Traders National Bank/American-Traders NB, Birmingham, AL (Charter 7020)

NEEDED: a contemporary postcard or photo of the bank.

Traders National Bank/American-Traders NB, Birmingham, AL (Chartered 1903 - Liquidated 1930)

Town History

The former American-Traders National Bank Building, Birmingham, AL (ca2020). courtesy Google Maps

Birmingham is a city in the north central region of Alabama. It is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous and fifth largest county by area. As of 2018, the Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan area had a population of 1,151,801, making it the most populous in Alabama and 49th-most populous in the United States. Birmingham serves as an important regional hub and is associated with the Deep South, Piedmont, and Appalachian regions of the nation.

Birmingham was founded in 1871, during the post-Civil War Reconstruction period, through the merger of three pre-existing farm towns, notably, former Elyton. It grew from there, annexing many more of its smaller neighbors, into an industrial and railroad transportation center with a focus on mining, the iron and steel industry, and railroading. Birmingham was named for Birmingham, England, UK; one of that nation's major industrial cities. Most of the original settlers who founded Birmingham were of English ancestry.

From its founding through the end of the 1960s, Birmingham was a primary industrial center of the South. The pace of Birmingham's growth during the period from 1881 through 1920 earned its nicknames The Magic City and The Pittsburgh of the South. Much like Pittsburgh, Birmingham's major industries were iron and steel production, plus a major component of the railroading industry, where both rails and railroad cars were manufactured in Birmingham. In the field of railroading, the two primary hubs of railroading in the Deep South were nearby Atlanta and Birmingham, beginning in the 1860s and continuing through to the present day. The economy diversified during the later half of the twentieth century. Though the manufacturing industry maintains a strong presence in Birmingham, other businesses and industries such as banking, telecommunications, transportation, electrical power transmission, medical care, college education, and insurance have risen in stature. Mining in the Birmingham area is no longer a major industry with the exception of coal mining. Birmingham ranks as one of the most important business centers in the Southeastern United States and is also one of the largest banking centers in the United States. In addition, the Birmingham area serves as headquarters to one Fortune 500 company: Regions Financial, along with five other Fortune 1000 companies.

In higher education, Birmingham has been the location of the University of Alabama School of Medicine (formerly the Medical College of Alabama) and the University of Alabama School of Dentistry since 1947. Since that time it has also obtained a campus of the University of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham (founded circa 1969), one of three main campuses of the University of Alabama System. It is also home to three private institutions: Samford University, Birmingham-Southern College, and Miles College. Between these colleges and universities, the Birmingham area has major colleges of medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, law, engineering, and nursing. The city has three of the state's five law schools: Cumberland School of Law, Birmingham School of Law, and Miles Law School. Birmingham is also the headquarters of the Southeastern Conference, one of the major U.S. collegiate athletic conferences.

Birmingham had 10 National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all 10 of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

Organized October 8, 1903
Chartered October 27, 1903
Opened for business February 17, 1904
1: Assumed American Trust & Savings Bank by consolidation July 11, 1927
2: Liquidated June 30, 1930
2: Consolidated with 3185 (First National Bank, Birmingham, AL)

The American-Traders National Bank with resources of approximately $25 million opened its doors for business on July 11, 1927 at the southeast corner of First Avenue and Twentieth Street, the home of the old American Trust & Savings Bank. The institution was the result of the merger of the American Trust & Savings Bank, founded April 1, 1903 and the Traders National Bank organized Feb. 17, 1904. Cash and effects of the Traders National Bank were moved from its old home, occupied since organization, at the northeast corner of Third Avenue and Twentieth Street.

W.W. Crawford, chairman and president of the American Trust & Savings Bank became the new chairman and president of the American-Traders National Bank. Colonel J.C. Persons, president of the Traders National Bank became executive vice president of the merged institution. The aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits was around $4.95 million with deposits of approximately $20 million.

Colonel Persons came to Birmingham from Tuscaloosa, and was vice president of the First National Bank of Tuskaloosa [sic]; he had assumed that office in 1922. Prior to that, he was president of the Persons Lumber Co. and a director of the Merchants Bank & Trust Company of Tuscaloosa. During World War I, Col. Persons was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in action near St. Thibault, France, August 1918. He was assigned to the 47th Infantry, 4th Division and promoted to major in September, 1918. In 1924 he was assigned to the 7th Division and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry, Alabama National Guard.

