First National Bank, Erie, PA (Charter 12)
First National Bank, Erie, PA (Chartered 1863 - Closed (Merger) 1992)
Town History
Erie is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania. Erie is the fifth-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Reading, and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania, with a population of 94,831 at the 2020 census. The Erie metropolitan area, equivalent to all of Erie County, consists of 266,096 residents.
Erie is within 100 miles distance of the cities of Buffalo, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Erie's manufacturing sector remains prominent in the local economy, although healthcare, higher education, technology, service industries, and tourism are emerging as significant economic drivers. Over four million people visit Erie each summer for recreation at Presque Isle State Park and attractions such as Waldameer Park and the Erie Zoo.
The city was named for the Native American Erie people who lived in the area until the mid-17th century. It is known as the "Flagship City" because of its status as the home port of Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship, Niagara. It is also known as the "Gem City" because of the water's gem like appearance when the Sun is out. In 2012, Erie hosted the Perry 200, a commemoration celebrating 200 years of peace between Britain, America, and Canada following the War of 1812 and Battle of Lake Erie.
Erie had five National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all five of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Chartered June 22, 1863
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Merged with First National Bank of Meadville (Charter 4838) March 1, 1969 forming the First National Bank of Pennsylvania in Meadville
- Merged into Marine Bank in Warren, PA July 24, 1992
On Friday morning, November 26, 1886, Myron Sanford, Esq., of Erie, brother-in-law of Hon. Geo. V. Lawrence, died at his home in Erie. His death was sudden and unexpected. Mr. Sanford was married to Senator Lawrence's sister, Susan. He was a most exemplary citizen, and a successful business man, leaving a large estate estimated at over $200,000, as well as a son. Myron Sanford was one of Erie's most promising citizens, was a descendant of John Sanford, who was Governor of Rhode Island towns of Newport and Portsmouth in 1653 and who was disowned in 1637 for sympathizing with Wheelwright. The first public hall in Erie was built by the deceased. He gave the Erie library its life by a donation of $1,000. His widow was the daughter of the late Hon. Jos. Lawrence, and a sister of Col. J.J. Lawrence, ex-Superintendent of the Allegheny Valley Railway, and Senator George V. Lawrence.[1]
In April 1949, M.A. Patten, president of the Ensworth National Bank of Waterford announced the take-over by the First National Bank of Erie effective Monday, May 2d. Stockholders had unanimously voted to turn over the bank's business to the First National Bank.[2]
On March 23, 1960, a 30-month prison term was handed to John H. Behringer, 42, of Erie for embezzling $92,607. Behringer, former manager of the Waterford Branch of the First National bank was accused of taking funds from private accounts in 1957 and 1959. He pleaded guilty to six of 10 charges before Federal Judge Joseph P. Willson. FBI agents testified he used the funds to buy Canadian mining stock. Charles J. Heimberger, president of the bank, said there was no financial loss to the bank as every employee was under bond at all times. First National was reimbursed for the full amount of the embezzlement by the National Surety Corporation.[3] Charles J. Heimberger was a board member of General Telephone Company of Pennsylvania.[4] In April 1964, Heimberger was elected president of the Pennsylvania Development Credit Corporation, a new company created by private enterprise to make loans to business and industry to encourage industrial and economic growth in the state.[5]
On Thursday, November 21, 1968, shareholders of both the First National Bank of Erie and the First National Bank of Meadville approved plans to consolidate the two institutions. The new bank would operate under Charter No. 12 of the First National Bank of Erie and be named the First National Bank of Pennsylvania. The head office of the First National Bank of Pennsylvania would be located in Meadville with executive offices in Erie. The bank would have 14 banking offices in Erie, Lawrence Park Township, Millcreek Township, North East, Waterford, Wesleyville, Meadville and Franklin. A 15th office approved for the Kearsarge area would open early the following year. Under the plan, Charles J. Heimberger, president of the First National Bank of Erie would become chairman of the board and chief executive officer and Edwin H. Keep, president of the First National Bank of Meadville would become president and chief administrative officer. The board of directors would be comprised of J. Robert Baldwin, Baldwin Brothers Real Estate, R.W. Britt, president, General Telephone Co.; James A Currie, president, Erie Foundry Co.; Charles A. Dailey, Jr., president, Dailey Chevrolet, Inc.; John H. DeVitt, president, Hammermill Paper Co.; John R. Dwyer, president, Firch Baking Co.; John W. English, attorney; Harry W. Gent, Jr., attorney; Charles J. Heimberger, chairman of the board and chief executive officer; W.F. Illig, attorney; Edwin H. Keep, president and chief administrative officer; Ellis T. Knobloch, president, Union Iron Works; F. Daniel Leary, chief plant accountant, FMC Corp., American Viscose Division; Vincent F. Lechner, president American Sterilizer Co.; Donald S. Leslie, Junior vice president-finance, Hammermill Paper Co.; E.V. Lett, vice president; James R. McBrier, president, Trask, Prescott & Richardson Co.; Dr. G.C. McCandless, physician and surgeon; Robert F. Merwin, president, Eriez Mfg. Co.; Edward Selden, retired; Guy W. Wilson, retired; John J. Williams, vice president-operations, Talon Division, Textron, Inc.; Dr. Harry C. Winslow, physician and surgeon; Bryce W. Wyman, vice president, general manager, Transportation Systems Div., General Electric Co.; and Everett F. Zurn, chairman, Zurn Industries, Inc. Directors of both banks had approved the consolidation plan on September 16th.[6]
On Friday, February 28, 1969, Federal approval was received for the merger of the First National Bank of Erie and the First National Bank of Meadville, forming the largest bank in Western Pennsylvania outside metropolitan Pittsburgh. Operations began on Monday as the First National Bank of Pennsylvania with close to $200 million in resources.[7]
07/01/1988 Acquired The National Bank of Corry (Charter 4823) in Corry, PA, which operated as a branch of the First National Bank of Pennsylvania in Meadville, PA
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The First National Bank of Erie, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $5,459,020 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1863 and 1992. This consisted of a total of 479,507 notes (401,768 large size and 77,739 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments Original Series 4x5 1 - 3800 Original Series 4x10 1 - 3250 Original Series 4x20 1 - 1250 Series 1875 4x5 1 - 998 Series 1875 4x10 1 - 923 Series 1875 4x20 1 - 789 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 3898 1902 Red Seal 3x10-20 1 - 5360 1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 12500 1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 18800 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 18801 - 67674 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 8460 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 2222 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 11076 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 2571
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1863 - 1992):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
- Myron Sanford, 1863-1871
- Jerome Lyman Sternberg, 1872-1901
- John R. McDonald, 1902-1914
- Charles DuPuy Spencer, 1915-1918
- Judah Colt Spencer, (II), 1919-1919
- Harry Hampson Leet, 1920-1935
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 Erie (Wikipedia)
- General information on Erie County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Erie, 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
- ↑ Monongahela Valley Republican, Monongahela, PA, Thu., Dec. 2, 1886.
- ↑ The Kane Republican, Sat., Apr. 2, 1949.
- ↑ The Titusville Herald, Titusville, PA, Thu., Mar. 24, 1960.
- ↑ The Daily American, Somerset, PA, Mon., Mar. 31, 1958.
- ↑ Jim Thorpe Times News, Jim Thorpe, PA, Tue., Apr. 7, 1964.
- ↑ The News-Herald, Franklin, PA, Fri., Nov. 22, 1968.
- ↑ The Progress, Clearfield, PA, Sat., Mar 1, 1969.