Van Wert National Bank, Van Wert, OH (Charter 2628)

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The old Van Wert National Bank, at 102 E Main Street, Van Wert, Ohio, ca2023.
The old Van Wert National Bank, at 102 E Main Street, Van Wert, Ohio, ca2023. Courtesy of Google Maps

Van Wert National Bank, Van Wert, OH (Chartered 1882 - Liquidated 1934)

Town History

This should be a contemporary postcard or photo of the bank. (Set Height x300px)

Van Wert is a city in and the county seat of Van Wert County, Ohio. It is located in northwestern Ohio approximately 77 miles southwest of Toledo and 34 miles southeast of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The population was 11,092 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Van Wert micropolitan area, which is included in the Lima–Van Wert–Wapakoneta combined statistical area.

Van Wert is named for Isaac Van Wart, one of the captors of Major John André in the American Revolutionary War. Van Wert was surveyed in 1824 by Captain James Riley, who was contracted by the government to survey lands purchased from Native Americans under a treaty in 1818. It was incorporated as a town in 1848 and was chartered as a city in 1903. A center of peony cultivation, Van Wert has hosted the annual Van Wert Peony Festival on and off since 1902. Van Wert is home to the first county library in the United States, the Brumback Library.

Van Wert had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and two of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

  • Organized February 8, 1882
  • Chartered February 13, 1882
  • Succeeded Emerson, Marble & Company
  • Conservatorship March 21, 1933
  • Liquidated October 22, 1934
  • Succeeded by 13797 (Van Wert NB (No Issue), Van Wert, OH)

On February 13, 1882, The Van Wert National Bank with a capital of $100,000 was authorized by the comptroller of the currency to begin business.[1]

On June 3, 1886, The Van Wert National Bank received by express from the Union National Bank of Cincinnati a package purporting to contain $10,000, but which when opened, contained nothing but cotton, pasteboard and railroad advertising bills. The clerk who sent it said he sealed it with green wax. When it was received the package was sealed with red wax. The delay of 24 hours in transit was not explained but was thought it would give a clue as to the robber.[2]

In March 1933, David L. Brumbach, president of the Van Wert National Bank, was named as a conservator there. The bank was operating on a restricted basis. Deposits of $825,000 were frozen since the banking moratorium.[3]

On September 5th, a plan for reorganization of the Van Wert National Bank was approved by Federal Judge George Hahn. The plan provided for formation of a new bank under the same name which would purchase the liquid assets of the old bank from the conservator.[4] On October 6, 1933, the Van Wert National Bank (Charter 13797) was authorized by the comptroller of the currency to open for business.[5]

In May 1938, Van Wert's two national banks, The First National Bank (Charter 422) and Van Wert National Bank (Charter 13797) consolidated and would be known as the First National Bank of Van Wert. The new institution had assets of $2,500,000 and over $2 million in deposits.[6]

In January 1939, reorganization of the board of directors resulted in the election of David L. Brumback as president. He succeeded C.M. Purmort, Sr. Homer J. Gilliland was named chairman of the board, James M. Collette, vice president; and Clarence Kohn, cashier.[7]

Community First was formed in November 1997 after management at Citizens Commercial Bank & Trust in Celina and Van Wert National Bank, Van Wert, Ohio, decided that merging was the best course. It was part of First Financial Bancorp, a $3 billion banking company built by acquiring small community banks, keeping the management and name while improving operations, products and efficiency.[8][9]

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Van Wert National Bank, Van Wert, OH

Bank Note Types Issued

Series of 1875 $10 bank note with pen signatures of J.P. Reed, Jr., Cashier and D.L. Brumback (I), President.
Series of 1875 $10 bank note with pen signatures of J.P. Reed, Jr., Cashier and D.L. Brumback (I), President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1882 Brown Back $20 bank note with pen signatures of J.P. Reed, Jr., Cashier and D.L. Brumback (I), President.
1882 Brown Back $20 bank note with pen signatures of J.P. Reed, Jr., Cashier and D.L. Brumback (I), President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Auctions, www.lynknight.com
1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with printed signatures of Clarence Kohn, Cashier and D.L. Brumback, President
1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with printed signatures of Clarence Kohn, Cashier and D.L. Brumback, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 1 $20 bank note with SN 1 and printed signatures of Clarence Kohn, Cashier and D.L. Brumback (II), President
1929 Type 1 $20 bank note with SN 1 and printed signatures of Clarence Kohn, Cashier and D.L. Brumback (II), President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $849,310 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1882 and 1934. This consisted of a total of 102,811 notes (86,820 large size and 15,991 small size notes).

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

Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments
Series 1875 4x5 1 - 8773
Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 319
1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 2150
1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 1790
1882 Date Back 4x5 1 - 1750
1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 1340
1882 Value Back 4x5 1751 - 3330
1882 Value Back 3x10-20 1341 - 2212
1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 3131
1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 1888
1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 494
1929 Type 2 10 1 - 1489
1929 Type 2 20 1 - 210

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1882 - 1934):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Known Bank Note Signers

  • No other known bank note signers for this bank

Bank Note History Links

Sources

  • Van Wert, OH, 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
  1. Daily Republican, Wilmington, DE, Tue., Feb. 14, 1882.
  2. Reno Gazette-Journal, Reno, NV, Fri., June 4, 1886.
  3. The Daily Advocate, Greenville, OH, Fri., Mar. 24, 1933.
  4. The Dayton Herald, Dayton, OH, Tue., Sep. 5, 1933.
  5. The Daily Sentinel-Tribune, Bowling Green, OH, Tue., Oct. 10, 1933.
  6. The Daily Advocate, Greenville, OH, Sat., May 7, 1938.
  7. The Lima News, Lima, OH, Thu., Jan. 12, 1939.
  8. The Cincinnati Post, Cincinnati, OH, Wed., May 19, 1999.
  9. The Cincinnati Post, Cincinnati, OH, Fri., Apr. 3, 1998.