Citizens National Bank, Big Run, PA (Charter 5667)

From Bank Note History
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The old Citizens National Bank of Big Run, Pennsylvania, located on Main Street. The bank was purchased in 1997 by Marion Center National Bank. Courtesy of Google Maps, ca2022

Citizens National Bank, Big Run, PA (Chartered 1901 - Closed (Merger) 1986)

Town History

Big Run is a borough in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. The borough was named for the waterway of the same name. Big Run joins Mahoning Creek in the west end of town. U.S. Route 119 passes through the center of town, leading northeast 13 miles to DuBois and southwest 6 miles to Punxsutawney. The population was 624 at the 2010 census, a decline from the figure of 686 tabulated in 2000. In 1900 the population was 879, peaking in 1910 at 1,032.

Big Run had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

In April 1890, the Citizen's Bank of Big Run, Jefferson County organized with a capital of $50,000.[1] The officers were Wm. Irvin, president; Adam Miller, vice president; Wm. Irvin, Adam Miller, G.W. Miller, Dr. A.P. Cox, Edward Seifert, Rice Wayne and James Hamilton, directors.[2]

Monday night, July 23, 1900, an attempt was made to burglarize the Citizens Bank of Big Run. An entrance to the bank building was effected by forcing a rear door. The cracksmen first attempted to drill the outside door to the vault, but before they had proceeded far they found this was impossible. With a sledge taken from a blacksmith shop in town a knob was knocked off the vault door and an attempt was made to blow off the door with nitroglycerine. In this they were also unsuccessful, as they failed in blowing the door from the outside of the vault. The work was evidently done by professionals and while the vault door was subjected to this very severe test it proved beyond question the stability and strength of the vault. When the bank was opened by Cashier Miller the alarm was given and by enlisting the services of a blacksmith with a heavy sledge and chisels the outside vault door was opened and the outside and inner doors sent to the safe manufacturers for some needed repairs. The very large business done by this bank would be a surprise to some who know the size of Big Run, but who do not know of the reliability and conservatism of the officers. The very large deposits no doubt attracted the cracksmen. The bank was now heavily guarded pending the repairing of the vault doors.[3]

In September 1900, the comptroller of the currency received the application of John A. Miller of Big Run, G.W. Miller, Isaac Piper, Adam Miller and David Piper for authority to organize the Citizens National Bank of Big Run with capital of $35,000.[4]

On September 17, 1902, the First National Bank of Falls Creek opened for business. J.A. Miller who was cashier of the Citizens National Bank at Big Run was cashier of the new bank.[5]

On Tuesday, January 12, 1909, stockholders met and elected the following officers for the ensuing year: G.N. Miller, president; C.H. Irvin, vice president; D.F. Rinn, August Weber, Fred Lott, Jacob Buheit, and John M. McClure, directors.[6]

In January 1910, The old officers were re-elected for the ensuing year as follows: G.W. Miller, president; C.H. Irvin, vice president; G.C. Bowers, cashier; Miss Rilla Stoner, assistant cashier; G.W. Miller, D.F. Rinn, Jacob Buheit, J.M. McClure, Fred Lott, C.H. Irvin, and Aug. Weber, directors.[7]

In January 1911, officers were elected as follows: C.H. Irvin, president; George W. Miller, first vice president; J.M. McClure, second vice president; C.H. Irvin, G.W. Miller, J.M. McClure, Jacob Bucheit, August Weber, Fred Lott, and W.C. Newcome, directors.[8]

In January 1935, the directors were as follows: C.H. Irvin, J.M. McClure, H.M. McGee, G.C. Bowers, B.W. Irvin, H.M. Kuntz, and W.C. Newcome. The officers elected were C.H. Irvin, president; J.M. McClure, vice president; G.C. Bowers, cashier and Clyde W. Raybuck, assistant cashier.[9]

In April 1986, Union National Corporation controlled a total of 92 community offices with in excess of 55 automated teller machines and was approaching $3 billion in total assets. George F. Kesel, president and chief executive officer, told reporters before the Union National's annual meeting, "Our presence in Western Pennsylvania is starting to be rather real. We've always felt it was, but it's starting to get to the size that is of considerable pleasure to me." Along with the Pittsburgh-based Union National Bank, the holding company owned Keystone National Bank of Punxsutawney, McDowell National Bank of Sharon and the newly acquired First National Bank & Trust Co. of Washington.  Completion of previously announced acquisitions of Valley National Bank of Freeport and Citizens National Bank of Big Run later in 1986 would push the corporation's assets over the $3 billion mark. Branches ran from Mercer County to West Virginia. Interstate banking speculation and a possible takeover boosted the stock price by 83% in a year's time, and management wouldn't rule out that prospect.[10] On December 22, 1986, Keystone National Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Union National Corp., completed the acquisition of Citizens National Bank of Big Run (Charter 5667).[11]

In February 1997, Marion Center National Bank reached an agreement to purchase National City Bank's offices in Dayton and Big run. The acquisition, subject to review by regulators, was expected to be final by June 1st. National City Bank of Pennsylvania was a subsidiary of National City Corporation headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Marion Center National Bank was a subsidiary of Community Bankers' Corporation and was the only independent community bank in Indiana County.[12]

Official Bank Title

1: The Citizens National Bank of Big Run, PA

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with stamped signatures of G.C. Bowers, Cashier and C.H. Irvin, President. Courtesy of Lyn Knight Auctions, www.lynknight.com
1929 Type 1 $20 bank note with printed signatures of G.C. Bowers, Cashier and C.H. Irvin, President Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $409,110 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1901 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 33,059 notes (23,976 large size and 9,083 small size notes).

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

Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments
1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 800
1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 860
1882 DB/VB 3x10-20 861 - 960 Type uncertain
1882 Value Back 3x10-20 961 - 1104
1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 4090
1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 1036
1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 274
1929 Type 2 10 1 - 1009
1929 Type 2 20 1 - 214

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1901 - 1935):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Known Bank Note Signers

  • No other known bank note signers for this bank

Bank Note History Links

Sources

  • Big Run, PA, 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. The Clarion Democrat, Clarion, PA, Thu., Apr. 17, 1890.
  2. The Jeffersonian-Democrat, Brookville, PA, Wed., Apr. 16, 1890.
  3. Punxsutawney News, Punxsutawney, PA, Wed., Aug. 1, 1900.
  4. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Thu., Sep. 6, 1900.
  5. The Star, Reynoldsville, PA, Wed., Sep. 24, 1902.
  6. The Punxsutawney Spirit, Punxsutawney, PA, Mon., Jan. 18, 1909.
  7. The Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA, Wed., Jan. 19, 1910.
  8. The Punxsutawney Spirit, Punxsutawney, PA, Wed., Jan. 18, 1911.
  9. The Punxsutawney Spirit, Punxsutawney, PA, Thu. Jan. 10, 1935.
  10. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Tue., Apr. 15, 1986.
  11. Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA, Wed., Dec. 31, 1986.
  12. Indiana Gazette, Indiana, PA, Sat., Feb. 1, 1997.