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Copyright © 2008
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Copyright © 2008
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http://www.washingtoncountybank.com/022/html/en/community/bankhistory.html
Washington County Bank first opened its doors as the Washington State Bank of
Washington, Nebraska on April 5, 1904. In May of 1930, the Washington State Bank
merged with the Kennard State Bank of Kennard. Originally the Home State Bank,
it changed its name to the Kennard State Bank in June of 1929, after reopening
without restrictions following the bank moratorium.
Moving to Blair
On July 1, 1933, the Kennard State Bank moved its charter to Blair and opened as
Washington County Bank. Charles Saunders was president, George Hedelund was
cashier and Earl Jenkins was assistant cashier. Capital accounts totaled
$148,000 and the directors were C.D. Saunders, George Hedelund, Earl Jenkins,
Thomas Davis and Bess Brady Davis. Thomas and Bess Davis were the father-in-law
and mother-in-law of John R. Lauritzen.
Lauritzen acquired control of Washington County Bank in 1955. In 1958 he formed the forerunner of today's Lauritzen Corporation, the holding company of Washington County Bank, to oversee his growing chain of banks.
The Washington County Bank has had three locations since moving to Blair 71
years ago. It was first located at 1636 Washington Street, which currently
houses the Hansen Agency. In 1958, the bank moved across the street to the
corner of 16th and Washington where the present Huntel Systems offices are
located.
Current Bank Building
In 1979, Washington County Bank completed construction on its present building.
Taking two years to complete, the total cost was $1 million. The building was
described by the Enterprise Newspaper as "…one of the finest banking facilities
in Nebraska for a community the size of Blair (June 1976)."
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The First National Bank of Blair charter #2724 opened in 7/7/1882 and closed
in 9/8/1886.
Outstanding currency totaled $325.00.
The Blair National bank of Blair opened in 12/1905 and closed 12/31/1915.
Outstanding currency in 1916 was $28, 350.
This is the bank that I think we'll find some banknotes from due to the large
amount outstanding. Each national bank was assigned an identification # called a
charter #. Most national bank notes have the charter # overprinted on them. The
Act of June 20, 1874 required that charter numbers be imprinted on national bank
notes. The imprinted charter #'s made it easier to sort notes turned in for
redemption. The Act of Feb. 25th, 1863 required that national bank notes be
signed by the cashier and the president or vice president of the bank. All
nationals cartry a securities clause on their face specifying the form of
security backing them. From 1863 until 1908 national banks had to deposit United
States bonds as security for their nationals.
In 1908 the Aldrich-Vreeland emergency currency act was passed, allowing other securities to be used to back the issue of nationals. These other securities included municipal and state bonds and certain types of commercial loans. The value of the notes which a national bank could circulate was directly related to the value of the securities it deposited with the Treasurer of the United States.
Number of towns in Nebraska with national banks-205
Number of issuing charters-349.
Number of small size issuers-152.
Washington County-Blair and Arlington. Douglas-Omaha and South Omaha.
Saunders-Ashland and Wahoo. Dodge-Dodge, Freemont, Hooper, North Bend, Scribner.
Burt-Craig, Decatur, Lyons, Oakland, Tekamah.
These are the towns that had nationals in the counties around Blair
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Mercantile
Agency Reference Book
March, 1929 Volume 244
Published by R. G. Dun & Co., Dun Building , 290 Broadway, New York
This book or one like it has all the listings for Cashiers and Bank Presidents
for Nebraska in it. This book will give the names needed to pursue a Blair
banknote.
http://www.omahahistory.org/library_businesses.htm
