53 years, he had been a director of the Pittsfield Savings Bank of which he was president upon his death. Mr. Dustin was also a past president of the Pittsfield National Bank and the present chairman of the board. With his late wife, Ellen, he had given the town its Masonic building the grange hall, and Dustin park. Mrs. Dustin died Jan. 2, 1952.
On Tuesday, January 12, 1965, stockholders elected the following directors: Henry J. Danis, Thomas B. Dustin, Wayne B. Emerson, Robert H. Fischer, C. Lane Goss, Thomas Hillsgrove, Carl F. Knirsch and Edgar M. Reed. The officers elected were Robert H. Fischer, president; Henry J. Danis, vice president; and Wayne B. Emerson, cashier and secretary.
In October 1977, the Concord National Bank announced plans to buy the Pittsfield, National Bank. Subject to stockholders' approval, the merger was expected to take place the following spring. The Pittsfield bank had about $4.5 million in assets while Concord National had about $70 million. Concord National had four offices in Concord and it planned to operate the Pittsfield bank as its first branch outside of Concord.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Pittsfield National Bank, Pittsfield, NH
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $670,750 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1865 and 1978. This consisted of a total of 60,620 notes (60,620 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 - 800 Original Series 4x5 1 - 1700 Original Series 3x10-20 1 - 1000 Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 1146 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 4627 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 900 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 1990 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1991 - 4982
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1865 - 1978):
Presidents:
- Col. James Drake, 1865-1872
- Capt. Charles Hodgdon Carpenter, 1873-1885
- Col. James Drake, 1886-1886
- Capt. Charles Hodgdon Carpenter, 1887-1910
- Charles Carpenter Goss, 1911-1915
- Electa Ann (Carpenter) Goss, 1916-1927
- Herbert W. Dustin, 1927-1935
Cashiers:
- Josiah Carpenter, 1865-1876
- John Abbott Goss, 1877-1902
- Electa Ann (Carpenter) Goss, 1903-1910
- Herbert Brainerd Fischer, 1911-1935
Other Known Bank Note Signers
- No other known bank note signers for this bank
Bank Note History Links
- Pittsfield National Bank, Pittsfield, NH History (NB Lookup)
- New Hampshire Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)
Sources
- Pittsfield, NH, 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://spmc.org/bank-note-history-project
- Boston Evening Transcript, Boston, MA, Mon., July 15, 1850.
- The Lewiston Daily Sun, Lewiston, ME, Wed., Dec. 27, 1899.
- The Boston Globe, Boston, MA, Thu., Feb. 5, 1903.
- The Brattleboro Reformer, Brattleboro, VT, Mon., Nov. 9, 1931.
- Concord Monitor, Concord, NH, Thu., Jan. 8, 1948.
- Concord Monitor, Concord, NH, Mon., Jan. 19, 1953.
- Concord Monitor, Concord, NH, Fri., Mar. 12, 1954.
- Concord Monitor, Concord, NH, Sat., Jan. 16, 1965.
- Concord Monitor, Concord, NH, Thu., Jan. 6, 1977.
- Concord Monitor, Concord, NH, Mon., Oct. 17, 1977.