Clarion County NB, Edenburg/Knox, PA (Charter 6182)
Clarion County NB, Edenburg/Knox, PA (Chartered 1902 - Open past 1935)
Town History
Edenburg & Knox are located in Clarion County.
Knox is a borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania. The population was 1,102 at the 2020 census. In 1900 the population was 704, growing to 1,037 by 1930.
Knox, the horsethief capital of the world, is located northwest of the center of Clarion County. Pennsylvania Route 208 passes through the center of the borough, leading east 4 miles to U.S. Route 322 at Shippenville and west 11 miles to Emlenton. Pennsylvania Route 338 runs through the eastern side of Knox as a two-lane bypass; it leads north 4 miles to US 322 and south four miles to Interstate 80. Clarion, the county seat, is 9 miles to the east via Shippenville. Horsethief Days is a festival that happens in the Borough of Knox the week before school goes back into session. It traces its history back to Sebastian "Boss" Buck, the leader of the horse thieves.
On October 13, 1885, Boss Buck and his gang of 11 counterfeiters were arrested by United States Secret Service officers in Clarion County. The prisoners were the notorious Boston Buck, his three sons, L.P. Whitmer, Edward Harmon, and a man named Croner. These coinackers were quite successfully manufacturing spurious silver dollars and had a thorough system of placing them in circulation in Clarion, Jefferson and Forest Counties. Boss Buck, an old time counterfeiter, received a seven year sentence for his part while other members of the gang received sentences of no more than 4 years.
On May 22, 1880 Edenburg suffered a second disastrous fire in a matter of 2 years. It was a small oil town of about 2,000 inhabitants and the headquarters of the United Oil Pipe Lines. It was situated on the Clarion and Foxburg Railroad about nine miles from Clarion. It developed in 1871 from a country cross-roads, surrounded by farms, into a thriving town of 5-6,000 by 1878. In November 1878, an accidental fire originating in a livery stable swept away the business portion, nearly half of Edenburg and it never fully recovered. There was no fire apparatus there or within easy access. The subject of water works had recently been the agitated, but nothing had been accomplished.
Edenburg in Clarion County is not to be confused with Edenburg, a census-designated place in Windsor Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. In 1877, The Indiana Progress warned readers sending letters to Edenburg, Clarion County to address them to Knox post office as there were two Edenburg's in Pennsylvania.
Edenburg/Knox had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized March 22, 1902
- Chartered March 31, 1902
- 1: Succeeded Clarion County Bank
- Bank was Open past 1935
- Acquired by the Oil City National Bank on March 21, 1955
The Clarion County Bank of Edenburg, at Knox, was organized in 1876 with Hon. J.M. Dickey as president and capital $100,000.
On Saturday about nine o'clock, the night of May 22, 1880, a fire started in the United States Hotel at Edenburg, Clarion County, consuming seventy buildings before it was controlled. Flames were discovered issuing from the windows of the United States Hotel, an unoccupied building situated on Railroad Street, which soon spread to adjoining houses. From Railroad street to Main the conflagration roamed on, destroying everything of an inflammable nature that stood in its way. From Main to Pennsylvania Avenue and down the latter thoroughfare it swept, destroying in all seventy buildings, among which were the post office, Clarion County Bank, Brown's hotel, United States Hotel, Hamm's dry goods, Jarvis' hardware, the telegraph office two other hotels, and United Pipe Line offices. The loss was estimated at $150,000, on which there was little or no insurance. Upwards of one hundred families were homeless and many who slept in comfortable beds the night previous slept on the ground. The fire was the result of an incendiary.
On Wednesday evening, June 16, 1897, Mr. E.G. Crawford died at the Edenburg Hotel from a stroke of apoplexy. Although Mr. Crawford's home was in Franklin, he spent most of his time in Edenburg where he was largely interested in business, being a member of the well known firm of McDowell & Crawford, dealers in oil well supplies and general hardware, and Cashier and principal manager of the Clarion County Bank. He was also one of the owners of the Clarion County Mills at that place, besides having interests in oil, gas, and many other enterprises. Deceased was about fifty-one years of age and he left a widow and several children.
In 1899 E.W. Echols was president, John Gibson, cashier and the bank had resources of over $200,000.
The 1902 report of the condition of the Clarion County National Bank of Edenburg, at Knox showed loans and discounts $184,909.37, U.S. Bonds to secure circulation $12,500, stocks, securities, etc. $44,147.64, Banking house, furniture and fixtures $5,000 and total resources of $331,180.34. Jno. Gibson signed the report as cashier and directors J.C. Berlin, A.J. Smith, G.M. Cushing and D.O. White attested to its correctness.
In January 1903, the officers were G.M. Cushing, president; C.E. Crawford and J.C. Berlin, vice presidents; and John Gibson, cashier. The bank had capital of $50,000, earnings and surplus $13,000, and deposits of $310,000.
In August 1917, the officers were C.E. Crawford, president; J.C. Perlin, vice president; George R. Berlin, cashier; J.D. Plumer and E. Jay Miller, Assistant cashiers. The directors were C.E. Crawford, J.C. Berlin, G.M. Cushing, D.O. White, H.J. Crawford, T.B. Gregory, and G.S. Hamm.
