Columbian National Bank, Boston, MA (Charter 1029)

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The historic Ames Building on the corner of Court and Washington Streets, Boston. This was the last location used by the Columbian National Bank before its merger with the National Shawmut Bank. Photo is ca2021 when the building was used as a dormitory for Suffolk University. Courtesy of Google Maps

Columbian National Bank, Boston, MA (Chartered 1865 - Liquidated 1898)

Town History

An 1867 check on the Columbian National Bank at 40 State Street signed by Joseph Lyman. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

Boston is the capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and 24th-most populous city in the U.S. The city proper covers about 48.4 square miles with a population of 675,647 in 2020, also making it the most populous city in New England. It is the seat of Suffolk County (although the county government was disbanded on July 1, 1999). The city is the economic and cultural anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area known as Greater Boston, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) home to a census-estimated 4.8 million people in 2016 and ranking as the tenth-largest MSA in the country. A broader combined statistical area (CSA), generally corresponding to the commuting area and including Providence, Rhode Island, is home to some 8.2 million people, making it the sixth most populous in the United States.

Boston is one of the oldest municipalities in the United States, founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers from the English town of the same name. It was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the siege of Boston. Upon American independence from Great Britain, the city continued to be an important port and manufacturing hub as well as a center for education and culture. The city has expanded beyond the original peninsula through land reclamation and municipal annexation. Its rich history attracts many tourists, with Faneuil Hall alone drawing more than 20 million visitors per year. Boston's many firsts include the United States' first public park (Boston Common, 1634), first public or state school (Boston Latin School, 1635), first subway system (Tremont Street subway, 1897), and first large public library (Boston Public Library, 1848).

Today, Boston is a thriving center of scientific research. The Boston area's many colleges and universities make it a world leader in higher education, including law, medicine, engineering and business, and the city is considered to be a global pioneer in innovation and entrepreneurship, with nearly 5,000 startups. Boston's economic base also includes finance, professional and business services, biotechnology, information technology and government activities.

Boston had 84 National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and 75 of those banks issued National Bank Notes. Boston also had 63 Obsolete Banks that issued Obsolete Bank Notes during the Obsolete Bank Note Era (1782-1866).

Bank History

The Columbian Bank obsolete $3 proof, Haxby-MA-140. Two women holding 3-counters. Woman at left with sickle and dress with two straps, woman at right with caduceus and dress with just a single strap.  Central portrait of the bank's president, Joseph Tilden. Engraved by Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co., New York. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

In March 1822, acts to incorporate banks passed at the late session of the Legislature included those for the Eagle Bank, the Columbian Bank, and the City Bank. In addition, an act to establish the City of Boston passed.[1] At the time of Boston's charter as a city, the population was about 46,226, while the area of the city was only 4.8 square miles.

On Monday, October 2, 1826, election of officers took place at the several banks in Boston. The following names of the president and cashier, together with the capital of each bank, with their dividend of profits were provided from the Boston Patriot.[2] 

The following appeared in the The Recorder, on December 4, 1832:  Perkins' Stereotype Plate Counterfeited. There were two five dollar bills of the Columbian Bank, Boston, signed W. Coffin, Cashier and Joseph Tilden, President, dated Nov. 1, 1828, payable to G. Cushing, one numbered 14877 and the other numbered 15518 of Perkins' stereotype plate, taken in this town [Greenfield] the past week. The public generally would no doubt have taken them, not expecting counterfeits of that plate. They would be easily detected, however, by good judges. The policy of requiring all our banks to use this plate offers so great an inducement to counterfeiters that its expediency is doubted.[3]

On Thursday, July 28, 1853, Joseph Tilden, formerly president of the Columbian Bank of Boston, State Senator,[4] and an aged merchant, died in that city.[5]

On December 28, 1889, John T. Coolidge, president of the Columbian National bank of Boston, died at his home on Beacon Street. His death was caused by a complication of diseases hastened by an attack of influenza. In 1833 Mr. Coolidge was elected a director of the Columbian Bank and in 1853 he was made its president, continuing to fill that position successfully until the time of his death.[6]

On Tuesday, January 11, 1898, stockholders met at the banking rooms in the Ames Building, corner of Court and Washington Streets.[7]

In October 1898, the local bank liquidation syndicate had reached a point where they could count for a certainty on the success of their plan. Stockholders of seven of the nine banks had been notified to turn over their holdings to Kidder, Peabody & Co. to come in on the liquidation plan. Formal application for a new charter for the proposed National Shawmut Bank was expected in a few days. Cashier L.W. Burlen of the Columbian National would accept the position of assistant cashier of the National Bank of the Republic upon the dissolution of the Columbian Bank.[8] On November 16, 1898, Comptroller of the Currency Dawes authorized the establishment of the National Shawmut Bank of Boston with a capital of $3,000,000. The organization of the new bank, the successor of nine smaller Boston national banks to be liquidated by the local syndicate, was hastened somewhat by the attempt by rival banks to secure a slice of the prospective business of the Shawmut.[9] The nine banks consolidated to form the National Shawmut Bank were The Shawmut National Bank, charter 582; The Boston National Bank, charter 408; The Columbian National Bank, charter 1029; The North National Bank, charter 525; The Hamilton National Bank, charter 778; The Lincoln National Bank, charter 2846; The National Bank of North American, charter 672; The National Eagle Bank, charter 993; and The National Revere Bank, charter 1295. More information on the merger and these banks is available on the bank history page for the National Shawmut Bank, charter 5155 and from Chapter O4, Encyclopedia of National Bank Notes, available from SPMC.org.

Official Bank Title

1: The Columbian National Bank of Boston, MA

Bank Note Types Issued

Series of 1875 $1 bank note
Series of 1875 $1 bank note with pen signatures of J.M. Gordon, Cashier and John T. Coolidge, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
Series of 1875 $2 bank note
Series of 1875 $2 bank note with pen signatures of J.M. Gordon, Cashier and John T. Coolidge, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1882 Brown Back $10 bank note
1882 Brown Back $10 bank note with pen signatures of L.W. Burlen, Cashier and Horatio Newhall, President. Courtesy of Marshall Mallory

A total of $5,364,380 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1865 and 1898. This consisted of a total of 1,065,981 notes (1,065,981 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
Original Series 3x1-2 1 - 32000
Original Series 4x5 1 - 33250
Original Series 3x10-20 1 - 8220
Original Series 50-100 1 - 1510
Original Series 500 1 - 205
Series 1875 3x1-2 1 - 34200
Series 1875 4x5 1 - 66250
Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 8000
1882 Brown Back 4x5 1 - 76169
1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 7600

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1865 - 1898):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Known Bank Note Signers

  • No other known bank note signers for this bank

Bank Note History Links

Sources

  • Boston, MA, 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 Pittsfield Sun, Pittsfield, MA, Wed., Mar. 6, 1822.
  2. ↑ Fall River Monitor, Fall River, MA, Sat., Oct. 7, 1826.
  3. ↑ The Recorder, Greenfield, MA, Tue., Dec. 4, 1832.
  4. ↑ The Recorder, Greenfield, MA, Tue., May 22, 1821.
  5. ↑ The Springfield Daily Republican, Springfield, MA, Fri., July 29, 1853.
  6. ↑ The Springfield Daily Republican, Springfield, MA, Sun., Dec. 29, 1889.
  7. ↑ Boston Evening Transcript, Boston, MA, Sat., Jan. 1, 1898.
  8. ↑ The Boston Globe, Boston, MA, Wed., Oct. 19, 1898.
  9. ↑ Boston Evening Transcript, Boston, MA, Thu., Nov. 17, 1898.
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