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Second National Bank of Helena, Mont. records, 1881-1896

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Second National Bank of Helena, Mont.
Title
Second National Bank of Helena, Mont. records
Dates
1881-1896 (inclusive)
Quantity
17 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 113 (collection)
Summary
The Second National Bank of Helena, Montana, headed by Erastus D. Edgerton, opened in 1882 and merged with the Helena National Bank in 1893 as a result of the financial panic. Collection (1881-1896) includes correspondence, court papers, financial records, legal documents, organizational records, and miscellany.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The Second National Bank of Helena, Mont. was organized at a meeting held on June 3, 1882, by a group of the city's businessmen, including Erastus D. Edgerton, Decius S. Wade, John Kinna, John B. Sanford, Cornelius L. Vawter, Charles K. Cole, and Christian Kenck. When the new general banking house opened for business in August at 7 N. Main Street, its capital totaled $75,000. The bank moved to 56 N. Main in 1888. E.D. Edgerton was elected as the bank's first president, an office he held until the closing of the Second National Bank in 1893. Throughout these years, several of the bank's organizers served as vice presidents, including Wade, Sanford, and Cole. Cashiers included Alonzo E. Bunker and George B. Child. The Second National Bank was involved through loans and investments in real estate, agriculture, small businesses, and mining. During the difficult economic times of the early 1890s, the Second National Bank struggled to stay solvent. According to President Edgerton, the bank's problems stemmed from the fact that the capitalization of the bank was only $75,000 while "other banks had 8 to 9 times more." Even though business was good, expenses were high, and it was determined not "altogether profitable" to continue the bank's operation. During the panic of 1893, a merger of the Second National Bank with the Helena National Bank was arranged with a stock exchange offered to stockholders. The merger became effective on October 1st, with Edgerton serving as the president of the newly organized Helena National Bank.

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Content Description

This collection contains incoming and outgoing correspondence, court papers, legal documents, organizational materials, and numerous volumes of financial records documenting the daily operations of the Second National Bank of Helena. The materials also supply information concerning the economy of Helena and the developing system of governmental regulation of national banks. Also included is some correspondence of the Western Newspaper Union of St. Paul, contained in a letterpress book used by Alonzo E. Bunker.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged by series

Location of Collection

5:8-4

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Separated Materials

Maps transferred to Library. See inventory below for more information.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

