Peoples National Bank, Duncannon, PA (Charter 8778)

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Peoples National Bank, Duncannon, PA (Chartered 1907 - Open past 1935)

Town History

NEEDED: a recent photo of the bank or another postcard.

Duncannon is located in Perry County. Duncannon was originally called Petersburg, and under this name was laid out in 1792. Duncannon is named after Duncan Island, a piece of land between the Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers. The Juniata Division of the Pennsylvania Canal began here with a covered bridge that allowed mules and mule skinners to cross the Susquehanna, pulling the canal boat across the river to the opposite shore. The historic river town is treasured by thousands of Appalachian Trail through-hikers, section-hikers, day-hikers and river enthusiasts alike.  Lightning Guider sleds were manufactured in Duncannon from 1904 until 1988--the building is now an antique mall called the sled factory.  As of the census of 2000, there were 1,508 people residing in the borough.

Duncannon had two National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and both of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

• Organized Apr 15, 1907
• Chartered Jul 5, 1907
• Opened for business Sep 3, 1907
• Bank was Open past 1935
• Voluntary liquidation August 1942

On April 15, 1907, the People's Bank of Duncannon organized and the board of directors elected were as follows: Charles A. Disbrow, Charles S. Boll, and J.W. Swartz, Harrisburg; Sylvester Sheller, Allen R. Thompson, McClellan Woods, Dr. Horace W. McKenzie, Enos Smith, C.L. Harling, Emanuel Jenkyn, Dr. S.W. Lehman and Miss Ada V. Schiller, Duncannon. The bank opened for business on Sep. 3, 1907 and added three galvanized hitching posts in front of their banking house on Market square.

In January 1942, Walter O. Miller was re-elected president as were vice president J. James Dowdrick, and assistant cashier Richard A. Swank. Ian M. Lightner was chosen as secretary. By August 1942 the deposit liability of The Peoples National Bank of Duncannon was assumed by The Duncannon National Bank. Deposits in both banks were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to the extent provided by law. The Peoples National Bank of Duncannon voluntarily liquidated with Ian M. Lightner as the liquidating agent.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Peoples National Bank of Duncannon, PA

Bank Note Types Issued

Series 1902 Plain Back $5 bank note with stamped signatures of M.N. Lightner, Cashier and Sylvester S. Sheller, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

Series 1929 Type 1 $5 bank note with printed signatures of M.N. Lightner, Cashier and Sylvester S. Sheller, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $566,320 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1907 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 79,444 notes (61,840 large size and 17,604 small size notes).

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

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s	Sheet Comments
1902 Red Seal	4x5	1 - 550
1902 Red Seal	4x10	1 - 650
1902 Date Back	4x5	1 - 2200
1902 Date Back	4x10	1 - 2025
1902 Plain Back	4x5	2201 - 7970
1902 Plain Back	4x10	2026 - 6290
1929 Type 1	6x5	1 - 1504
1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 768
1929 Type 2	5	1 - 2520
1929 Type 2	10	1 - 1452

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

The Peoples National Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1907 - 1936):

Presidents:

• Charles S. Boll, 1908-1908
• Emanuel Jenkyn, 1909-1914
• Sylvester Snow Sheller, 1915-1932
• Dr. Benjamin Franklin Beale, 1933-1934
• Walter Olando Miller, 1934-1935

Cashiers:

• George Oscar Motter, 1908-1912
• Charles William Bothwell, 1913-1915
• Mervin Nelson Lightner, 1916-1935

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 Duncannon (Wikipedia)
• General information on Perry County (Wikipedia)
• General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)

Sources

• Duncannon, 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 Perry County Democrat, Bloomfield, PA, Wed., Apr. 17, 1907.
• The Perry County Democrat, Bloomfield, PA, Wed., Sep. 4, 1907.
• The Perry County Democrat, Bloomfield, PA, Wed., Nov. 4, 1908.
• The Perry County Times, New Bloomfield, PA, Thu., Jan. 15, 1942.
• The Selinsgrove Times-Tribune, Selinsgrove, PA, Thu., Aug. 27, 1942
• Duncannon Record, Duncannon, PA, Thu., Sep. 10, 1942.