Security National Bank, Arkansas City, KS (Charter 10746)

Postcard, ca1910s, of the Security National Bank of Arkansas City, Kansas. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

Security National Bank, Arkansas City, KS (Chartered 1915 - Open past 1935)

Town History

The old Security National Bank located on the corner of Washington Avenue and Summit Street. Courtesy of Google Maps, ca2021

Arkansas City (/ɑːrˈkænzəs/) is a city in Cowley County, Kansas, situated at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Walnut River in the southwestern part of the county. The name of this city is not pronounced like the nearby state of Arkansas, but rather as /ɑːrˈkænzəs/ (the final "s" is pronounced, and it rhymes with Kansas). The city is also known as "Ark City". As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 11,974. In 1890 the population was 8,347 declining to 6,140 in 1900 and rebounding to 13,946 by 1930.

At the turn of the century, Arkansas City was a rival to Wichita in size and enterprise, boasting several busy rail lines, an elegant opera house, numerous fine hotels, a manufacturing base and a bustling agricultural economy. A popular swimming hole called Paris Lake was located west of downtown; the lake—and the hot springs at Geuda as well—was mired with silt in a flood about 1919. Nearly 20 years later the WPA would build the Paris Park pool in the same spot.

Arkansas City had five National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all five of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

A 1920 advertisement for the Security National Bank of Arkansas City, Kansas.

• Organized June 1, 1915
• Chartered June 4, 1915
• Conversion of The Security State Bank of Arkansas City, KS
• Bank was Open past 1935
• Merged with Home National Bank, Arkansas City, KS (Charter 4487) in 1937

In April 1905, the state charter board granted charters to five banks: Burdick State Bank, Burdick, capital $15,000; Citizens State Bank, Peru, capital $15,000; Security State Bank, Arkansas City, capital $35,000; Citizens State Bank, Kensington, capital $10,000; Merchants State Bank, Waterville, capital $10,000. The bank opened on Monday, May 15th, with S.J. Gilbert as president; J.W. Martin, vice president; and Austin J. Evans, cashier.

In October 1905, the directors of the Security State Bank held their quarterly meeting at their office in the bank. They found that the bank had grown faster than any other bank that ever started in Arkansas City. They found that about 300 people had deposits with the bank, totaling above $100,000.00 and about $50,000.00 was loaned. They passed the following motions unanimously: 1. That the bank must not loan to exceed one-half of its totals. 2. The bank must not make any excessive loans whatever. The officers and help in the bank were all put under bond and everything that could be done to make "The Security" a safe place to leave money had been done by the directors of the bank. "The Security" was meant to grow carefully and make itself one of the institutions to be proud of by all Arkansas City and vicinity. That was the spirit of every director present. They were all pleased with the management of the bank and adjourned feeling good over the showing made.

In January 1906, the stockholders elected the following directors: John Wahlenmaier, W.M. Limbocker, J. Charles Wright, W.E. Kratzer, F.M. Lefforge, Allen Wakefield, F. Trimper, G.S. Morris, W.H. Hume, J.W. Martin, W.H. Muret, and S.J. Gilbert. The officers elected were S.J. Gilbert, president; J.W. Martin, vice president; W.H. Hume, cashier, and W.M. Stryker, assistant cashier. On March 18, 1906, A.J. Evans, former cashier of the Security State Bank, Arkansas City, Kansas, died of consumption at Carlsbad, New Mexico, where he went in October for his health.

On June 7, 1915, the Security State Bank announced that it had been converted into a national banking association known as The Security National Bank. This change was made for the purpose of giving its patrons all the privileges and benefits obtained by its participation as a member of the Federal Reserve Association. There was no change in the officers and directors. The directors were J.E. Tutton, W.C. Bardo, John S. Cree, F. Trimper, R.C. Dixon, Dr. E.F. Day, and W.M. Stryker. J.E. Tutton was president and W.M. Stryker, cashier.

