First National Bank, Pearl River, NY (Charter 10526)

Needed: a contemporary postcard or photo of the bank.

First National Bank/First NB & TC, Pearl River, NY (Chartered 1914 - Open past 1935)

Town History

Most of the people who resided in Pearl River during the past 120 years do not know that the monument in Memorial Park bears a plaque inscribed: "In Memorium James B. Moore and Siegfried W. Butz, who lost their lives in defense of the First National Bank of Pearl River, December 29, 1921", nor of the story of the attempted hold-up of the bank in defense of which the two gave their lives.

Pearl River is a hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Orangetown, Rockland County, New York. It is east of Chestnut Ridge, south of Nanuet, west of Blauvelt, New York, and north of Montvale and Old Tappan, New Jersey. Pearl River is 20 miles north of midtown Manhattan and just north of the New Jersey border. It is the first (traveling north) of three New York stops on New Jersey Transit's Pascack Valley Line. The population was 15,876 at the 2010 census.

In 1696, Pearl River was part of a larger piece of land known as the Kakiat Patent that was granted to Daniel Honan and Michael Hawdon. In 1713, the land was split into north and south plots. After the Revolutionary War, the land was further divided and sold. Pearl River was a piece of land made up of woods and swamps originally called Muddy Creek. In the early 1870s, the town was divided into five different parts: Middletown, Sickletown, Pascack, Muddy Brook, and Naurashaun.

There are conflicting accounts on how Muddy Creek came to be named Pearl River. According to some historians, a town resident named Ves Bogert found small pearls in mussels that thrived in Muddy Brook and, upon hearing this, the wife of John Demarest, the president of the New Jersey and New York Railroad, suggested the name "Pearl River" to him. Another account is that the name change was made to make the station sound more appealing on railroad schedules. A third account is that Julius E. Braunsdorf wanted to enhance the hamlet's business image by renaming it Pearl River. In any event, there is no body of water near the hamlet called Pearl River; the most significant stream is Muddy Brook.

Pearl River had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

Organized April 3, 1914
Chartered April 30, 1914
Bank was Open past 1935
Merged on June 1, 1956 with the Ramapo Trust Company of Spring Valley and the Suffern National Bank and Trust Company becoming the Rockland National Bank, Suffern under the charter of the Suffern National.

In January 1914, an application to organize The First National Bank of Pearl River, New York, with capital of $25,000 was received in Washington. The organizers were William A. Serven, G.W. Hadeler, C. Bargfrede, L. Hopper and J.A. Fisher; correspondent, John F. Bargfreded, Pearl River. A charter was issued in May with Edwin Brandow, president.

On December 29, 1921, two bank employees were killed and two others wounded in a bank robbery in the town of Pearl River, New York, thirty miles from New York City, at noon. W.A. Serven, president of the First National Bank of Pearl River, the only bank in the town, went to lunch yesterday at his usual hour, 12:15. He was accompanied by Frederick Hall, the cashier. The only employees left in the bank then were James B. Moore, the teller, and Siegfried Butz, his clerk. About fifteen minutes after Serven and Hall passed down the street to lunch a rattle of revolver shots came from the bank building. Otto Muller, watchman at the railroad siding of the Dexter Folder Company, ran toward the bank and was struck by a bullet from a window. He fell before he reached the bank doors. Two men ran out of the bank and entered an automobile which had been chugging in front of the building. Somewhere up the street a resident fired his revolver and one of the bandits fell. His companions dragged him into the car and the troupe got away at break neck speed down the road which leads through the Hackensack Valley to New York City. The first persons to reach the bank found Moore, the teller, and young Butz, his assistant, lying dead behind the counter. No description of the bandits could be obtained. Nobody had seen them except from a distance. The crowd which soon assembled, taking in practically every person in the town, partitioned up the work of chasing the murderers. All those with cars started in pursuit of the bandits. All telephones were pressed into, service to call nearby towns and villages in warning. No in-coming calls were allowed to reach the town exchange for more than an. hour, while all the wires were used to notify the countryside.

Sheriff Merritt at New City, the county seat, at once set in motion the bandit-catching machinery of Rockland and Westchester Counties. Patrols were sent from the Jersey border far up the Hudson by the State Constabulary, which has a divisional headquarters at Spring Valley, three miles from Pearl River. The automobile in which the murderers escaped was described by employees of the Dexter Folder Company who were on the streets for the lunch hour. One boy said he saw the license number, which he gave to the police. This car was one stolen from George A. Abrams of Paterson, New Jersey. Abrams's car was found abandoned on a road near Park Ridge, his home, late yesterday afternoon! The police believe the robbers stole another machine and are still in flight.

