German American NB/American NB, Saint Joseph, MO (Charter 9042)

The American National Bank located at 7th and Felix Streets, St. Joseph, Missouri, ca2019. The 7th Street entrance is shown at top left. Courtesy of Google Maps

German American NB/American NB, Saint Joseph, MO (Chartered 1908 - Closed (Merger) 1998)

Town History

St. Joseph is a city in Andrew and Buchanan counties and the county seat of Buchanan County, Missouri. Located on the Missouri River, it is the principal city of the St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Buchanan, Andrew, and DeKalb counties in Missouri and Doniphan County, Kansas. As of the 2020 census, St. Joseph had a total population of 72,473, making it the 8th most populous city in the state, and the 3rd most populous in Northwest Missouri. St. Joseph is located roughly 30 miles north of the Kansas City, Missouri, and approximately 125 miles south of Omaha, Nebraska. The city was named after the town's founder Joseph Robidoux and the biblical Saint Joseph. St. Joseph is home to Missouri Western State University.

St. Joseph was founded on the Missouri River by Joseph Robidoux, a local fur trader of French Canadian descent. It was officially incorporated in 1843. In its early days, it was a bustling outpost and rough frontier town, serving as a last supply point and jumping-off point for travelers on the Missouri River toward the "Wild West". It was the westernmost point in the United States accessible by rail until after the American Civil War. The main east–west downtown streets were named for Robidoux's eight children: Faraon, Jules, Francois (Francis), Felix, Edmond, Charles, Sylvanie, and Messanie. The street between Sylvanie and Messanie was named for his second wife, Angelique.

St. Joseph, or "St. Joe", as it was called by many, was a "Jumping-Off Point" for those migrants headed to the Oregon Territory in the mid-1800s. Such cities, including Independence, and St. Joseph, were where pioneers would stay and purchase supplies before they headed out in wagon trains across the Great Plains. The town was a very lively place.

Between April 3, 1860, and late October 1861, St. Joseph was one of the two endpoints of the Pony Express, which operated for a short period over the land then inaccessible by rail, to provide fast mail service. Today the Pony Express Museum hosts visitors in the former stables of the company. St. Joseph is identified by the slogan, "Where the Pony Express started and Jesse James ended."

Outlaw Jesse James lived here under the alias "Mr. Howard". The song, "Jesse James", includes the lines, "...that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard has laid poor Jesse in his grave." On April 3, 1882, James was killed at his home, originally located at 1318 Lafayette. It has been relocated next to the Patee House and still has the visible bullet hole from the fatal shot. It is now operated as the Jesse James Home Museum.

Saint Joseph had ten National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all ten of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

An 1892 advertisement for the Henry Krug Packing Co., St. Joseph, Missouri.

• Organized February 12, 1908
• Chartered February 24, 1908
• Conversion of The German American Bank of St. Joseph
• Opened for business February 25, 1908
• Bank was Open past 1935
• For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
• Merged with 6272 Tootle-Enright National Bank of St. Joseph, MO, December 1963
• Merged into Mercantile Bank in Overland Park, KS, May 16, 1998

In March 1887, L.J. Taylor, a prominent banker of Seneca, Kansas, was in St. Joseph. He was interested in the new German-American Bank which planned to open soon. The bank commenced business on Monday, June 6, at 118 North Fifth Street. The bank had been elegantly fitted up in mahogany, birch, bronze and plate glass. One of Halls' infallible time lock combination safes would soon be placed there. The directors were John Donovan, Jr., H.G. Buckingham, Ulrich Schneider, T.H. Beekman, Jas. Craig, Jr., W.L. Buechle, Jr., Henry Krug, Jr., Geo. E. Black, and Dr. C.J. Siemens. The officers were John Donovan, Jr., president; T.H. Beekman, vice president; Henry Krug, Jr., 2d vice president; Geo. E. Black, cashier; and J.G. Schneider, assistant cashier. The bank had capital of $100,000.

In February 1890, the iron work for the second story of the German American Bank building was placed in position. In April the contract for furnishing the hardware for the new bank was let to the popular W.J. Flynn Hardware Co. In August, the Masonic societies of St. Joseph leased for five years the fifth floor of the new German American Bank building; the floor was rapidly being converted into a temple for their occupancy. It would be divided into a lodge room, banquet hall, parlors and ante-rooms and would be the finest lodge quarters in the west. Eight Masonic lodges would occupy the new rooms with dedication planned for September 1st. The new furniture for the building was shipped from Battle Creek, Michigan, and it was as fine as ever adorned the interior of any building.

In January 1897, Mr. Oscar J. Albrecht who for a number of years was assistant cashier, was promoted to the position of cashier by the directors. Mr. Albrecht was well-known and quite popular.