  • Incoming Correspondence

    • Description: A (correspondents include J.R. Alden; American Bankers' Supply Company; American Desk and Seating Company; Louis Anderson; Atlantic Grocery; M.L. Austin; Julius Austrian and Son; Automatic Bank Punch Company)
      Dates: 1883-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Bank of Colfax [Wash.]; Bank of Glendive; Bank of Independence; Bank of North Seattle; Bank of Oregon City; Bank of St. Vincent [Minnesota]
      Dates: 1883-1891
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Bozeman National Bank
      Dates: 1882-1885
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 3
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: [__] Bunker [mother of A.E. Bunker]
      Dates: 1883
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 4
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: B (correspondents include Benjamin D. Bacon; L. Bailey; E.G. Bailey; G.M. Baire; Fred F. Bancroft; H.B. Barkley; E.T. Barnum Wire and Iron Works; Eugene Baumgartner; Berg Brothers; Biebinger and Harrington; J.F. Boyle; C.A. Broadwater; Lyman B. Brooks; David G. Browne; Buck and Hunt)
      Dates: 1883-1891
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 5
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: C (correspondents include Caldwell, Hamilton and Company; Campbell G. Powell; W.H. Cary; W.F. Chadwick; Oliver J. Chapman; Chicago and Grand Trunk Railway; Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway; Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton; City Bank, Ltd.; R.H. Clendenin; B.K. Collier; Consolidated Time Lock Company; Continental Collection Union; Cramer and Company; E.F. Crane; C.L. Cross Company; Culver, Page, Hoyne and Company; Cumberland Mining and Smelting Company; D.W. Curtiss)
      Dates: 1882-1891
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 6
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: D-E (correspondents include William DeBenson, Warren DeCamp, Dennison and Brown, J. Dewing and Company, Chauncey Dodge, Moses Doggett, A.J. Douds, George J. Douglas, D. Durkee, Dyas and Murray, John Edgerton, S.C. Edgerton, W.R. Edwards, John H. Elder, Ellis and Berendes, Emerson and Turnbull, Emery County Bank, Equitable Life Assurance Society, A.M. Esler)
      Dates: 1882-1891
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 7
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: First National Bank of Billings; First National Bank of Butte; First National Bank of Livingston; First National Bank of White Sulphur Springs
      Dates: 1883-1891
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 8
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: B.F. Fish
      Dates: 1883-1885
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 9
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: F (correspondents include Fairbanks Morse and Company; F.B. Fairfax; Farmers National Bank; M.T. Fergan; Fenno and Manning; The Financial News; R.H. Floyd-Jones; Jirah I. Foote)
      Dates: 1883-1891
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 10
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: F.R. Grisnold
      Dates: 1883-1884
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 11
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: G-H (correspondents include John Gallagher; Gallatin Valley National Bank; W.W. Gaskill; Frank J. Gaugler; German National Bank; William Glassman; Charles H. Green; Patrick Griffin; W.E. Tierney and Company General Merchandisers; John Hancock; A.S. Hatch and Company; George M. Hutch and Brothers; Henrietta National Bank; Hugh Heron; C.H. Hildreth and Company; Hopkins and Company; Henry Hutchinson, M.D.)
      Dates: 1883-1891
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 12
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: I-K (correspondents include Idaho Trading Company; Mary Ingersoll; Isdell and Pattee; I.L. Israel and Company; M.W. Johnson; Johnson, Smith and Harrison; H.A. Jones; Randall H. Kemp; Mrs. Frank Kempsey; J. Knauber and Company; Knauth, Nachod and Kuhne; Knoblauch and Company; B.J. Kuehn)
      Dates: 1882-1894
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 13
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: L (correspondents include John Lamey; Fred E. Lawrence; H.E. Lawrence; Lewis and Clark County; Lindsay and Company; W.W. Livingston and Company; Livingston National Bank; Lockey's Land, Insurance, Abstract and Loan Office; E. Longyear; Jim S. Luce; M.A. Lynch; Lynde and Company)
      Dates: 1883-1892
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 14
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: John R. Miller
      Dates: 1884
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 15
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: M (correspondents include William Mann; Daniel Marshall and Company; James Mason; Matthews and Sayre; A.S. McDonald; N. McAfee; Max McKnight; Y.E. McKoin; H.C. McNally; Meagher County; Edward Mellor and Company; Mercantile Cigar Factory; Merchants Bank of Glendive; Merchants National Bank; E.M. Miller; Montana and Idaho Mining and Reduction Company; Montana Smelting Company; John Moore; John Morris Company; C.W. Munson)
      Dates: 1883-1885
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 16
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: N (correspondents include National Bank of Illinois; National Wire and Iron Company; Nebraska National Bank; William Neill; New York Life Insurance Company; W.A. Newton and Company; Nicolai and Michaelis; Northern Pacific Railroad Company; Northwestern Stamp Works)
      Dates: 1882-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 17
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Omaha and Grant Smelting and Refining Company
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 18
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: M.H. Parker
      Dates: 1884-1885
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 20
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: P (correspondents include W.H. Parkison; Benjamin G. Peck; Merritt Peckham; John Peterson; Pioneer Press; Pittsburgh Mining Company; Preston, Kean and Company)
      Dates: 1882-1890
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 21
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: R (correspondents include Charles Rader; Railway and Bankers; N.A. Ramsey; Rand, McNally and Company; J.L. Randall; Henry Raymond; Reading Hardware Company; A. Redding; A.W. Reed and Company; C.H. Reed; George W. Reed and Company; Reid, Murdoch and Fischer; William Rennie; The Republican and News; George M. Reynolds; Rice County Journal; Corporation of Riverside; Rocky Mountain Husbandman; H.P. Rolfe)
      Dates: 1882-1891
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 22
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: W.B. Settle
      Dates: 1883-1885
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 23
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: S (correspondents include Lethbridge and Sawyer; Second National Bank; F.B. Scott; Security Bank of Minnesota; Sharp Brothers; Sherwin and Schermerhorn; J.M. Sligh, M.D.; Joseph Smyser; Joseph Stead; S.T. Suit, Fruit Grower and Distiller)
      Dates: 1883-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 24
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: Third National Bank of New York
      Dates: 1883-1885
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 25
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: T (correspondents include Charles T. Tallmadge; J.M.D. Taylor; John W. Thompson; Toston Smelting Company; James Travis)
      Dates: 1883-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 26
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: United States Controller of the Currency
      Dates: 1882-1892
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 27
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: U-V (correspondents include Union Bank Note Company; United States Assay Office; United States National Bank; Vandercook and Company)
      Dates: 1882-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 28
      Location: Incoming Correspondence
    • Description: W-Z (correspondents include John Ward; Charles L. Webster and Company Publishers; Wells Fargo and Company; Werner Printing and Lithographing Company; Western Bank Note Engraving Company; Western Commercial Agency Company; Western Newspaper Union; Williamsburgh Savings Bank; Charles Wilson; Winslow Lanier and Company; L.L. Wood; Ziegler Brothers)
      Dates: 1882
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 29
      Location: Incoming Correspondence

