The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-03-05
First National Bank is Given a Third
Charter by the United States
Government.
A LONG HISTORY OF SUCCESS.
Kenosha Bank Has Been in Operation For
Forty-Nine Years.-Incidents of History
OfWell Known Institution.

On last Tuesday William B. Ridgley,
Comptroller of the United States Cur
rency, issued new charter to the
First National Bank in this city, and
the institution is now licensed to do
business under the banking laws of
the United States until the close of
business on February "a, 1923.
This is the third charter that has
been issued by the Government to the
Ken osha bank, and it is probable that
no other bank in this section of the
west has so interesting history or
bears so untarnished reputation as a
financial institution. It has been
nearly fifty years since the old City
Bank, which was the predecessor of
the First National Bank, was opened,
but in all that time the banks doors
have never been closed and not once
has the bank been in straitened Cir
cumstances. Panics and business
failures have come and gone and Ke-
nosha has been caught in the hard
times, but the First National has never
been forced to suspend payment.
The history of the bank is interest
ing on account of the fact that many
men who have been famous in Keno
sha's early history, were connected
with the management of the bank. In
1854 when Kenosha was just laying
aside her swaddling clothes, the
merchants in the village began to feel
the need of a bank, and State bank
was organized under the name "The
City Bank" The first president of
the "CityBank' was S. Bronson, Jr.,
and H. W. James was cashier.
During the war times a need was
felt for a more stable bank and the
City Bank became a National Bank,
and was given the number of 212.
There were few National banks in the
west at that time and the Kenosha
bank for this reason is one of the Oldest
National banks in this portion of the
country.
The first president of the bank was
Thomas Pricture, and the first cashier
was E. G. Durant. Among the first
stock holders were r. B. Tows1ee,
Trial Newman, Seth Doan, Alonzo
Campbell, DR.. John Gridley and L. G.
Merrill.
AS soon as the bank came under the
National Banking act it's success be-
came assured and since that time it
has always been known as one of the
safest and most successful financial
institutions in Wisconsin. Black Fri
day and the panic of 1873 closed up
many of the banks in Wisconsin, but
the officials of the Kenosha Bank SIM
ply placed their individual fortunes at
the disposition of the bank and in this
way depositors were protected. In the
panic of 1898 the Kenosha bank never
once refused payment of check and
during these stormy times of business
depression the bank upheld many Ke-
nosha manufacturing interests which
would have been forced to suspend had
it not been that the bank simply fur
nished the funds and awaited more fa-
vorable times of industrial growth.
In its long history many of the
leading -ren of the city and county
have been connected with the bank as
officials. Among the number should
be mentioned z. G. Simmons, B. F.
A1drich, Frederick Robinson, Edward
Balm, James H. Howe and George
Yule.
z. G. Simmons has been president
of the bank for more than thirty-two
years and takes an active interest in
the management of the bank. Gilbert
NJ. Simmons, the former cashier, died
in 1890, and at that time Charles c..
Brown was called from his position in
the mercantile world to accept the
position, which he has held with honor
ever since.
The present officers of the bank are:
President, z. G. Simmons; vice-presi-
dent, George Yu1c; cashier, Charles C.
Brown; assistant cashier, w. P.
Robinson.