Central NB of Washington City, Washington, DC (Charter 2382)
Central NB of Washington City, Washington, DC (Chartered 1878 - Liquidated 1907)
Town History
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia, also known as just Washington or simply D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. It is located on the east bank of the Potomac River, which forms its southwestern and southern border with Virginia, and it shares a land border with Maryland on its other sides. The city was named for George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States, and the federal district is named after Columbia, a female personification of the nation. As the seat of the U.S. federal government and several international organizations, the city is an important world political capital. It is the eighth-most visited city in the U.S., with over two million visitors as of 2019.
Washington, DC had 29 National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and 25 of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized April 11, 1878
- Chartered April 15, 1878
- Liquidated March 28, 1907
- Consolidated with 3425 (National Bank, Washington, DC)
On November 9, 1874, a certificate of incorporation of the Metropolis Savings Bank for the District of Columbia was filed in the Recorder of Deeds' office. The trustees were S. Norment, Jas. L. Barbour, N. Acker, Wm. H. Claggett, J.H. Goddard, H. Strasburger, Geo. R. Thompson, B.H. Warner, and Jas. S. Edwards. The new bank would located in the office of the late Washington City Savings Bank.[1] The directors of the Metropolis Savings Bank elected the following officers from among the stockholders: Samuel Norment, president; Nicholas Acker, vice president; John A. Ruff, cashier; Samuel Norment, Nicholas Acker, James L. Barbour, Wm. H. Clagett, B.H. Warner, James L. Edwards, G.R. Thompson, H. Strasburger, and John H. Goddard, directors. The bank would locate in the house formerly occupied by the Washington City Savings Bank at the corner of Seventh Street and Louisiana Avenue.[2][3]
On April 15, 1878, the Central National Bank of Washington was chartered and the Metropolis Savings Bank was merged into it.[4]
On January 23, 1879, the directors met at the bank located on the corner of 7th Street and Louisiana Avenue and re-elected the following officers: Samuel Norment, president; Jas. L. Barbour, vice president; and J.A. Ruff, cashier.[5]
In December 1888, the report of condition listed capital stock paid in $100,000, surplus $85,000, undivided profits $24,989.62, circulation $90,000, and individual deposits subject to check $1,101,797.07. The total resources amounted to $1,433,743.98. Samuel Norment, James L. Barbour, Wm. E. Clark, W.B. Webb, H. Browning, and Benj. Charlton were directors attesting to the correctness of the report. Oliver T. Thompson was the Notary Public.[6]
On July 12, 1895, Mr. William E. Clark, one of the best known businessman of Washington, died at his country home, Hayfield, Virginia. He contracted a cold launching a new steam, Newport News which hastened his end. Mr. Clark was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, March 16, 1835. His father was a stockman and Mr. Clark early became associated with him in business. He came to Washington in 1861 and continued in the stock business then at the site of the B. and O. station. After several moves, they ended up at the Union stock yards at Benning and Mr. Clark was the originator of the abattoir company which he organized to do away with the driving of cattle through the city. He was president of the Central National bank, the Norfolk and Washington Steamboat Co., the Abattoir Co., vice president of the Electric Light Co., a director of the National Safe Deposit Co., and the president of the old Ivy City Fair Association. He was connected with the Central National Bank since 1874 and was elected president to succeed the late Mr. Samuel Norment in 1891. In 1871, Mr. Clark married Miss Fannie Wilhelm who survived him. Hayfield Farm was located near Mount Vernon and the historic old homestead was built about 120 years ago by George Washington and was occupied by Lewis Washington. It comprised about 700 acres admirably adapted for a stock farm. A number of fine horses and cattle, Mr. Clark's pride, were raised there.[7]
On Thursday, January 10, 1901, at the regular meeting of the board of directors, the following officers were elected: Clarence F. Norment, president; Daniel Fraser, vice president; Albert B. Ruff, cashier; W. Wallace Nairn, assistant cashier.[8]
On Tuesday, January 8, 1907, at the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Central National, the following were elected directors: M.E. Ailes, E.C. Brandenburg, J.O. Carter, John Callahan, E.B. Evans, W.J. Flather, Daniel Fraser, Edward Graves, J.W. Lee, Frank P. May, Theodore J. Mayer, W.K. Mendenhall, H. Norment, George W. Moss, Odell S. Smith, Levi Woodbury, and Clarence F. Norment.[9] On Thursday, January 17, the officers were re-elected as follows: Clarence F. Norment, president; Daniel Fraser, vice president; Albert B. Ruff, cashier; and W.W. Nairn, assistant cashier.[10]
On Thursday morning, March 28, 1907, at a meeting of stockholders of the Central National Bank and the National Bank of Washington, it was unanimously decided to merge the two institutions. The business of the merged bank would thereafter be transacted in the present white marble building of the Bank of Washington at Seventh Street and Louisiana Avenue. The Central Bank building would be entirely vacated by Monday morning. Clarence F. Norment, many years president of the Central Bank and who was elected president of the National Bank of Washington in the January elections, was chosen president of the merged institutions. The other officers elected were: Daniel Fraser, first vice president; Clement W. Howard, second vice president; A.B. Ruff, cashier; and Walter W. Nairn and George L. Starkey, assistant cashiers. The directors chosen were S.S. Adams, Milton E. Ailes, E.C. Brandenburg, John Callahan, J.O. Carter, E.B. Evans, W.J. Flather, Daniel Fraser, Edward Graves, J.T. Hendrick, C.W. Howard, J.W. Lee, W.F. Mattingly, W.K. Mendenhall, George W. Moss, C.F. Norment, H. Norment, Albert B. Ruff, Odell S. Smith, George L. Starkey, Charles E. White, F.P. May, and Levi Woodbury. The capital was increased from $300,000 to $700,000. The increase was equal to the capital of the Central National which went out of existence. The dividend of $245 to equalize values was declared several weeks ago. The combined deposits was about $4,000,000 making the new Bank of Washington one of the strongest of the city's financial institutions. The Bank of Washington was the oldest national bank of the National Capital.[11]
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Central National Bank of Washington City, Washington, DC
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $1,789,800 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1878 and 1907. This consisted of a total of 148,176 notes (148,176 large size and No small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 11600 1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 2080 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 23364
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1878 - 1907):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
Other Known Bank Note Signers
- No other known bank note signers for this bank
Bank Note History Links
- Central NB of Washington City, Washington, DC History (NB Lookup)
- District of Columbia Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)
Sources
- Washington, DC, 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
- National Bank of Washington--Louisiana Avenue--Central National Bank. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/96503321/>.
- ↑ National Republican, Washington, DC, Tue., Nov. 10, 1874.
- ↑ National Republican, Washington, DC, Mon., Nov. 16, 1874.
- ↑ National Republican, Washington, DC, Tue., Dec. 1, 1874.
- ↑ Evening Star, Washington, DC, Mon., Jan. 14, 1884.
- ↑ Evening Star, Washington, DC, Fri., Jan. 24, 1879.
- ↑ Evening Star, Washington, DC, Sat., Dec. 15, 1888.
- ↑ Evening Star, Washington, DC, Sat, July 13, 1895.
- ↑ Evening Star, Washington, DC, Fri., Jan. 11, 1901.
- ↑ The Washington Post, Washington, DC, Wed., Jan. 9, 1907.
- ↑ The Washington Post, Washington, DC, Fri., Jan. 18, 1907.
- ↑ The Washington Post, Washington, DC, Fri., Mar. 29, 1907.