Central NB of New Decatur/Albany/Decatur, AL (Charter 10423)

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Central National Bank of New Decatur/Albany/Decatur, AL (Chartered 1913 - Liquidated 1930)

Town History

Decatur is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County (with a portion also in Limestone County) in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, nicknamed "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. The population in 2010 was 55,683. Decatur is also the core city of the two-county large Decatur, Alabama metropolitan area which had an estimated population of 153,374 in 2013.

Initially the area was known as "Rhodes Ferry Landing", named for Dr. Henry W. Rhodes, an early landowner who operated a ferry that crossed the Tennessee River in the 1810s at the present-day location of Rhodes Ferry Park. The city was incorporated as Decatur in 1821. It was named in honor of Stephen Decatur; after he was killed in a duel in 1820, President Monroe directed that the Alabama town be named for him.

Because of its location on the Tennessee River at the strategically important crossing of two major railroads, Decatur was the site of several encounters during the American Civil War. New Decatur, Alabama was a city that rose out of the ashes of former Decatur west of the railroad tracks. New Decatur was founded in 1887 and incorporated in 1889. However, residents of the older Decatur resented the new town, founded and occupied by people who moved down from northern states. Animosity built until New Decatur renamed their town Albany, after Albany, N.Y., in September 1916. Eventually, the hostilities between the two cities began to die down, and the need for a common bridge over the Tennessee River united them. On August 28, 1923, a measure to consolidate the two cities failed due to tax inequities. On February 4, 1927, the two cities finally merged into one, taking the original name of Decatur.

The Old State Bank, on the edge of downtown, is the oldest bank building in the State of Alabama, being 173 years old.

Decatur had two National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, The First National Bank of Decatur (Charter 3699) and The City National Bank of Decatur. Both of those banks issued National Bank Notes. Decatur also had two Obsolete Banks that issued Obsolete Bank Notes during the Obsolete Bank Note Era (1782-1866).

New Decatur/Albany/Decatur had two National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, The Morgan County National Bank of New Decatur (Charter 6380) and The Central National Bank of New Decatur (Charter 10423). Both of those banks issued National Bank Notes with town names of New Decatur, Albany and finally Decatur.

Bank History

Organized July 10, 1913
Chartered July 16, 1913
Conversion of The Commercial Savings Bank and Trust Company, New Decatur, AL
3: Liquidated November 6, 1930
3: Absorbed by 10336 (City National Bank/First NB, Decatur, AL)
3: Receivership October 1, 1932

The Central National Bank of New Decatur, Alabama, No. 10423, opened for business upon authorization by the United States Government. The Commercial Savings Bank and Trust Company passed into history and another strong national bank came to the Decaturs. The following were the officers of the new bank: A.A. Hardage, president; T.H. Mattocks, vice president; Thomas A. Bowles, cashier; and C.W. Grover, assistant cashier.

In January 1915, the same officers were re-elected. The directors were A.A. Hardage, T.H. Mattocks, Thomas A. Bowles, Samuel Blackwell, C.V. DuPont, S.M. Thompson, George W. Russell, J.S. Patterson, F.M. Schilcer, and O.B. Mohes. At the close of business on December 31, 1914, the bank had loans and discounts of $210,582.93, U.S. bonds to secure circulation of $75,000 and capital stock of $100,000 with 5,169.07 in Surplus and undivided profits, and Deposits of $116,037.43.

At the close of business on September 24, 1930, the bank had loans and discounts of $628,925.26, Capital stock of $200,000, Surplus of $37,000 and $200,000 in circulating notes outstanding. The statement was signed by J.S. Wyatt, vice president with directors S.M. Thompson, A.C. Dillehey, and John Patterson attesting to the correctness.

The First National Bank in Decatur reported at the beginning of business, October 1, 1930, accounting for the consolidation of the assets of the Central National Bank and the City National Bank the following: Assets of $1,137,554.83 in loans and discounts; $205,000 U.S. Gov't bonds to secure circulation; $383,990.56 in other marketable bonds; and Liabilities of $200,000 capital stock, $53,890.86 Surplus and undivided profits; $200,000 Circulation; $979,591.23 deposits; balancing at $1,899,363.52. Indications were that 2,000 visitors were in the First National Bank over the past week with 480 people making deposits on the opening day alone. Officials of the merged bank took occasion to express sincere appreciation for the hundreds of congratulatory messages received since the merger of the Central National and the City National Banks into the First National Bank. The entire quarters of the former City National Bank were being utilized, the balcony having been made into a bookkeeping department, and a private telephone system was established for inter-bank communication.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Central National Bank of New Decatur, AL

2: The Central National Bank of (3/23/1917), Albany, AL

3: The Central National Bank of (12/8/1927), Decatur, AL

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Plain Back $20 bank note with the Second Title and stamped signatures of Thomas A. Bowles, Cashier and A.A. Hardage, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with the Third Title and printed signatures of R.C. Billings, Cashier and Thomas A. Bowles, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $2,449,590 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1913 and 1930. This consisted of a total of 279,144 notes (257,040 large size and 22,104 small size notes).

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

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s	Sheet Comments
1: 1902 Date Back	4x5	1 - 3165	Plate date July 10, 1913
1: 1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 2534	Plate date July 10, 1913
1: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	3166 - 3945	Plate date July 10, 1913
1: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	2535 - 3115	Plate date July 10, 1913
2: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	1 - 30432	Plate date March 23, 1917
2: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	1 - 20588	Plate date March 23, 1917
3: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	1 - 6180	Plate date March 23, 1917
3: 1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 2903
3: 1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 781

Note: Plates made for banks undergoing title changes between February 16, 1882 and February 21, 1919, bore the date when the Comptroller of the Currency approved the title change. Beginning on April 12, 1919, the plate dates on new plates were simply copied from the most recent previous plate regardless of what that date signified. The copied date could be anything including a date of organization, extension, title change, statehood or reassigned charter number.

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1913 - 1930):

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

New Decatur/Albany/Decatur, AL, 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
The Decatur Daily, Decatur, AL, Wed., July 16, 1913.
The Decatur Daily, Decatur, AL, Fri., Jan. 8, 1915.
The Montgomery Advertiser, Montgomery, AL, Sun., Jan. 17, 1915.
The Decatur Daily, Decatur, AL, Mon., Oct. 6, 1930.
The Decatur Daily, Decatur, AL, Wed., Oct. 29, 1930.