The Traders National Bank was chartered Feb. 17, 1904 by John H. Frye who served continuously as president until made chairman of the board, April 1, 1927. The American Trust & Savings Bank was organized April 1, 1903, with a capital of $100,000. G.B. McCormack, former president of Ramsay-McCormack, Inc. was the first president. In January 1905, the American Trust & Savings Bank purchased the old Alabama National Bank and increased its stock from $100,000 to $200,000. W.W. Crawford, cashier of the First National Bank of Birmingham, was made president in February 1905 and was able to grow the institution significantly, increasing its capital stock to $500,000 by 1911, $1 million by 1924 and $2.25 million by 1927.

The new board of directors of the American-Traders National Bank included all members of the boards of the two institutions. The personnel were as follows: Chas. F. DeBardeleben, president Alabama Fuel & Iron Co.; Lindley C. Morton, president Phoenix Portland Cement Co.; Forney Johnston, attorney; Wm. Logan Martin of Martin, Thompson, Foster & Turner, attorneys; Eugene Fles, president Alabama Water Service Co.; Robert H. Meyer, Meyer Hotels; Henry T. DeBardelenben Coal Co.; W.D. Tynes, president Hardie-Tynes Mfg. Co.; Leroy P. Percy of Percy Benners & Burr attorneys; H.K. Milner, president Milner Land Co.; E.E. Linthicum, president National Cast Iron Pipe Co.; Morris Adler, of Morris Adler & Co.; Dr. Guy E. Snavely, president Birmingham-Southern College; Sidney J. Bowie, president Crawford's Auto Shop; George W. Connors, president Connors Steel Co.; F.B. Yielding, Yielding Bros. Department Stores; Wm. D. Jelks, President Protective Life Insurance Co.; Carr McCormack, president New Castle Coal Co.; H.L. Badham, president Bessemer Coal, Iron & Land Co.; L. Sevier, president Associated Industries of Alabama; George Johnston, president Johnston Dry Goods Co.; Leo K. Steiner, president Steiner Brothers; Hubert A. Drennen, president Drennen Motor Car Co.; R.H. Woodrow, president Birmingham Ice & Cold Storage Co.; J.D. Kirkpatrick, president Cruse-Crawford Manufacturing Co.; J. Warner Shook of Shook & Fletcher Supply Co.; Henry T. Bartlett, vice president American Trust & Savings Bank; W.W. Crawford, president American Trust & Savings Bank; Gen. W.E. Bare, Alabama manager Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Co.; Morris W. Bush, president Alabama By-Products Corp.; John G. Farley, vice president Traders National Bank; John F. Fletcher, vice president Harbison-Walker Refractories Co.; John H. Frye, chairman of the board, Traders National Bank; Horace Hammond, president Hammond Iron Co.; Sibley P. King, King Lumber Co.; A. Leo Oberdorfer, attorney; J.C. Persons, president Traders National Bank; William P. Redd, president Redd Chemical & Nitrate Co.; David Roberts, Jr., president Brilliant Coal Co.; Dr. Edmund W. Rucker, physician; Henry G. Seibels, president Jemison-Seibels Insurance Agency; Alfred M. Shook, Jr., president Dixie Brass & Foundry Co.; Henry Upson Sims, attorney; Temple W. Tutwiler, president Tutwiler Investment Co.; George T. Wofford, president Wofford Oil Co.; Eugene A. Yates, vice president Alabama Power Co.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: Traders National Bank of Birmingham, AL

2: American-Traders National Bank of Birmingham, AL (7/11/1927)

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Plain Back $5 bank note with stamped signatures of J.L. Cooper, Cashier and Jno. H. Frye, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1902 Plain Back $5 bank note with engraved signatures of A.J. Daly, Cashier and J.C. Persons, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with printed signatures of A.J. Daly, Cashier and J.C. Persons, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auction, www.ha.com

A total of $14,505,990 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1903 and 1930. This consisted of a total of 1,827,392 notes (1,336,052 large size and 491,340 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	4x5	1 - 3295
1: 1902 Red Seal	3x10-20	1 - 2607
1: 1902 Date Back	4x5	1 - 10380
1: 1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 9308
1: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	10381 - 54468
1: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	9309 - 38754
2: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	1 - 126175
2: 1902 Plain Back	4x10	1 - 47332
2: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	1 - 61382
2: 1929 Type 1	6x5	1 - 51620
2: 1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 23070
2: 1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 7200

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1903 - 1930):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Bank Note Signers

John Cecil Persons, (President 1928-1929; VP 1927), Signature
There are currently no known Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.

Wiki Links

Sources

Birmingham, AL, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham,_Alabama
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 Birmingham News, Birmingham, AL, Fri., June 30, 1922
The Birmingham News, Birmingham, AL, Sun., July 10, 1927.