First National Bank of the City of Battle Creek, MI (Charter 1205)

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An 1892 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
An 1892 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

First NB of the City of Battle Creek, MI (Chartered 1865 - Liquidated 1885)

Town History

Battle Creek is a city in northwestern Calhoun County, Michigan, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek rivers. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 52,731. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Calhoun County. In 1860 the population was 3,509, growing to 45,573 by 1930.

Nicknamed "Cereal City", it is best known as the home of WK Kellogg Co. and the founding city of Post Consumer Brands.

Battle Creek had eight National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and seven of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Title Charter Open Closed Notes
First National Bank of the City of Battle Creek 1204 1865 1885 Succeeded by Charter 3314
The National Bank of Battle Creek 3314 1885 1905 Succeeded by Charter 7589
The Old National Bank of Battle Creek 7589 1905 1934 Succeeded by Charter 14185 (no issue)
The City National Bank of Battle Creek 11852 1920 1940 Absorbed by the Michigan National Bank
Central National Bank of Battle Creek 7013 1903 1933 Succeeded by Charter 13858
The Central National Bank at Battle Creek 13858 1933 1947 Absorbed by the Michigan National Bank
The Merchants National Bank of Battle Creek 3896 1888 1895 Succeeded by Merchants Savings Bank
The Security National Bank (no issue) 14185 1934 1990 Merged with Comerica Bank N.A.

Bank History

  • Organized March 28, 1865
  • Chartered June 2, 1865
  • New bank
  • Liquidated March 28, 1885
  • Succeeded by 3314 (National Bank, Battle Creek, MI)

In 1851, Loyal C. Kellogg determined that an Exchange Office was needed in Battle Creek and opened his little private bank. This institution weathered 50 years until 1863, then formed into a stock organization and in 1865, incorporated as The First National Bank and reincorporated as required by law as The National Bank of Battle Creek in 1885.[1] The first board of directors in 1865 consisted of L.C. Kellogg, D. Miller, W. Andrus, T. Hart, H.D. Hall, W. Wallace, and W. Brooks.[2]

The First National Bank of Battle creek, Calhoun County, Michigan, was organized with a capital of $100,000. The president was Loyal C. Kellogg, and the cashier was Charles M. Law[sic].[3] The cashier was Charles M. Leon. 

In August 1871, the proposed railroad from Battle Creek to Ionia, called the Battle Creek, Ionia & Northern, had the following directors:  Hon. V.P. Collier, R. Kingman, T.B. Skinner, and Jno. F. Moulton, Battle Creek; Hon. O. Tower, Wellington C. Page, and Hon. John B. Welch, Ionia; Albert Van Vleck, Palo; and Jacob M. Dickerson, Stanton.[4]

On Thursday, January 31, 1907, Loyal C. Kellogg, prominently identified with Battle Creek's early history, died and his home on Maple Street which had been the home of the Kellogg's for half a century. In 1866 he practically cornered the flour market in the United States. He had grain stored over the entire country, figuring on making a fortune in saving railroad freight by sending his grain East in boats. Navigation failed to open until June and in the meantime the price of wheat went down and Kellogg lost a fortune. In 1852, he was the first buyer in Michigan to pay $1 a bushel for wheat and first in Michigan to pay $1 a pound for wool. However, misfortune marked him and fluctuations in stocks and market values dissipated his large fortune.[5][6]

Official Bank Title

1: The First National Bank of the City of Battle Creek, MI

Bank Note Types Issued

Original Series $20 bank note
Original Series $20 bank note with pen signatures of W.H. Skinner, Cashier and V.P. Collier, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
Original Series $5 proof
Original Series $5 proof. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing began conversions of plates received from the bank note companies into Series of 1875 form around 1876. This proof shows the original work by the Continental Bank Note Company with the signatures of Colby and Spinner effaced. Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

A total of $302,400 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1865 and 1885. This consisted of a total of 35,712 notes (35,712 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 4x5 1 - 4550
Original Series 3x10-20 1 - 1750
Series 1875 4x5 1 - 250
Series 1875 3x10-20 1 - 2378

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1865 - 1885):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Known Bank Note Signers

  • No other known bank note signers for this bank

Bank Note History Links

Sources

  • Battle Creek, MI, 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. ↑ Battle Creek Enquirer, Battle Creek, MI, Mon., Feb. 6, 1905.
  2. ↑ Battle Creek Enquirer, Battle Creek, MI, Mon., Apr. 14, 1930.
  3. ↑ The Bankers' Magazine and Statistical Register, Vol. 20, 1865-66, p. 86.
  4. ↑ Lansing State Journal, Lansing, MI, Thu., Aug. 17, 1871.
  5. ↑ Battle Creek Enquirer, Battle Creek, MI, Fri., Feb. 1, 1907.
  6. ↑ The Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY, Fri., Feb. 1, 1907.
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