Not until an hour after the double murder and holdup did the directors of the bank think to look for possible robbery of the bank's funds. With President Serven and Cashier Hall, they went into a conference, while the bank doors were locked. Late yesterday they had not counted up sufficiently to offer an opinion on their losses. It was intimated, however, that the bank had an unusually large amount of ready cash yesterday for payment of the Dexter Folder Company's employees.

A letter was received on Monday, January 2, 1922 by the First National Bank of Pearl River regarding the attempted hold-up of that institution and the murder of two employees at the hands of the bandits. It was believed to have been written by an enemy of the robber who sought to give information that would cause his arrest. Although detectives investigating the case at first thought the letter was written by the bandit himself, they said yesterday that closer study had changed their theory. The letter was postmarked Chicago, December 31st, and was received at the bank in the morning mail of Jan. 2. It was addressed to "The Manager or Cashier, First National Bank, Pearl River, N.Y." The letter was four pages long, written with a pen. The handwriting was something like that of the bandit himself, as exemplified in the card signed when he rented a safe-deposit box back on Nov. 4, and the authorities have not given up the idea that he himself may have written the letter from a vainglorious motive. The letter was not signed. It gave Information about the man who the writer of the letter said committed the murder, and told of other crimes committed by the same man in Paterson, Philadelphia and Raleigh, North Carolina. Frederick H. Hall, cashier of the bank, opened the letter and turned it over to the county authorities. Word was sent to the Chicago police, who were asked to find the writer. It was said that the letter gave important clues which were being run down in Paterson and Newark. Word was received from Newark that the police were assisting detectives from Pearl River in searching for a man who was in Pearl River selling merchandise several days before the robbery. This man was said to have called at the bank and attempted to sell some goods on the day of the murder. He left his name and address, and these are being checked. He formerly lived In Newark. A.C. Warfel, an operative of the Burns International Detective Agency, employed by the American Bankers’ Association, went over the trail from Pearl River to Westwood, New Jersey, believed to have been taken by the bandit when he escaped from the bank in his stolen Ford automobile, and checked the information obtained by county detectives.

On December 31, 1921, while two women employees of the bank looked over scores of pictures of criminals in the police rogues' gallery, the bank offered a $2,500 reward for the capture of the slayers.

George W. Florence was arrested in Buffalo on January 9th. Edward Blackwell, Pearl River postmaster, and Dorothy Holland, an employee of the bank, said photographs bore a strong resemblance to the bandit. The prisoner had two partly healed scars on his face. The bank bandit was known to have been wounded in the face by one of his victims. Florence was released by police on the 12th. O.D. Richt, superintendent of the Dexter Folder Co., after looking at Florence in police headquarters, said he bore no marked resemblance to the bandit. The Dexter plant was across the street from the First National Bank and Superintendent Richt was among the few persons who had a close view of the man as he ran to an automobile after the shooting.

Pinkerton's identify Henry J. Ferneckes, alias Henry J. Darch as the Murderer

Harry Scott, superintendent of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency reported that Henry J. Fernekes, widely known throughout the West as a desperado and bank robber, was being sought by Pinkerton agents all over the United States as the man who killed two bank employees last December 29th during an attempted holdup at the First National Bank of Pearl River. Fernekes, Mr. Scott said was also known as Jimmy Knight, Ralph Goodwin and C.F. Richards. Mr. Scott said the Fernekes, using the name of Henry J. Darche, went to Westwood eight miles from Pearl river in February, 1919 and opened an electrical shop. He paid is bills promptly, but he disappeared from Westwood on the day of the holdup and murder at Pearl River. The Pinkertons have established that it was Darche, who as C.F. Richards applied for a safe depoit vault at the Pearl River bank on November 4, 1921. This was made certain by comparison of the signatures of Fernekes and Richards. Shortly before this, Fernekes had purchased a Ford automobile, the car in which the detectives say he escaped from Westwood, still owing $400 to the Westwood Ford Agency. Fernekes took with him from Westwood a woman who had been living with him as his wife, and their small son. This woman, the Pinkertons said, was really the wife of Joe Saunders, a criminal with whom Fernekes allegedly robbed the Argo State Bank. Saunders was captured but Darche escaped. In addition to the Pearl River job, the Pinkertons said that Fernekes was wanted for complicity in the robbery of the Argo State Bank at Argo, Illinois in September, 1918, when $21,000 in cash and bonds was stolen.

