Charleston Banknotes
Charleston National Bank
1884—1981
From 1885 to 1888, Charleston National Bank’s President was Charles Powell Mead (“Charles Powell Mead”, 1888). This gentleman was one of the organizers of the bank, then serving as cashier for a year, and finally being elected as president. By 1893, its President was Dr. L. Prichard (“Believed To Be”, 1893), who continued to serve in this role through 1906 when its cashier was H.L. Prichard.
In 1915, the Charleston National Bank merged with the National City Bank of Charleston, and retained its name (“Charleston Banks”, 1915). By 1918, its President succeeding Dr. Prichard was Isaac Lowenstein, whose signature can be seen below on the 1902 national banknote (“Report Of”, 1918). The cashier at this time was J.S. Hill.
By at least 1932, Joe Lowenstein had become President of the bank (“Chanaba Club”, 1932; “Officers Named”, 1934) and R.E. Eskins as cashier, both of whom signed the 1929 Type 1 banknote below.
In 1981, the Charleston National Bank formed a bank holding organization named Centurian Bancorp (Stollings, 2024). This marked the end of the bank in name.
$10, 1902 "Plain Back." Signatures of J.S. Hill and Isaac Lowenstein. Obverse.
$10, 1902 "Plain Back." Signatures of J.S. Hill and Isaac Lowenstein. Reverse.
$20, 1929 Type 1. Signatures of R.E. Eskins, Cashier, and Joe Lowenstein, President. Obverse.
$20, 1929 Type 1. Signatures of R.E. Eskins, Cashier, and Joe Lowenstein, President. Reverse.
References
Believed to be a forgery. (1893, January 21). The Daily Register, 1.
Chanaba club entertains. (1932, November 17). Charleston Daily Mail, 4.
Charles Powell Mead dead. (1888, July 20). The Daily Register, 1.
Charleston banks in a big merger. (1915, February 19). The Fairmont West Virginian, 1.
Officers named for four banks. (1934, January 10). The Charleston Daily Mail, 11.
Report of the condition of Charleston National Bank. (1918, January 6). The Charleston Daily Mail, 7.
Stollings, C. (2024). Charleston National Bank. e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia Online. https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/1063