Valley National Bank, Numidia, PA (Charter 11981)

Needed: a contemporary postcard or photo of the bank.

Valley National Bank, Numidia, PA (Chartered 1921 - Open past 1935)

Town History

Numidia is a census-designated place (CDP) in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. Numidia is 9 miles south of Bloomsburg, the county seat, and is served by Pennsylvania Route 42. Numidia's terrain consists of rolling hills, with the center of the community following a low ridgecrest. The population was 244 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomsburg–Berwick Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Numidia was historically named "Leestown". A hotel was built in Numidia in 1832. The town was laid out in 1835 by Elijah Prince, who renamed the community "New Media". A post office existed in Numidia from 1847 to 1855 and from 1864 to the present day.

Numidia had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

Warren S. Sharpless, President, Valley National Bank of Numidia, Pennsylvania.

Chartered June 20, 1921
Bank was Open past 1935
Merged with the Catawissa National Bank, Catawissa, PA (Charter 7448) April 26, 1956

Warren S. Sharpless was known for being one of the most thorough and painstaking district attorneys Columbia County had ever had. Born at Numidia Columbia County, June 29, 1882, he graduated from the Catawissa Schools, the Bloomsburg State Normal School and the law school of the University of Pennsylvania. Following his graduation from law school, he was admitted to practice before the several courts of the State and it was not long before he had established a large practice. He was the founder and driving force for the organization of the Valley National Bank of Numidia. This bank had an amazing development with Mr. Sharpless as president of the institution from the first.

Raymond Billig of Cleveland Township, was elected assistant cashier of the Valley National Bank at Numidia, Columbia County. George LeVan, who had been assistant cashier, was promoted to cashier, to fill the vacancy which had existed since the first of the year when Edward Unangst resigned to accept the position of cashier of the Catawissa National Bank. Construction of the banking house was by Howard Helwig of Millersburg, and a native of Numidia.

A 1934 report of bank officers' salaries showed the Valley National Bank, Numidia with Irvin Kreisher, president, no salary; H.R. Oliver, vice president, no salary; and George W. Levan, cashier, $1,320.

In April 1956, by an almost unanimous vote of the stockholders, the merger of the Catawissa National Bank and the Valley National Bank, Numidia, was approved. The two organizations would consolidate on the close of business April 26. Capitalization of the new institution was $125,000, consisting of 12,500 shares of stock with a par value of $10 per share. Surplus and undivided profits were $230,000 and total resources were $3,600,000.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The Valley National Bank of Numidia, PA

Bank Note Types Issued

1929 Type 2 $20 bank note with printed signatures of George W. LeVan, Cashier and Irvin Kreischer, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $35,200 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1921 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 4,460 notes (No large size and 4,460 small size notes).

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

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s	Sheet Comments
1929 Type 2	5	1 - 2710
1929 Type 2	10	1 - 1335
1929 Type 2	20	1 - 415

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1921 - 1936):

Presidents:

Cashiers:

Other Bank Note Signers

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

Wiki Links

Sources

Numidia, PA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numidia,_Pennsylvania
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
The Morning Press, Bloomsburg, PA, Sat., Sep. 10, 1927.
Pittston Gazette, Pittston, PA, Tue., Mar. 6, 1928.
Shamokin Daily News, Shamokin, PA, Thu., Dec. 10, 1931.
The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Sat., Mar. 10, 1934.
The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Mon., Apr. 16, 1956.