West End National Bank, Shamokin, PA (Charter 12805)
West End National Bank, Shamokin, PA (Chartered 1925 - Closed (Merger) 1983)
Town History
Shamokin (/ʃəˈmoʊkɪn/; Saponi Algonquian Schahamokink, meaning "place of eels") (Lenape Indian language: Shahëmokink) is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, surrounded by Coal Township at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region in central Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River Valley. It was named after a Saponi Indian village, Schahamokink. At the 2020 Census, the population was 6,942.
The first human settlement of Shamokin was probably Shawnee natives migrants. A large population of Delaware Indians (also known as the Lenapes) were forcibly resettled there in the early 18th century after they lost rights to their land in the "Walking Purchase" along the eastern border of the colonial Province of Pennsylvania in the upper northern reaches of the Delaware River in 1737.
The city of present-day Shamokin lies along Shamokin Creek. Shamokin was founded in 1835 by the coal speculators John C. Boyd and Ziba Bird, it was early known as Boyd's Stone-coal Quarry, Boydtown, and New Town. The discovery of anthracite coal resources in the region, became the basis of much industry. Railroad companies, such as Reading Railroad, bought interests in coal and became major employers of the area, building railroads to ship coal to markets and controlling most jobs.
Shamokin was incorporated earlier as a borough under the Commonwealth constitution on November 9, 1864, and subsequently as a city 85 years later, on February 21, 1949. In addition to anthracite coal-mining, it became an industrial center in the 19th century, with silk and knitting mills, stocking and shirt factories, wagon shops, ironworks, and brickyards. The dominant Eagle Silk Mill became the largest textile manufacturing building under one roof in the United States.
Famous inventor, scientist and entrepreneur Thomas A. Edison (1847–1931), briefly a resident of nearby Sunbury, established the Edison Illuminating Company of Shamokin in the fall of 1882. When the Shamokin power generating station on Independence Street started on September 22, 1883, St. Edward's Roman Catholic Church which was connected, became the first church in the world to be lit by electricity.
Shamokin had five National Banks chartered during the Bank Note Era, and all five of those banks issued National Bank Notes.
Bank History
- Organized July 15, 1925
- Chartered August 20, 1925
- Bank was Open past 1935
- For Bank History after 1935 see FDIC Bank History website
- Merged into First National Trust Bank, Sunbury, PA August 8, 1983
On Monday, October 5, 1925, The West End National Bank opened for business in temporary quarters in the Tye garage building on West Walnut Street near Second Street. A handsome floral offering was presented by the Philadelphia National Bank, James H. Kennedy, manager of the transit department of the Philadelphia bank and Howard Donaldson of the Federal Reserve bank system were assisting on opening day. The convenience of the new banking facilities was readily recognized by the businessmen and citizens of the western section of the city. Former district attorney Abe L. Snyder was president; S. John Bird and Joseph C. Taby, vice presidents; Henry Rumberger, cashier; and Nelson W. Woolcock, teller. The capitalization was $125,000 with a paid surplus of $62,500.
In January 1926, the directors reached a decision to let a contract to construct a modern banking facility of one-story on the corner lot on Walnut and Second Streets. In February Architect W. Douden of Washington, DC, was commissioned to prepare plans for the new building. Directors decided on a two-story building and accepted plans of William Douden. The choice of Mt. Vernon stone or limestone and brick would be determined later based on bids received. While opening was planned for December, a delay was caused by when the Indiana Limestone failed to arrive.
The first meeting of the board of directors in the new banking house occurred April 12, 1927. Public inspection was scheduled for Thursday, April 14th. The estimate was 4,000 people passed through the new home of the West End National Bank between 1 and 11 at night. The opening started with a flag raising by Councilman George O. Auman who raised Old Glory on the pole on the top of the building shortly before 1 o'clock. The Odd Fellows' orphanage band played patriotic selections while the flag ascended the pole. The Mosler safe with anti-dynamite doors was one of the more carefully inspected features.
The merger of the First National Bank of Sunbury and the First National Bank of Mount Carmel became effective on Sunday, October 1, 1972. The two banks' new names were the First National Trust Bank of Sunbury and the First National Trust Bank of Mount Carmel. First National Trust Bank had two offices in Sunbury and one each in Mount Carmel, Kulpmont and Shamokin Dam. The combined bank had assets of $75 million, deposits of about $66 million and trust accounts of $35 million. All 117 employees were retained. Susquehanna Bankshares Inc., a Pennsylvania multibank holding company was parent of First National Trust Bank of Sunbury.
On January 28, 1983, application was made seeking consent of the Comptroller of the Currency for the purchase of assets and assumption of certain of the liabilities of the West End National Bank of Shamokin by First National Trust Bank of Sunbury. On April 21, Robert F. Weis, vice president and treasurer of Weis Markets Inc., was elected chairman of the First National Trust Bank. Weis succeeded John A. Apple, president of Butter Krust Baking Co. Apple was chairman since 1974 and continued as a director, a position he held since 1950. Weis, a Sunbury resident was a bank director for 25 years. He was elected to the board of the former First National Bank of Sunbury in 1958.
West End National Bank shareholders approved the sale of assets to the First National Trust Bank. Frederick W. Bisbee, First National president said the directors of West End National would become the Shamokin Community board of directors of First National and all employees of the bank would join the staff of First National. First National had its headquarters in Sunbury and offices in Mount Carmel, Kulpmont, Beavertown, Shamokin Dam and Oaklyn. After consolidation the total assets would be in excess of $170 million. The acquisition was completed August 8th, but First National Trust lost a bid for the Lewisburg Trust Bank when Commonwealth Bank and Trust Co., Williamsport, made a higher offer.
Official Bank Title(s)
1: The West End National Bank of Shamokin, PA
Bank Note Types Issued
A total of $653,040 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1925 and 1983. This consisted of a total of 69,905 notes (15,268 large size and 54,637 small size notes).
This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:
Series/Type Sheet/Denoms Serial#s Sheet Comments 1902 Plain Back 3x10-20 1 - 3817 1929 Type 1 6x5 1 - 2908 1929 Type 1 6x10 1 - 2404 1929 Type 1 6x20 1 - 662 1929 Type 2 5 1 - 10762 1929 Type 2 10 1 - 6316 1929 Type 2 20 1 - 1715
Bank Presidents and Cashiers
Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1925 - 1983):
Presidents:
Cashiers:
Other Bank Note Signers
- There are currently no known Vice President or Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.
Wiki Links
- Pennsylvania Bank Note History
- General information on Shamokin (Wikipedia)
- General information on Northumberland County (Wikipedia)
- General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
Sources
- Shamokin, PA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamokin,_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
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Mon., Oct. 5, 1925.
- Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, PA, Thu., Oct. 15, 1925.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Mon., Jan. 18, 1926.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Mon., Feb. 22, 1926.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Sat., Feb. 27, 1926.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Sat., Sep. 25, 1926.
- Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, PA, Fri., Apr. 15, 1927.
- The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Mon., Oct. 2, 1972.
- The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Mon., Feb. 7, 1983.
- The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Fri., Apr. 22, 1983.
- The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Tue., May 3, 1983.
- The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, Wed., Apr. 4, 1984.