Farmers National Bank, Leechburg, PA (Charter 9290)
Farmers National Bank, Leechburg, PA (Chartered 1908 - Receivership 1931)
Town History
Leechburg is a borough in southern Armstrong County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 35 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Leechburg was founded by David Leech, for whom it was later named, and was incorporated as a borough in 1850. Located along the Kiskiminetas River, Leechburg was a major port of the Pennsylvania Canal. Early in the 20th century, it was the site of extensive steel sheet works, foundries, cement plants, and productive coal mines. Leechburg was the first place where natural gas was used for industrial purposes.
A population of 2,149 residents live within the borough limits as of the 2020 census. In 1910 the population was 3,624 and it peaked in 1930 at 4,489.
Leechburg had two National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and both of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized September 14, 1908
- Chartered December 11, 1908
- Opened for business December 11, 1908
- Receivership October 12, 1931
On August 19, 1908, the Comptroller of the Currency approved the application to organize the Farmers National Bank of Leechburg with capital of $50,000. Application was made by W.F. Hill of Huntingdon, A.H. Beale, J.H. Park, P.A. McCracken and J.D. Flude. The remodeled and renovated rooms formerly used by the Leechburg Banking Company, now insolvent, were opened by the recently organized Farmers National Bank. The officers were W.F. Hill, President; J.D. Fluke, first vice president; J.A. Schwab, second vice president; Charles Armstrong, cashier. William F. Hill was also past State Grange Master and President of the Grange Trust Co. of Huntingdon.
In January 1914, the following were elected directors: D.M. Campbell, P.A. McCracken, J.H. Parks, A.H. Beale, J.D. Flude, H.R. Sheffield, H.S. Zimmerman, George A. Hunger, S.R. Saunders, W.M. Swank, and George W. Cook.
John Anthony Schwab held interests in farming and was a granger; he was the father of steel magnate Charles M. Schwab. J.A. Schwab was also president of the Grange National Bank of Patton (1906-1923), The First National Bank of Williamsburg (1907-1923) and The First National Bank of Cresson (1914-1923).
For more information on the Grange National Banks in Pennsylvania, this article provides a brief history of those twelve banks, why they were formed, and the men and women behind them.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Farmers National Bank of Leechburg, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $856,330 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1908 and 1931. This consisted of a total of 68,624 notes (60,644 large size and 7,980 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 5540 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 5541 - 15161 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 1022 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 308
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1908 - 1931):
Presidents:
- William Free Hill, 1909-1910 Note: A featured biography is available
- Daniel McKenzie Campbell, 1911-1930
Cashiers:
Other Bank Note Signers
- There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.
Wiki Links
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History
- General information on Leechburg (Wikipedia)
- General information on Armstrong County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Leechburg, 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://bbdata.banknotehistory.com
- The Fulton Democrat, McConnellsburg, PA, Thu., Aug. 27, 1908.
- The Fulton Democrat, McConnellsburg, PA, Thu., Dec. 10, 1908.
- Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Wed., Jan. 14, 1914.