Perry County National Bank, Newport, PA (Charter 5245)

Hotel Graham in Newport, Pennsylvania ca1900s. The Perry County National Bank of Newport leased a room for their banking business. Courtesy of Adam Stroup

Perry County National Bank, Newport, PA (Chartered 1900 - Liquidated 1905)

Town History

The old Graham Hotel building and banking room of the Perry County National Bank, Newport, Pennsylvania, ca2020. The old First National Bank is the white building to the right and is now home to a branch of the Orrstown Bank. Courtesy of Google Maps

Newport is located in Perry County and was originally known as Ryder's Ferry, as it was the site of an early ferry on the Juniata River. It was later renamed Newport after the Pennsylvania Canal came through in 1829. The Pennsylvania railroad (1849) accelerated industrial development including iron, tannery products, bricks, textiles, and lumber, and workers serviced canal boats and the railroad, and supported area agriculture. The population of Newport was 1,574 at the 2010 census. In 1890, the population was 1,417, peaking in 1910 at 2,009.

Newport had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all three of those banks issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

Organized December 13, 1899
Chartered January 16, 1900
Liquidated March 1, 1905
Consolidated with 4917 (First National Bank, Newport, PA)

In December 1899, a charter was granted for the Perry County National Bank with capital of $50,000. The promoters were Hon. W.C. Pomeroy, Hon. L.E. Atkinson, William Swartz, J.W. Stimmel, Juniata County; Chas. A Rippman, Millerstown; and T.H. Butturf, Newport. The stockholders met at the Graham House on Wednesday, December 13, 1899 to organize and arrange for a location to conduct business. Officers and directors were elected and those gentlemen were C.A. Rippman, Millerstown, president; Hon. L.E. Atkinson, Mifflintown, vice president; S.S. Willard, New Bloomfield; John Fleisher, Newport; W.C. Pomeroy, J.W. Stimmel, and William Swartz, Juniata county, directors. W.R. Wharton of Port Royal was elected cashier and Charles W. Stimmel assistant cashier. At a meeting of bank officials on January 9, 1900, S.S. Willard of New Bloomfield was selected as cashier. The bank's opening was set for the first of February and workmen were preparing the room in the Graham Block.

Directors elected on Monday, January 7, 1901, were W.C. Pomeroy, C.A. Rippman, J.W. Stimmel, John Fleisher, L.E. Atkinson, J. Emory Fleisher and William Swartz. Officers remained the same. However, cashier S. Willard resigned in June and was replaced by Charles E. Stimmel.

On April 8, 1902, the board of directors met and declined the proposition of the First National Bank of Newport for consolidation of the two banks.

In January 1903 the following were elected directors: John Fleisher, J.W. Stimmel, J.E. Fleisher, William Swartz, W.C. Pomeroy, L.R. McMillen, and C.A. Rippman. Officers elected were John Fleisher, president, J.W. Stimmel, vice president; C.E. Stimmel, cashier. The salary of the cashier was increased $150. That evening cashier Stimmel entertained the directors at a turkey supper.

On July 16, 1904, cashier C.E. Stimmel left for St. Louis to see the World's fair. During the absence J. Boyd Alter of Bloomfield acted as cashier of the bank.

On March 7, 1905, The Perry County National Bank of Newport was closed having merged into the First National Bank of Newport.

On April 5, 1905, The Citizens' National Bank of Newport was organized with the election of the following officers: Hon. John Fleisher, president, W.H. Gantt, vice president. Directors elected were Mr. Fleisher, Mr. Gantt, C.A. Rippman, Horace Beard, C.W. Smith, Newport; and Dr. J.F. Thompson, Liverpool; James E. Wilson of Ducannon, cashier. Mr. Wilson was also the cashier of the Marysville National Bank. The room formerly occupied by the Perry County National Bank in the Graham building was leased by the Citizen's National Bank and was expected to be ready for business by the first of May.

In September 1906, C.E. Stimmel was able to secure the cashier's position at The Hazelhurst National Bank in McKean County, Pennsylvania.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Perry County National Bank of Newport, PA

Bank Note Types Issued

Series of 1882 Brown Back Proof $10 and $20 certified August 24, 1900. Courtesy of the Smithsonian National Archives

A total of $75,540 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1900 and 1905. This consisted of a total of 8,844 notes (8,844 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
1882 Brown Back	4x5	1 - 1167
1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 1044

Bank Presidents, Cashiers, and other notable officers

Bank Presidents, Cashiers and other notable officers during the National Bank Note Era (1900 - 1905):

Presidents:

Vice Presidents:

Louis Evans Atkinson, Vice President 1900-1902-- NOTE: A featured biography is available

Cashiers:

Directors:

William Culbertson Pomeroy, Director 1900 NOTE: A featured biography is available

Other Bank Note Signers

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

Wiki Links

Sources

Newport, 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., Dec. 6, 1899.
Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Fri., Dec. 8, 1899.
Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Fri., Jan. 12, 1900.
Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Fri., Jan. 19, 1900.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA, Tue., Feb. 13, 1900.
Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Fri., Jan. 25, 1901.
Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Fri., June 28, 1901.
The Perry County Democrat, Bloomfield, PA, Wed., Apr. 9, 1902.
The Perry County Democrat, Bloomfield, PA, Wed., Apr. 12, 1905.
Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Fri., Sep. 28, 1906.