In January 1919, contractors had promised to complete the banking room by the first of the month and the Security National Bank felt sure they would be in the new banking room the first of February. All materials and fixtures had arrived except for one car load which was loaded in Kansas City. The decorators were busily engaged in putting the finishing touches and men were setting marble fixtures at a rapid rate. More than $30,000 had been expended in the remodeling of the building. The general public was invited to visit the bank on Saturday, February 29th to view the new banking room and equipment. An orchestra would furnish music and souvenirs were provided for all. The statement at the close of business, December 31, 1918, had capital stock $100,000, surplus and undivided profits, $23,184.55, circulation $100,000, and deposits $835,671.34. The total resources were $1,151,355.89.

In February 1920, the officers were W.M. Stryker, president; F.E. Goodrich, vice president; John B. Heffelfinger, vice president; R.C. Dixon, cashier; Fred H. Jepsen and Ben T. Ausmus, assistant cashiers.

In February 1923, Senator R.C. Howard of Kansas, stated, "I see that the Security National Bank has been reorganized and I am pleased to learn this choice bit of news. Nothing gives me more pleasure than to know that W.C. Robinson is to head the institution. There is no better banker than Mr. Robinson, who I believe is the oldest banker in Cowley County. he has headed the First National Bank at Winfield since 1884 and has made a wonderful success of it. Winfield has never had a bank failure and this is due to the fact that it has always had bankers there who understood the banking business and who ran their banks in a business way." The officers of the Security National Bank were W.C. Robinson, president; W.C. Robinson, Jr., vice president; R.C. Dixon, vice president; H.E. Cooper, cashier; B.T. Ausmus and Fred H. Jepson, assistant cashiers; Dr. E.F. Day and John McE. Ames, directors.

In November 1930, Felix Simmons, president of the Security National Bank was transacting business in Madill, Oklahoma. Mr. Simmons formerly was vice president and cashier of the First National Bank of Madill until he and his family moved to Kansa where he accepted his present position.

On Friday, April 2, 1937, notices were sent to stockholders of the Home National and the Security National banks notifying them of a meeting April 10th to ratify a contract for merger of the two banks. Boards of both banks had approved the merger. James G. Hall, president of the Security bank would become president of the Home National of which Foss Farrar was then president.

On February 26, 1938, James G. Hall, vice president of the Home National Bank of Arkansas City, was elected vice president of the National Bank of Topeka and would begin his duties on April 1st.

Official Bank Title

1: The Security National Bank of Arkansas City, KS

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Plain Back $5 bank note with stamped signatures of H.E. Cooper, Cashier and W.C. Robinson [Sr.], President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with printed signatures of H.E. Cooper, Cashier and W.C. Robinson, Jr., President. The Government Printing Office (GPO) prepared the overprinting plate used to produce this note. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $5 bank note with printed signatures of Fred H. Jepsen, Cashier and Felix Simmons, President. Barnhart Brothers & Spindler (BBS) prepared the overprinting plate used to produce this note. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $20 bank note with printed signatures of A.E. McAdam, Cashier and James G. Hall, President. Barnhart Brothers & Spindler (BBS) prepared the overprinting plate used to produce this note. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $1,193,390 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1915 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 147,724 notes (111,340 large size and 36,384 small size notes).

This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s	Sheet Comments
1902 Plain Back	4x5	1 - 16373
1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	1 - 11462
1929 Type 1	6x5	1 - 3527
1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 1957
1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 580

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1915 - 1935):

Presidents:

• John Edgar Tutton, 1915-1916
• William Martin Stryker, 1917-1922
• William Coburn Robinson (Sr.), 1923-1928
• W. C. Robinson, Jr., 1929-1929
• Felix Simmons, 1930-1931
• James Glenn Hall, 1932-1935

Cashiers:

• William Martin Stryker, 1915-1916
• Ralph Chester Dixon, 1917-1922
• Harold E. Cooper, 1923-1928
• Felix Simmons, 1929-1929
• Fred H. Jepsen, 1930-1930
• Antonio E. McAdam, 1931-1935

Other Known Bank Note Signers

• No other known bank note signers for this bank

Bank Note History Links

• Security National Bank, Arkansas City, KS History (NB Lookup)
• Kansas Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)

Sources

• Arkansas City, KS, 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