Tell City National Bank, Tell City, IN (Charter 5756)
Tell City National Bank, Tell City, IN (Chartered 1901 - Closed (Merger) 1998)
Town History
Tell City is the county seat of Perry County, Indiana, found in the south-central part of the state along the Ohio River. The population was 7,272 at the 2010 census.
Tell City traces its 150+ year old roots to a meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, in November 1856. A group of Swiss-German immigrants met there to organize a society known as the "Swiss Colonization Society." Its purpose was to obtain affordable homesteads for mechanics, shopkeepers, factory workers and small farmers in a location where all could live in harmony. The Society decided to purchase a tract of land three miles square to be surveyed into a city plot. The group sent out to purchase the land was told to keep in mind a healthful climate, fertile soil, good water, ample timber, and a location near a navigable river and a railroad, if possible. Purchase of such a site was made in July 1857. The tract, containing 4,152 acres was laid out in 392 town blocks with 7,328 building lots and 294 garden lots.
Before the settlers arrived, a name for the new town was selected. Initially called Helvetia, it was soon renamed Tell City, a name easier to pronounce and remember for English-speaking people. It was named for the legendary Swiss hero and liberator, William Tell.
Indicative of the foresightedness of Tell City's founders are the wide streets. They are named for great persons of the military, arts, letters and science: DeKalb, Watt, Winkelreid, Steuben, Payne, Herrman, Reubens, Lafayette, Schiller, Tell, Fulton, Jefferson, Mozart, Franklin, Humboldt, Pestalozzi, Washington, Blum and Gutenberg.
With 100 years of recorded history, the citizens of Tell City held a centennial celebration August 10–17, 1958 in honor of the early settlers and the founding of Tell City. After the success of the Centennial, the Tell City Historical Society decided to sponsor a festival in 1959 to determine if the community would support it as an annual event. The festival, named Schweizer Fest (Swiss Fest), was a great success. Today, the festival remains one of Indiana's longest-running community festivals.
Tell City had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all three of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized March 13, 1901
- Chartered March 25, 1901
- Succeeded Tell City Bank (same President/Cashier officers)
- Opened for business April 15, 1901
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Acquired First National Bank of Perry County, Cannelton, Indiana, on January 1, 1995; this was the First-Cannelton National Bank, Charter 9682
- Merged into the Citizens Bank of Jasper, Indiana September 12, 1998.
The Tell City Bank opened for business in 1874. It moved twice since it opened in the 200-block of Main street. In 1890 it moved to a new two-story building at the corner of Main and Pestalozzi streets, and in 1948 it occupied a new building at Main and Franklin Streets. In March 1901, the Comptroller of the Currency authorized the Tell City National Bank of Tell City to commence business with a capital of $30,000. The president was Michael Bittinger and the cashier Gustave Huthsteiner. Gust was a former state representative and one of the leaders of the gold democrats of 1896. The Hanover National Bank of New York City was approved as the reserve agent in April 1901 and a month later this would change to the Merchants National Bank of Indianapolis.
By June 1905, The Tell City National Bank reported capital stock $30,000, deposits of $130,714.82 and time certificates of deposit of $184,732.34.
On September 12, 1998, the Tell City National Bank merged with and became part of Citizens Bank of Jasper in Jasper, Indiana.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Tell City National Bank, Tell City, IN
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $1,217,630 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1901 and 1998. This consisted of a total of 151,914 notes (111,112 large size and 40,802 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 - 1800 1882 Brown Back 3x10-20 1 - 1360 1882 Date Back 4x5 1 - 3250 1882 Date Back 3x10-20 1 - 2080 1882 Value Back 4x5 3251 - 5135 1882 Value Back 3x10-20 2081 - 3188 1902 Plain Back 4x5 1 - 9491 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 6804 1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 3220 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 1910 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 470 1929 Type 2 5 1 - 4462 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 2320 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 420
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1901 - 1998):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
- Gustave Huthsteiner, 1901-1901
- Walter Fuerst Huthsteiner, 1902-1918
- Magnus J. Kreisle, 1919-1935
Other Bank Note Signers
- John J. Stuehrk, (Asst Cashier 1921...1928)Signature
- There are currently no known Vice President bank note signers for this bank.
Wiki Links
- Indiana Bank Note History
- General information on Tell City (Wikipedia)
- General information on Perry County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Indiana (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Tell City, IN, 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
- Evansville Courier and Press, Evansville, IN, Fri., Jan. 16, 1925.
- The Indianapolis Journal, Indianapolis, IN, Tue., Mar. 26, 1901.
- The Indianapolis Journal, Indianapolis, IN, Wed., Apr. 24, 1901.
- The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY, Sat., May 18, 1901.
- The Indianapolis News, Indianapolis, IN, Wed., June 21, 1905.