Waukesha National Bank, Waukesha, WI (Charter 1086)
Waukesha National Bank, Waukesha, WI (Chartered 1865 - Closed (Merger) 1985)
Town History
The original founders of Waukesha consisted of settlers from New England, particularly Connecticut, rural Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well some from upstate New York who were born to parents who had migrated to that region from New England shortly after the American Revolution. They were part of a wave of New England farmers who headed west into what was then the wilds of the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s. Most of them arrived as a result of the completion of the Erie Canal as well as the end of the Black Hawk War. When they arrived in what is now Waukesha County, the New Englanders laid out farms, constructed roads, erected government buildings and established post routes. They brought with them many of their Yankee New England values, such as a passion for education, establishing many schools as well as staunch support for abolitionism. They were mostly members of the Congregationalist Church though some were Episcopalian. Due to the second Great Awakening some of them had converted to Methodism and some had become Baptists before moving to what is now Waukesha County.
By 1846, the area was incorporated as the Town of Prairie Village (soon changed to Prairieville). On February 8, 1847, the town changed its name to "Waukesha,"
Matthew Laflin, an early pioneer of Chicago, Illinois, provided the capital and enterprise that laid the foundation for Waukesha as a famous Wisconsin watering resort and was the proprietor of the grand resort, the Fountain Spring House. Waukesha was once known for its extremely clean and good-tasting spring water and was called a "spa town." This earned the city the nicknames "Spring City" and "Saratoga of the West.
Waukesha had three National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all three of those banks issued National Bank Notes. Waukesha also had two Obsolete Banks that issued Obsolete Bank Notes during the Obsolete Bank Note Era (1782-1866).
Bank History
- Organized March 20, 1865
- Chartered April 29, 1865
- Succeeded Waukesha County Bank
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Changed Name to Independence Bank Waukesha NA, March 16,1981
- Closed (Merger) May 28, 1985
In March 1855, a new bank to be called the Waukesha County Bank was announced with A. Miner, president and C.C. Barnes, cashier. The directors were A. Miner, Wm. White, N. Burroughs, Wm. Blair, Sabina Darney, S.S. Sawyer, H.N. Davis, and C.C. Barnes. The bank was in full swing by the end of the month, operating under Wisconsin Banking Law and located next door west of N. Burroughs' & Co. hardware store on Main Street. Mr. Aitkins had erected on the corner of Main and Division Streets a substantial stone building expressly for this institution. In February 1860, the officers were A. Miner, president and Wm. Blair, cashier.
In March 1875, The directors were Wm Blair, A.J. Frame, B. Barney, M. Field, and S. Andrews. Wm. Blair was president, S. Barney, vice president and A.J. Frame, cashier.
In March 1985, the Marine Corporation of Milwaukee completed the acquisition of the Independence Bank Group of Waukesha. Independence Bank of Madison at 802 W. Broadway and its branch at 3394 E. Washington Ave. were owned by Independence Bank Group, a bank holding company. With the merger, the Madison bank became part of Marine Bank Dane County. The Marine Corp. was one of Wisconsin's largest bank holding companies. Donald B. Hayes, formerly president of Independence Bank Group, was appointed senior vice president of the Marine Corp., and William J. Morrissey was appointed vice chairman of the corporation.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The Waukesha National Bank, Waukesha, WI
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $2,935,600 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1865 and 1985. This consisted of a total of 106,492 notes (77,266 large size and 29,226 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments Original Series 4x5 1 - 4425 Series 1875 4x5 1 - 7000 1882 Brown Back 50-100 1 - 4045 1902 Red Seal 50-100 1 - 1700 1902 Date Back 50-100 1 - 800 1902 Date Back 3x50-100 1 - 3664 1902 Plain Back 3x50-100 3665 - 4619 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 3499 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 608 1929 Type 1 6x50 1 - 569 1929 Type 1 6x100 1 - 195
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1865 - 1985):
Presidents:
- Rev. Absalom Miner, 1865-1865
- Hon. William Blair, 1866-1879
- Andrew J. Frame, 1880-1918
- Edward R. Estberg, 1919-1935
Cashiers:
- Charles Henry Miner, 1865-1866
- Andrew J. Frame, 1867-1879
- Henry M. Frame, 1880-1906
- Edward R. Estberg, 1907-1914
- Walter R. Frame, 1915-1918
- Charles H. Jacob, 1919-1935
Other Known Bank Note Signers
Bank Note History Links
Sources
- Waukesha, WI, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waukesha,_Wisconsin
- 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
- Sauk County Standard, Baraboo, WI, Wed., Mar. 7, 1855.
- Waukesha County Democrat, Waukesha, WI, Wed., Mar. 28, 1855.
- Waukesha County Democrat, Waukesha, WI, Wed., May 2, 1855.
- Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, Wisconsin, Fri., Feb. 3, 1860.
- Waukesha County Democrat, Waukesha, WI, Sat., Mar. 20, 1875.
- Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, Wisconsin, Mon., Mar. 18, 1985.