In January 1898, the directors of the German American Bank were Jno. Donovan, Jr., U. Schneider, H.G. Buckingham, Henry Krug, J.G. Schneider, Henry Krug, Jr., and Oscar J. Albrecht. The officers were Henry Krug, president; Henry Krug, Jr., and J.G. Schneider, vice presidents; Oscar J. Albrecht, assistant cashier.

On November 30, 1904, Henry Krug Sr. died following a stroke of paralysis. For many years he had been closely identified with the packing interests of St. Joseph. He was born March 22, 1822, in Spielmess, Germany and in 1849 he came to American and located almost immediately at Glasgow, Missouri. In 1868 the firm of Hax and Krug was organized in St. Joseph and a packing plant was erected at Sixth and Monterey Streets. Henry and William Krug, George C. Hax, Fred Hax and John P. Hax constituted the firm. The Krug brothers withdrew from the firm in 1871 and a new company was organized with the name of Henry Krug & Co. The plant was located at Weston, Missouri, then the center of productive hog raising country. It relocated a few years later to Fourth and Monterey Streets, St. Joseph. The firm was incorporated in 1877 as the Henry Krug Packing Co. and operated until purchased by the Union Terminal Co. in the Spring of 1904. Mr. Krug was interested in the German American Bank and was president until the time of his death. He was married to Miss Louisa Hax in 1860. He was survived by his widow; Henry Krug, Jr., a son; two adopted daughters, Mrs. Henry Resterer and Mrs. Henry Krug Jr.; William Krug, Jr.; and one sister, Henrietta Fiedler who lived in Germany. In 1890, Henry Krug, Sr. donated a tract of land adjoining his home to St. Joseph for a park, Krug Park.

On Tuesday, January 7, 1908, the stockholders re-elected the following directors: William Krug, Henry Krug, Jr., J.G. Schneider, R.R. Calkins, and John Donovan. The officers re-elected were William Krug, president; J.G. Schneider, and Henry Krug, Jr., vice presidents; R.R. Calkins, cashier; A.H. Bansbach, assistant cashier. On February 7, 1908, the directors voted to convert the institution into a national bank and application was made at once to the comptroller of the currency for the necessary authorization. It would be known as the German American National Bank It was the largest state bank in Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska outside of St. Louis with total assets of about $4,000,000. The capital would be $200,000and surplus and undivided profits of $100,000, no change from the current bank. J.G. Schneider said it was advisable to nationalized to afford better security to depositors on account of the double liability feature of the national bank law making stockholders liable for double the amount of their stock. This feature was not contained in the state banking laws.

On Monday, December 17, 1917, directors met and decided to change the name of the bank to the American National Bank. An application to effect the change was forwarded to Washington.

On April 18, 1918, men were at work on both sides of the building chiseling off the objectionable part of the old name. German American had been on the building more than thirty years. The old lettering would be replaced with American National Bank.

On Tuesday, January 14, 1930, directors and officers of the American National Bank were re-elected as follows: Henry Krug, Jr., chairman of the board; J.G. Schneider, president; Walter W. Head, John W. Broaddus, and R.R. Calkins, vice presidents. G.U. Richmond was renamed cashier and A.H. Bansbach, Beverly Pitts, and John P. Rutherford, assistant cashiers.

On Tuesday, January 9, 1945, officers re-elected at the American National Bank were R.R. Calkins, president; Henry Krug, Jr., president of the board of directors; George U. Richmond, vice president; Beverly Pitts (serving in the armed forces), cashier; A.H. Bansbach, John T. Rutherford, Walter W. Limbach, and Kindall Morrison, assistant cashiers. Major Pitts was honorably discharged from the Army Air Forces on August 31st and returned to St. Joseph to resume his post as cashier.

In December 1963, the American National Bank and the Tootle-Enright National Bank were combining assets and liabilities of both into one firm, the new American National Bank of St. Joseph. The American National Bank would offer temporary drive-in, drive-up service at Fifth and Jules. Plans for permanent motor banking convenience were also under way. The American National with combined assets of over $83,000,000 would be better able to serve companies both large and small in their need for low bank rate loans. The full staff of both banks would continue to serve their customers as before with facilities located at Sixth and Francis or at Seventh and Felix.

On Wednesday, January 8, 1964, all officers and directors of the American National Bank of St. Joseph were re-elected. They comprised the officers and directors of the former Tootle-Enright National Bank and American National Bank which merged in December. Milton Tootle (IV) was president and chief executive officer of the bank located in the former Tootle-Enright Building. W. Fairleigh Enright and George U. Richmond were co-chairmen of the executive committee. Beverly L. Pitts was chairman of the board. Senior vice presidents were Benton M. Calkins, Jr., William F. Enright Jr., Charles K. Richmond, and Gilbert Tootle. Vice presidents were Paul R. Abersold, Harold Bauman (trust officer), Charles F. Burri, Charles J. Conant, Everett L. Crume, Webb Embrey (agriculture), W. Franklin Evans, Donald D. Folks, Arthur E. LaBouff (comptroller), Walter W. Limback (trust officer), H. Marshall Nauman, and Ellsworth H. Schopp. Thom J. Butler was cashier.