Scott traced the Darche family to Chicago where their furniture had come from. A systematic search of the Chicago warehouses disclosed the identity of Darche's mother from whom it was learned that Darche's real name was Henry J. Ferneckes. Chicago Police uncovered his record which began in 1914 when Ferneckes was 18 years old. He was known in Chicago as the "Honeymoon Robber," because he had said he had been married but three months and was forced to rob in order to support his wife. He was sentenced to the Illinois State Reformatory. His wife got a divorce.

Ferneckes Captured

Henry J. Ferneckes was captured Saturday April 18, 1925, in the John C. Rear library while he pored over a chemistry textbook in preparation for the perfect robbery. The four time murderer was plotting a spectacular Chicago robber of a loop bank and its $2 million in daily species balance as his objective using ammonia gas to kill employees and patrons in the bank, while the robbers wearing protective masks looted all the cash.

On February 16, Henry Ferneckes, the "midget bandit" and two associates, sentenced to hang for murder were granted writs of supersedeas by the State Supreme Court. Petitions by Ferneckes, John Flannery and Daniel McGeoghegan for a review of the evidence were granted. The three were convicted less than a month earlier for the robbery and murder of Michael Swiontkowski of the Pulaski Building & Loan Association of Chicago. It was charged that they blocked his automobile on the way to a bank and took $11,950 from him. Efforts of the prosecutor to get speedy justice, the three declared, robbed them of a fair trial.

In July a bomb ripped a hole in the Cook County Jail in Chicago, near the cell of Midget Ferneckes. Quick action by Jailer Springer prevented escape of prisoners.

On May 2, 1927, A million dollar kidnapping plot conceived by one of Chicago's most feared criminal bands, directed at a 9-year-old heir to a great fortune was checkmated by police. Henry J. Ferneckes had plotted the kidnapping and was awaiting a new trial. The intended victim was John Shedd Schweppe, son of Charles H. Schweppe, a broker and grandson of the late John G. Shedd, one of Chicago's wealthiest men. If by chance Ferneke was acquitted of charges against him in Chicago, an indictment was in force to bring him back to Rockland County.

On May 12, 1927, additional guards were ordered placed near the cells of Henry J. "Midget" Ferneckes in Joliet penitentiary following the arrest of William Evans, escaped murderer. He was believed to have planned a wholesale prison break by the employment of mustard gas and enough nitroglycerine to shatter the wings of the institution. Evans was arrested as he sought to drive an automobile within the prison gates while posing as a missionary priest. Evans had escaped from the state penitentiary at Jefferson City, Missouri, where he was serving a life sentence for murder. His desire was to repay a favor in kind that prompted the daring prison break attempt.

In July 1927, the belief was that District Attorney Lexow would finally get Henry J. Darche, or Ferneckes. Residents and friends of the murdered Pearl River bank cashier James Moore were always looking for some word about him. After trying 28 months to send Fernekes to the electric chair, a decision of the Illinois Supreme Court exonerated him. But Fernekes would be convicted in a new trial and was serving a life sentence in Joliet Penitentiary for robbery and murder.

Ferneckes Escapes

On the Night of August 3rd, 1935, Fernekes, 39, was reported by officials to have escaped from the Illinois State Penitentiary. Fernekes was serving a 10 year to life sentence and was described as "a gunman who could give Gerald Chapman and Tommy O'Connor lessons in both shooting and robbery," was missing when guards made their daily check of prisoners. He was recaptured on October 28. The hunt started when the diminutive desperado, murderer and robber disguised as a visitor calmly walked off. How he obtained the clothes to perform his ruse was unknown. He was nabbed in Rogers Park, unarmed, sitting in a car. A new rule requiring visitors to converse with inmates through a heavy wire was made at the prison as a result of the escape.