On February 7, 1927, two bank robbers were captured after holding up the Clarion County National Bank at Knox and obtaining $8,000. The robbers, said to be from New Castle, went to the bank shortly after it opened, but found that George Berlin, the cashier, had not yet arrived. They then went to Berlin's home and forced him at the point of revolvers to ride to the bank with them and deliver the money. When the money was handed over the robbers took Berlin and Raymond Wile, a bank employee, to the Berlin home. Acting on information furnished by the New Castle city police who had learned of the contemplated robbery, State Police from New Castle surrounded the Berlin home and captured the two men. The men captured were S. C. Earel of Warren, Ohio, and George Gul of Youngstown, Ohio. The troopers said the name of George Gul was probably fictitious, but that Earel was known to them. The robbers were taken to the barracks at Butler to be photographed and have their fingerprints taken. A Pennsylvania state trooper worked his way into the band of Newcastle bandits in an effort to solve a $10,000 diamond robbery. He was known to the gang as "Smith." The trooper learned of plans to loot the Knox bank and advised his superiors. The two bank robbers, registered as Sam Earl and Ed Guy both of New Castle, told Smith they needed an automobile for the holdup. The trooper had a New Castle banker plant his machine on a street and the gangsters, accompanied by the trooper, stole it. A bank employee, acting on the request of officers, told the cashier not to resist. The robbers surrendered as they neared Berlin's residence where state and county officers overtook them. The other men held were Mark Hockman, William Matteson, and Harry Coburn.
Samuel C. Earl, Frank K. Hockman and William J. Mattison were indicted and tried in Clarion County at the March 1927 session. Charged with conspiracy and robbery after the attempted hold up, Mattison was acquitted. Hockman and Earl both received sentences of from ten to twenty years in the Western Penitentiary. An appeal was taken to the superior court of Pennsylvania, but the finding of the Clarion Court was sustained in an opinion handed down July 8, 1927.
In January 1935, The officers were J.C. Berlin, president; H.J. Crawford, vice president. W.I. McDowell, C.L. Clover, and Geo. R. Berlin, were directors. The bank had capital, surplus and reserves of $300,000.
In January 1940, the officers elected were G.M. Cushing, president; J.C. Berlin, vice president; Geo. R. Berlin, cashier, C.R. Wile and E. Jay Miller, assistant cashiers. The directors were J.C., George R., and H.O. Berlin, E. Jay Miller, and F.C. Youkers. The bank had capital and surplus of $200,000, Deposits $1,500,000, and resources of $1,750,000.
In January 1953, the directors were Geo. R. Berlin, H.O. Berlin, C.R. Wile, H.B. Beels, H.S. McClellan, H.H. Bittenbender, S.J. Kline. the officers were Geo. R. Berlin, chairman of the board; C.R. Wile, president & Trust Officer, Jay A. Amsler, cashier and assistant trust officer; and George B. Beels, assistant cashier.
With the opening of business, Monday, March 21, 1955, the Oil City National Bank assumed the deposit liability of the Clarion County national Bank of Knox and acquired its assets. C.R. Wile, S.J. Kline, Jay A. Amsler, George B. Beels, Edward J. Best, Vaughn A. Gruber, Marie Hall and Constance Knepshild became part of the staff of the Oil City National Bank and would continue to serve their friends at the Knox Office.
In July 1996, the Farmers National Bank of Emlenton, a wholly owned subsidiary of Emclaire Financial Corp., purchased the assets and assumed certain liabilities of the Knox branch office of Mellon Bank, N.A., located at Main and State Streets, Knox.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Clarion County National Bank of Edenburg, PA
2: 2nd title and town not used on notes: The Clarion County National Bank of Knox, PA (2/4/1935)
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $880,240 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1902 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 70,849 notes (59,236 large size and 11,613 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments 1: 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 3150 1: 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 3600 1: 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 3601 - 6802 Plate dated 1902 1: 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 4857 Plate dated 1922 1: 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 1334 1: 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 352 1: 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 1243 1: 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 254
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1902 - 1935):
Presidents:
- Granville Monroe Cushing, 1902-1912
- Carroll Edgar Crawford, 1913-1914
- Granville Monroe Cushing, 1915-1915
- Carroll Edgar Crawford, 1916-1916
- Granville Monroe Cushing, 1918-1926
- John Cook Berlin, 1927-1935
Cashiers:
Other Bank Note Signers
- Joseph Dieringer Plumer, Assistant Cashier 1917...1940
- J.C. Berlin signed notes as Vice President
Wiki Links
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History
- General information on Edenburg/Knox (Wikipedia)
- General information on Clarion County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Knox, 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
- The Philadelphia Times, Philadelphia, PA, Fri., Oct. 27, 1876.
- The Indiana Progress, Indiana, PA, Thu., Feb. 8, 1877.
- Harrisburg Daily Independent, Harrisburg, PA, Mon., May 24, 1880.
- The Philadelphia Times, Philadelphia, PA, Mon., May 24, 1880.
- The Forest Republican, Tionesta, PA, Wed., Oct. 14, 1885.
- The Jeffersonian-Democrat, Brookville, PA, Wed., Nov. 4, 1885.
- The Clarion Democrat, Clarion, PA, Thu., June 17, 1897.
- The Clarion Democrat, Clarion, PA, Thu., Mar. 2, 1899.
- The Clarion Democrat, Clarion, PA, Thu., May 8, 1902.
- The Clarion Democrat, Clarion, PA, Thu., Jan. 29, 1903.
- The Clarion Democrat, Clarion, PA, Thu., Aug. 23, 1917.
- Republican and Herald, Pottsville, PA, Mon., Feb. 7, 1927.
- The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, Tue., Feb. 8, 1927.
- The Sentinel, Carlisle, PA, Tue., Mar. 8, 1927.
- The Brookville American, Brookville, PA, Thu., Feb. 16, 1928.
- The Clarion Democrat, Clarion, PA, Thu., Apr. 11, 1935.
- The Clarion Democrat, Clarion, PA, Thu., Jan. 11, 1940.
- The Blizzard, Oil City, PA, Tue., Jan. 20, 1953.
- The Oil City Derrick, Mon., Mar. 21, 1955.
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Mon., June 3, 1996.