On Wednesday, January 12, 1966, Allen Schreiber, president of Schreiber Mills Inc., was elected to the board of directors. All other members of the board were re-elected. Two new bank officers were elected by the board. Vernon Whisler, who had held the position of agricultural representative, was elected assistant cashier, agriculture. Peyton W. Bartlett, formerly associated with the Bartlett Mortgage Co., was elected assistant cashier. Milton Tootle, Jr., was president.

On June 22, 1988, application was made to the comptroller of the currency for approval of a merger of the American National Bank of St. Joseph and the Belt American Bank of St. Joseph with the title of The American National Bank of St. Joseph. The merger plan was announced by Bill Cole and Phil Holmes, presidents and chief executive officers of the American National and Belt American banks, respectively. The merger would make American National Bank the largest bank in St. Joseph with assets in excess of $300 million, deposits in excess of $280 million, and capital of more than $20 million. Both banks were affiliates of Ameribanc Inc., a St. Joseph bank holding company with assists of about $1.1 billion. Belt American Bank was located at 800 North Belt Highway with facilities in the East Hills Shopping Center, Stewartsville and Maysville.

Ameribank Inc., the last bank holding company based in St. Joseph, ceased to exist May 1, 1992, when acquired by St. Louis-based Mercantile Bancorporation. American National Bank in St. Joseph became Mercantile Bank of St. Joseph. Mercantile officials said they were pleased to get a major foothold in the St. Joseph market. They said the $10 billion Mercantile Company could offer more economic benefits such as bigger loans to the community than the $1.2 billion Ameribanc. At the close of business, December 20, 1963, the American National Bank had Capital $2,000,000, Surplus $3,000,000, undivided profits $931,594.83, deposits $73,717,188.22 and total resources of $84,896,573.06.

• 10/03/1988 Acquired Belt American Bank of St. Joseph (FDIC #13549) in St. Joseph, MO.
• 04/30/1992 Changed Institution Name to Mercantile Bank of St. Joseph National Association.
• 06/30/1993 Main Office moved to 415 Francis Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501.
• 05/24/1994 Institution withdraws from membership in the Federal Reserve System.
• 05/24/1994 Changed Chartering Agency to STATE and Primary Federal Regulatory Agency to FDIC.
• 05/24/1994 Changed Institution Name to Mercantile Bank of St. Joseph.
• 12/14/1994 Main Office moved to 415 Francis Street, Saint Joseph, MO 64501.
• 05/16/1998 Merged and became part of Mercantile Bank (FDIC #10927) in Overland Park, KS.
• 03/31/2000 Changed Institution Name to Firstar Bank Midwest.

Firstar Corporation was a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based regional bank holding company that existed from 1853 to 2001. In 2001, Firstar acquired U.S. Bancorp and assumed its name, moving its headquarters to Minneapolis.

Official Bank Titles

1: The German American National Bank of St. Joseph, MO

2: The American National Bank of St. Joseph, MO (1/18/1918)

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Red Seal $10 bank note with pen signatures of R.R. Calkins, Cashier and William Krug, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1902 Plain Back $5 bank note with stamped signatures of E. Van Horne, Cashier and J.G. Schneider, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $5 bank note with printed signatures of George U. Richmond, Cashier and J.G. Schneider, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $10 bank note with printed signatures of George U. Richmond, Cashier and Jno. W. Broaddus, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $2,424,900 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1908 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 328,502 notes (247,880 large size and 80,622 small size notes).

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

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s	Sheet Comments
1: 1902 Red Seal	4x5	1 - 1550
1: 1902 Red Seal	3x10-20	1 - 1880
1: 1902 Date Back	4x5	1 - 11900
1: 1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 8440
1: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	11901 - 12900
1: 1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	8441 - 8940
2: 1902 Plain Back	4x5	1 - 20580
2: 1902 Plain Back	4x10	1 - 16120
2: 1929 Type 1	6x5	1 - 7302
2: 1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 3658
2: 1929 Type 2	5	1 - 9732
2: 1929 Type 2	10	1 - 5130

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1908 - 1935):

Presidents:

• William Krug, 1908-1913
• Henry Krug, Jr., 1914-1918
• John George Schneider, 1919-1929
• John William Broaddus, 1930-1935

Cashiers:

• Raymond Rosse Calkins, 1908-1908
• Walter William Head , 1908-1916
• John William Broaddus, 1917-1919
• Edwin Nathan Van Horne, 1920-1928
• George Ulrich Richmond, 1929-1933
• Beverly L. Pitts, 1934-1935

Other Known Bank Note Signers

• No other known bank note signers for this bank

Bank Note History Links

• German American NB/American NB, Saint Joseph, MO History (NB Lookup)
• Missouri Bank Note History (BNH Wiki)

Sources

• Saint Joseph, MO, 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