Second National Bank, Mechanicsburg, PA (Charter 326)
Second National Bank, Mechanicsburg, PA (Chartered 1864 - Open past 1935)
Town History
Mechanicsburg is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 8 miles west of Harrisburg, in the rich agricultural Cumberland Valley, a broad zone between South Mountain and the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 8,981.
Mechanicsburg is bordered by Silver Spring Township to the northwest, Monroe Township to the southwest, Upper Allen Township to the south, Lower Allen Township to the east, and Hampden Township to the northeast. Pennsylvania Route 641 (Trindle Road) is the main east–west street through the borough, leading east 4 miles to Camp Hill and west 10 miles to Carlisle, the county seat. Pennsylvania Route 114 leads north out of town on York Street and south on Market Street. Interstate 76, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, passes just south of Mechanicsburg.
Mechanicsburg was named after a settlement of mechanics who made and repaired Conestoga wagons in the early 19th century. Mechanicsburg is centered on 100 acres that Leonard Fisher purchased from Joseph Heynes' tract (No. 1442 of an original grant of 267 acres from William Penn). Before becoming incorporated on April 12, 1828, the town went by several different names. First, Drytown, because of the extreme scarcity of water during the winter and summer. It was also known as Pinchgut, a German name used as a sign of amusement given to a small village of only a few people. Some also referred to the town as Staufferstown, in honor of Henry Stauffer, the owner of much of the land in the center of town, or briefly as Creekville during the Colonial Era.
In 1837, when the Cumberland Valley Railroad (CVRR) completed its line, Mechanicsburg was designated as a water station, where workers could restock the locomotive with firewood and water. This important function also contributed to the town's growth. The train became the town's link to the world of business and industry. Grain and feed companies, lumber yards and numerous factories were purposely built alongside the railroad tracks. During the Civil War, the railroad was an invaluable method of transporting troops and supplies.
On June 28, 1863, Confederate troops led by Brig. Gen. Albert G. Jenkins raided Mechanicsburg, and two days later, met with Union forces in the Skirmish of Sporting Hill, just east of town. It is known as the northernmost engagement of the Civil War. Following the Skirmish of Sporting Hill, the Confederate forces retreated south into the little town of Gettysburg where the Battle of Gettysburg would be fought.
The history of Ships Parts Control Center (SPCC) dates back to 1944 when the Naval Supply Depot, Mechanicsburg, was directed to form a master control for ships' parts. In July 1945, SPCC was established as the single worldwide manager for ships parts, i.e. the mechanical components that are put together to make a ship and its engines. The Navy is an important employer in Mechanicsburg with the Naval Support Activity (NSA) occupying 840 acres of land in Hampden Township, Pennsylvania. NSA Mechanicsburg continues to serve as one of the Defense Department's major logistics sites past 2021.
The oldest building in Mechanicsburg is the Frankeberger Tavern. One of Mechanicsburg's first residents was George Frankeberger, who in 1801 applied for a license to open his newly built log home for the "convenience" of travelers. In exchange for a small fee, Mr. Frankeberger offered cattle drivers a warm meal and a place to sleep. This proved to be rather lucrative, as many people were making the two-day trek between Harrisburg (the state capital) and Carlisle (Cumberland County's county seat).
Mechanicsburg is home to many historic markers, such as Irving Female College (named for Washington Irving, a trustee), the first women's college in Pennsylvania to grant degrees in arts and sciences. The Mechanicsburg Commercial Historic District, Irving Female College, Cumberland Valley Railroad Station and Station Master's House, Adam Orris House, and Simpson Street School are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mechanicsburg had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all three of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Chartered March 17, 1864
- Bank was Open past 1935
- Only bank in Mechanicsburg that survived to issue small size national bank notes
The Second National Bank of Mechanicsburg was organized March 1, 1864 with capital of $50,000 and the following corps of directors: Thos. B. Bryson, Christian Coffman, Samuel Zacharias, Peter Bricker, Dr. P.H. Long, Joseph Elcock, Levi Kauffman. The directors elected Thos. B. Bryson as President; Levi Kauffman as Cashier; and George K. Mooney as Teller.
The Bank issued a 50th anniversary announcement with the officers and directors from 1864 as well as the current officers of Samuel F. Hauck, president; Eugene A Burnett, vice president; Thomas J. Scholl, cashier; W.Bruce Wister and S.G. Bowman, tellers; Robert H. Ross, bookkeeper; and Miss Ruth Hefflefinger, Clerk. Directors in 1914 were Jno. M. Underwood, Eugene A. Burnett, S.F. Hauck, E.E. Strominger, and Washington Shaffer.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Second National Bank of Mechanicsburg, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $1,344,440 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1864 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 139,199 notes (113,044 large size and 26,155 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments Original Series 4x5 1 - 3250 Original Series 3x10-20 1 - 1100 Series 1875 4x5 1 - 840 Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 668 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 3022 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 3300 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 4340 1902 Plain Back 4x5 1 - 4600 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 4341 - 11481 1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 2348 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 856 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 254 1929 Type 2 5 1 - 3840 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 1073 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 494
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Second National Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1864 - 1936):
Presidents:
- Thomas Bines Bryson, 1864-1877
- Israel Luther Boyer, 1878-1883
- John M. Hart, 1884-1896
- Eugene A. Burnett, 1897-1908
- Samuel Frederick Hauck, 1909-1926
- Albert B. Rupp, 1927-1934
- Jacob R. Kline, 1935-1935
Cashiers:
- Levi Kauffman, 1864-1868
- Adam Keller, 1869-1876
- William Bryson, 1877-1877
- William Jay Meily, 1878-1879
- Frederick Kissel Ployer, 1880-1912
- Tolbert Jacob Scholl, 1913-1935
Other Bank Note Signers
Wiki Links
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History
- General information on Mechanicsburg (Wikipedia)
- General information on Cumberland County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Mechanicsburg, PA, 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
- Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Wed., Jan. 14, 1914.
- Carlisle Evening Herald, "Mechanicsburg Bank Now 50 Years Old," Carlisle, PA, Tue., Mar. 3, 1914.