Wood County NB, Grand Rapids/Wisconsin Rapids, WI (Charter 4639)

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NEEDED: a contemporary postcard or photo of the bank.
NEEDED: a contemporary postcard or photo of the bank.

Wood County National Bank, Grand Rapids/Wisconsin Rapids, WI (Chartered 1891 - Open past 1935)

Town History

Wisconsin Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, Wisconsin. The population was 18,877 at the 2020 census. In 1880, the population was 1,350 growing to 8,726 by 1930.

The American Indians called the area "Ahdawagam", meaning "Two-sided Rapids". Although Europeans began to settle this area in the 1830s, Wisconsin Rapids has been known by this name only since 1920. Prior to that, the community was divided by the Wisconsin River, with the west side incorporated as Centralia and the east side as Grand Rapids. The two cities merged in 1900, with the entire community taking the name Grand Rapids. The name was changed in 1920 to avoid mail and other goods from being misdirected to the much better known Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Known for its papermaking history, Wisconsin Rapids is also an important location for the cranberry industry. Wisconsin Rapids is the corporate home of the international educational software company, Renaissance Learning.

From its founding in 1894, Wisconsin Rapids was home to the corporate headquarters of Consolidated Papers, Inc., which was acquired by the Finnish company Stora Enso in early-2000. In 2007, NewPage acquired the paper production facility. In 2015, Verso Corporation acquired the mill.

Grand Rapids/Wisconsin Rapids had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era (1863-1935), and all three issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

  • Organized August 27, 1891
  • Chartered September 25, 1891
  • 2: Licensed after the banking holiday March 18, 1933
  • Bank was Open past 1935
  • For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
  • Still in business as WoodTrust Bank in Wisconsin Rapids, WI (July 2022)

On August 15, 1931, one of the most important financial transactions in central Wisconsin was consummated at 2:30 o'clock when the First National Bank and the Wood County National Bank purchased the Citizens National Bank of Wisconsin Rapids, and announced that they had jointly appointed D.B. Philleo trustee, to liquidate the affairs of the Citizens bank. The purchase involved the assuming of all the assets of the bank and the assuming of all of the liabilities, which guaranteed payment in full in cash at either the First National or the Wood County National to depositors on commercial, savings or certificates of deposit. Depositors also had the option of placing their deposits from the Citizens bank into accounts at either of the other two banks. It was stated authoritatively that both the First National and the Wood County National were in position to pay. The officers of the Wood County National Bank were Frank J. Wood, president; L.M. Alexander, vice president; and Guy O. Babcock, vice president and cashier. The officers of the First National were Isaac P. Witter, president; George W. Mead, director; and W.J. Taylor, cashier.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Wood County National Bank of Grand Rapids, WI

2: The Wood County National Bank of (11/13/1920), Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Bank Note Types Issued

1882 Brown Back $10 bank note with printed signatures of Guy O. Babcock, Cashier and F.J. Wood, President.
1882 Brown Back $10 bank note with printed signatures of Guy O. Babcock, Cashier and F.J. Wood, President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Auctions, www.lynknight.com
1902 Date Back $20 bank note with stamped signatures of Guy O. Babcock, Cashier and F.J. Wood, President.
1902 Date Back $20 bank note with stamped signatures of Guy O. Babcock, Cashier and F.J. Wood, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with printed signatures of Guy O. Babcock, Cashier and F.J. Wood, President.
1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with printed signatures of Guy O. Babcock, Cashier and F.J. Wood, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 2 $10 bank note with printed signatures of E.C. Wittig, Cashier and Guy O. Babcock, President.
1929 Type 2 $10 bank note with printed signatures of E.C. Wittig, Cashier and Guy O. Babcock, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $1,384,070 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1891 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 128,614 notes (110,844 large size and 17,770 small size notes).

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

Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments
1: 1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 4625
1: 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 1820
1: 1882 Date Back 4x5 1 - 2640
1: 1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 2074
1: 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 4200
1: 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 4201 - 8100
2: 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 8452
2: 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 2178
2: 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 622
2: 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 825
2: 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 145

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1891 - 1936):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Bank Note Signers

  • There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.

Wiki Links

Sources

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