  • Outgoing Correspondence

    • Description: Letterpress book (includes correspondence of Western Newspaper Union of St. Paul)
      Dates: 1881
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 1
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letterpress book
      Dates: 1883-1884
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 2
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letterpress book
      Dates: 1884-1886
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1-2
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letterpress book
      Dates: 1886-1888
      Container: Box/Folder 4 / 1-2
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letterpress book
      Dates: 1888-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 5 / 1-2
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letterpress book
      Dates: 1889-1890 1890-1891
      Container: Box/Folder 6 / 1-2
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letterpress book
      Dates: 1891-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 7 / 1-3
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letterpress book
      Dates: 1893
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 1-2
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Letterpress book: notices
      Dates: 1893
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 3
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence
    • Description: Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1882-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 8 / 4
      Location: Outgoing Correspondence

  • Interoffice Correspondence

  • Court Papers

    • Description: Second National Bank v. Charles F. Blake; James C. Gibson v. Second National Bank; Margaret Ann Farrell v. James Farrell
      Dates: 1891, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 9 / 2
      Location: Court Papers

  • Financial Records

    • Description: Bradstreet Mercantile Agency reports
      Dates: 1891-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 9 / 3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Certificates of deposit
      Dates: 1886-1889
      Container: Volume 1
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Certificates of deposit register
      Dates: 1883-1892
      Container: Volume 2
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Clearings books
      Dates: 1885 1890-1891 1890-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 9 / 4-6
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Collection register
      Dates: 1882-1893
      Container: Volume 3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: "Collections and D.B.'s Paid" (1 book)
      Dates: 1882-1885
      Container: Box/Folder 9 / 7
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Credit book
      Dates: 1885-1888
      Container: Box/Folder 9 / 8
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Credit book
      Dates: 1888-1893
      Container: Volume 4
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Depositors' daily balances
      Dates: 1882-1886
      Container: Volume 5
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Depositors' daily balances
      Dates: 1886-1888
      Container: Volume 6
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Depositors' daily balances
      Dates: 1888-1889
      Container: Volume 7
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Depositors' daily balances
      Dates: 1889-1892
      Container: Volume 8
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Depositors' daily balances
      Dates: 1892-1894
      Container: Volume 9
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Discount register
      Dates: 1882-1895
      Container: Volume 10
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Draft register
      Dates: 1882-1886
      Container: Volume 11
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: General daily balances
      Dates: 1882-1885
      Container: Volume 12
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: General daily balances
      Dates: 1885-1887
      Container: Volume 13
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: General daily balances
      Dates: 1887-1889
      Container: Volume 14
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: General daily balances
      Dates: 1889-1892
      Container: Volume 15
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: General daily balances
      Dates: 1892-1894
      Container: Volume 16
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Individual account books (5 books)
      Dates: 1882-1884
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 1
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Individual account books (6 books)
      Dates: 1885-1887
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 2
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Individual account books (3 books)
      Dates: 1889-1890
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Individual account books: E.D. Edgerton
      Dates: 1882-1884
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 4
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Individual account books: E.D. Edgerton and Company Bankers, Marysville
      Dates: n.d.
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 5
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Insurance policies
      Dates: 1883-1889
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 6
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Insurance policies: assigned to Second National Bank
      Dates: 1883-1884
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 7
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Insurance policies: E.D. Edgerton
      Dates: 1888
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 8
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Interest tables
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 9
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Invoices
      Dates: 1882-1890
      Container: Volume 17
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Invoices (includes taxes)
      Dates: 1890-1893
      Container: Volume 18
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Invoices: E.D. Edgerton household and business
      Dates: 1882-1892
      Container: Volume 19
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Jefferson County warrants
      Dates: 1882-1888
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 10
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal A
      Dates: 1882-1884
      Container: Volume 20
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal B
