Russell National Bank, Lewistown, PA (Charter 10506)

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Postcard of The Russell National Bank building, ca1930s.
Postcard of The Russell National Bank building, ca1930s. Courtesy of C.A.

Russell National Bank, Lewistown, PA (Chartered 1914 - Closed (Merger) 2001)

Town History

The Russell National Bank Building circa 2012.
The Russell National Bank Building circa 2012. Courtesy of Google Maps

Lewistown is a borough in and the county seat of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; in 1940, 13,017; and in 2010, 8,8338. Of the four communities in the United States named "Lewistown", this borough is the largest.  The borough was incorporated in 1795 and was named for William "Bill" Lewis, a Quaker and a member of the legislature, who was responsible for the designation of the borough, then known as the Village of Ohesson, as the county seat of Mifflin County.

Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the Pennsylvania Canal and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.  Lewistown, as the major city in Mifflin County, saw its economy expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.

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

Bank History

The Russell National Bank building upon its opening, November 9, 1927.  It is of Colonial design with vaults employing the most modern burglar-proof appliances.  Samuel B. Russell is pictured in the inset.
The Russell National Bank building upon its opening, November 9, 1927.  It is of Colonial design with vaults employing the most modern burglar-proof appliances.  Samuel B. Russell is pictured in the inset.[1]
  • Organized March 28, 1914
  • Chartered April 7, 1914
  • Succeeded William Russell & Son, Bankers, Lewistown, PA
  • Bank was Open past 1935
  • For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
  • Merged into Omega Bank, NA, Huntingdon, PA October 19, 2001

Application was made to the treasury department on Feb. 16, 1914 by the Russell National Bank of Lewistown, capital $100,000, to succeed William Russell & Son, bankers, Lewistown. Approval was received Mar. 7, 1914 with directors G.L. Russell, J.N. Thompson, D. Thomas, C. Hainzbach and Walter Fosnot. A charter was issued to the Russell National Bank on April 9, 1914 with George L. Russell, President and Samuel B. Russell, Cashier.[2][3][4]

In January 1930, the board organized by electing the following officers: Samuel B. Russell, president; Walter Fosnot, vice president; O.C. Skinner, vice president; H.C. Bordman, cashier; Sara S. Snook, assistant cashier; Leslie S. Heck, trust officer; and D.E. Wetzel, assistant trust officer.[5]

On Friday, July 31, 1964, The Russell National Bank of Lewistown and the Peoples-Farmers National Bank of Mifflin joined to form a bank with total assets of $24,669,925.68. The new bank was known as The Russell National Bank, with four locations at Lewistown, Logan Boulevard, Mifflin, and Thompsontown.[6]

In March 1995, Peoples Bank of Central Pennsylvania and Russell Bank merged forming Omega Bank, an affiliate of Omega Financial Corporation. Omega Bank had 24 offices in Centre, Clinton, Juniata and Mifflin Counties.[7]

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Russell National Bank of Lewistown, PA

Bank Note Types Issued

1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with stamped signatures of S. B. Russell, Cashier and David Thomas, President.
1902 Plain Back $10 bank note with stamped signatures of S. B. Russell, Cashier and David Thomas, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com
1929 Type 2 $10 bank note with printed signatures of H. C. Bordman, Cashier and S. B. Russell, President.
1929 Type 2 $10 bank note with printed signatures of H. C. Bordman, Cashier and S. B. Russell, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $2,924,800 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1914 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 368,468 notes (251,932 large size and 116,536 small size notes).

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

Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments
1902 Date Back 4x5 1 - 2900
1902 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 2330
1902 Plain Back 4x5 2901 - 37735
1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 2331 - 25248
1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 9324
1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 4818
1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 1192
1929 Type 2 5 1 - 14692
1929 Type 2 10 1 - 7440
1929 Type 2 20 1 - 2400

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

The Russell National Bank of Lewistown Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1914 - 1936):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Bank Note Signers

  • David Thomas signed as Vice President
  • There are currently no known Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.

Wiki Links

Sources

  • Lewistown, 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
  1. ↑ The Evening News, Harrisburg, PA, Wed., Nov. 9, 1927.
  2. ↑ Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh, PA, Tue., Feb. 17, 1914.
  3. ↑ The Wall Street Journal, New York, New York, Sat., Mar. 7, 1914.
  4. ↑ The Wall Street Journal, New York, New York, Thu., Apr. 9, 1914.
  5. ↑ Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Fri., Jan. 17, 1930.
  6. ↑ The News-Sun, Newport, PA, Thu., Aug. 13, 1964.
  7. ↑ Centre Daily Times, State College, PA, Tue., Mar. 7, 1995.
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