On October 29th, Henry J. Ferneckes made his last escape. His career of viciousness which included the imputed slaying of three men, numerous bank robberies and a series of brushes with and escapes from the authorities all touched with the bizarre ended in a gasping death as a patrol wagon rushed him over bumpy streets to a hospital. The five foot four inch outlaw managed to secrete a vial of greenish white crystals, despite having been thoroughly searched twice. The half empty vial was found in a trouser pocket. Officers found Fernekes frothing at the mouth on the floor of his cell about 9 AM. He quickly lapsed into a stupor and roused from it during his uncompleted ride to hospital only to mutter, "There will be no show up for me. This is my last day." City officers had planned to have victims of recent robberies look over the prisoner at a show up before he was returned to prison. The night before, he told Chief of Detectives, John L. Sullivan, "I'd rather go back to New York and face the chair than to Joliet." Henry J. Fernekes was cremated on November 1st, 1935.

Mergers forming the Rockland National Bank, Suffern

In May 1956, the First National Bank & Trust Company of Pearl River, the Ramapo Trust Company of Spring Valley and the Suffern National Bank and Trust Company merged and became the Rockland National Bank, Suffern under the charter of the Suffern National. The consolidation of the three banks resulted in a giant institution with assets estimated at $32 million with its main office in Suffern with other offices in Tuxedo, Monsey, Spring Valley and Pearl River. The Rockland National Bank opened its doors for the first time on June 1, 1956. James A. Collishaw, president of the Suffern National, was elected the new president, J. Edgar Davidson was named chairman of the board and vice presidents in charge of the new bank's branches were Clifford G. Warren, Suffern; John Luft, Tuxedo; Edwin Norman, Pearl river; and Charles Eardley, assistant vice president in Spring Valley.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The First National Bank of Pearl River, NY

2: First National Bank and Trust Company of (9/17/1925), Pearl River, NY

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Plain Back $5 bank note with pen signatures of Frederick H. Hall, Cashier and William A. Serven, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $20 bank note with printed signatures of John E. Lovatt, Cashier and Christopher Bargfrede, President. The overprinting plate used to produce this note was from the Government Printing Office, GPO. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $5 bank note with printed signatures of John E. Lovatt, Cashier and Robert R. Felter, President. The overprinting plate used to produce this note was from Barnhart Brothers & Spindler (BBS). Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 2 $5 bank note with printed signatures of Victor J. Paltsits, Cashier and Robert R. Felter, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $515,340 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1914 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 66,264 notes (41,648 large size and 24,616 small size notes).

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

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s	Sheet Comments
1: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	1 - 4875
1: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	1 - 2980
2: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	1 - 1550
2: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	1 - 1007
2: 1929 Type 1	6x5	1 - 924
2: 1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 518
2: 1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 148
2: 1929 Type 2	5	1 - 9502
2: 1929 Type 2	10	1 - 4806
2: 1929 Type 2	20	1 - 768

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1914 - 1936):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

James H. Van Bramer, Jr., 1914-1918
Frederick H. Hall, 1919-1922
John Edward Lovatt, 1923-1932
Victor John Paltsits, 1933-1935

Other Bank Note Signers

There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.

Wiki Links

Sources

Pearl River, NY, 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 Wall Street Journal, New York, NY, Wed., Jan. 28, 1914.
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, NY, Tue., June 8, 1915.
Daily News, New York, NY, Fri., Dec. 30, 1921.
Daily News, New York, NY, Sun., Jan. 1, 1922.
The New York Times, New York, NY, Wed., Jan. 4, 1922.
The Buffalo Times, Buffalo, NY, Tue., Jan. 10, 1922.
New-York Tribune, New York, NY, Thu., Jan. 12, 1922.
New York Herald, New York, NY, Fri., Mar. 10, 1922.
New-York Tribune, New York, NY, Fri., Mar. 10, 1922.
Daily News, New York, NY, Wed., Apr. 22, 1925.
Star-Gazette, Elmira, NY, Tue., Feb. 16, 1926.
Daily News, New York, NY, Tue., July 20, 1926.
The Record, Hackensack, New Jersey, Mon., May 2, 1927.
Belvidere Daily Republican, Belvidere, IL, Thu., May 12, 1927.
Daily News, New York, NY, Thu., Mar. 10, 1932.
Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, Sun., Aug. 4, 1935.
The Record, Hackensack, NJ, Tue., Oct. 29, 1935.
Herald and Review, Decatur, IL, Wed., Oct. 30, 1935.
The Journal News, White Plains, NY, Thu., May 3, 1956.
The Record, Hackensack, NJ, Sat., June. 2, 1956.