      Dates: 1885-1886
      Container: Volume 21
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal C
      Dates: 1886-1888
      Container: Volume 22
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal D
      Dates: 1888-1889
      Container: Volume 23
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal E
      Dates: 1889-1890
      Container: Volume 24
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal F
      Dates: 1890-1891
      Container: Volume 25
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal G
      Dates: 1891-1892
      Container: Volume 26
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal H
      Dates: 1892-1893
      Container: Volume 27
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Journal I
      Dates: 1893-1894
      Container: Volume 28
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Ledger: general and individual A
      Dates: 1882-1888
      Container: Volume 29
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Ledger: general C
      Dates: 1888-1895
      Container: Volume 30
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Ledger: individual B
      Dates: 1885-1888
      Container: Volume 31
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Index to individual ledger B
      Dates: 1885-1888
      Container: Volume 32
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Ledger: individual C
      Dates: 1889-1891
      Container: Volume 33
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Index to individual ledger C
      Dates: 1889-1891
      Container: Volume 34
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Ledger: individual D
      Dates: 1892-1893
      Container: Volume 35
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Note registers
      Dates: 1884-1886
      Container: Box/Folder 10 / 11-13
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Note registers
      Dates: 1887
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 1
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Remittance register
      Dates: 1882-1890
      Container: Volume 36
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Remittance register
      Dates: 1890-1893
      Container: Volume 37
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Reports of condition
      Dates: 1882-1892
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 2
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Reports of earnings and dividends
      Dates: 1882-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 3
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Reports of semi-annual returns
      Dates: 1883, 1891
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 4
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Savings journals
      Dates: 1884-1894
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 5-6
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Savings ledger B
      Dates: 1889-1896
      Container: Volume 38
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Index to savings ledger B
      Dates: 1889-1896
      Container: Volume 39
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Statements of other banks
      Dates: 1883-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 7
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Taxes
      Dates: 1895
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 8
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Teller's cash book
      Dates: 1887-1890
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 9
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Tickler
      Dates: 1891-1893
      Container: Volume 40
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: United States Treasury
      Dates: 1884-1892
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 10
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Miscellaneous
      Dates: 1882-1893
      Container: Box/Folder 11 / 11
      Location: Financial Records

  • Legal Documents

    • Description: Leases; bonds; garnishment; etc.
      Dates: 1883-1890 undated
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 1
      Location: Legal Documents
    • Description: E.D. Edgerton indentures; agreements; powers of attorney
      Dates: 1881-1892
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 2
      Location: Legal Documents
    • Description: Edgerton and Carter articles of agreement, etc.
      Dates: 1882-1883 undated
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 3
      Location: Legal Documents
    • Description: Roger McCaffery escrow
      Dates: 1887
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 4
      Location: Legal Documents

  • Maps

    • Description: List of maps transferred to the Library
      Dates:
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 5
      Location: Maps

  • Organizational Records

    • Description: List of directors; certificate of organization; articles of association
      Dates: 1882
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 6
      Location: Organizational Records
    • Description: Minute book (includes bylaws)
      Dates: 1882-1894
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 7
      Location: Organizational Records
    • Description: Proxies; election notices
      Dates: 1887-1888
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 8
      Location: Organizational Records
    • Description: Stock certificate book
      Dates: 1882-1892
      Container: Box/Folder 12 / 9
      Location: Organizational Records

  • Miscellany

    • Description: Advertisements; cards; etc.
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 13 / 1
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Cipher code book for First National Bank of Butte
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 13 / 2
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: National Bank Act
      Dates: 1882
      Container: Box/Folder 13 / 3
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Reports of other banks
      Dates: 1882-1890
      Container: Box/Folder 13 / 4
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Savings department signature book
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 13 / 5
      Location: Miscellany

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Bank mergers--Montana--Helena
  • Banks and banking--Montana--Helena
  • Mines and mineral resources--Montana--Jefferson County
  • Mines and mineral resources--Montana--Lewis and Clark County

Geographical Names

  • Helena (Mont.)--Commerce
  • Toston (Mont.)

Finding aid prepared by MHS staff
2004

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