15139. First National Bank (Hempstead, NY)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Closure
Bank Type
national
Bank ID
4880
Charter Number
4880
Start Date
March 1, 1933*
Location
Hempstead, New York (40.706, -73.619)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
e97d5995

Response Measures

None

Receivership Details

Depositor recovery rate
90.0%
Date receivership started
1934-02-13
Share of assets assessed as good
50.0%
Share of assets assessed as doubtful
40.6%
Share of assets assessed as worthless
9.4%

Description

The First National Bank of Hempstead was closed during the March 1933 banking holiday (suspension) and never resumed normal operations. A conservator managed it and the Controller appointed a receiver (Edwin V. Hellawell) on 1934-02-14. The bank remained closed and in liquidation, with a 50-cent-on-the-dollar dividend paid to depositors in July 1934. No standalone depositor run is described in the articles.

Events (6)

1. March 17, 1893 Chartered
Source
historical_nic
2. March 1, 1933* Suspension
Cause
Government Action
Cause Details
Closed during the statewide/national banking holiday in March 1933; remained closed or only opened on a limited basis thereafter.
Newspaper Excerpt
The bank was closed at the time of the banking holiday last March, and has been opened on a limited basis since.
Source
newspapers
3. February 2, 1934 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
George W. Loft ... offered to serve without pay as receiver for the First National Bank of Hempstead, Nassau.
Source
newspapers
4. February 13, 1934 Receivership
Source
historical_nic
5. February 14, 1934 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
The Controller of the Currency has appointed Edwin V. Hellawell, Garden City attorney, as receiver for the First National Bank of Hempstead, it was announced by George Estabrook, conservator of the bank, yesterday.
Source
newspapers
6. July 14, 1934 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
A liquidation dividend of 50 cents on the dollar today to 2,600 depositors of the closed First National Bank Hempstead, according announcement by Edwin Hellawell the bank's receiver.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (12)

Article from Daily News, February 2, 1934

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Article Text

LOFT WOULD ACT WITHOUT PAY AS BANK'S RECEIVER George W. Loft, candy millionaire who since his retirement from Loft's, Inc., has been president of the South Shore Trust Company of Rockville Centre, Nassau, yesterday offered to serve without pay as receiver for the First National Bank of Hempstead, Nassau. Although the First National Bank has not been formally declared bankrupt, its conservator, George M. Estabrook, has admitted no plan for opening it appears In his letter to the Controller of the Currency in Washington, Loft said he made the offer to save as much of the life savings of depositors as possible. He gave as references Gov. Lehman, Banking Commissioner Joseph A. Broderick and several New York banks.


Article from Daily News, February 2, 1934

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Article Text

LOFT WOULD ACT WITHOUT PAY AS BANK'S RECEIVER George W. Loft, candy millionaire who since his retirement from Loft's, Inc., has been president of the South Shore Trust Company of Rockville Centre, Nassau, yesterday offered to serve without pay as receiver for the First National Bank of Hempstead, Nassau. Although the First National Bank has not been formally dehas admitted no plan for opening it appears feasible. In his letter to the Controller of the Currency in Washington, Loft said he made the offer to save All much of the life savings of deposit tors as possible. He gave as refer. ences Gov. Lehman, Banking Come missioner Joseph A. Broderick and several New York banks.


Article from Daily News, February 2, 1934

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Article Text

LOFT WOULD ACT WITHOUT PAY AS BANK'S RECEIVER George W. Loft, candy millionaire who since his retirement from Loft's, Inc., has been president of the South Shore Trust Company of Rockville Centre, Nassau, yesterday offered to serve without pay as receiver for the First National Bank of Hempstead, Nassau. Although the First National Bank has not been formally declared bankrupt, its conservator, George M. Estabrook, has admitted no plan for opening it appears feasible. In his letter to the Controller of the Currency in Washington, Loft said he made the offer to save as much of the life savings of depositors as possible. He gave as references Gov. Lehman, Banking Commissioner Joseph A Broderick and several New York banks.


Article from Daily News, February 2, 1934

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Article Text

LOFT WOULD ACT WITHOUT PAY AS BANK'S RECEIVER George W. Loft, candy millionaire who since his retirement from Loft's, Inc., has been president of the South Shore Trust Company of Rockville Centre, Nassau, yesterday offered to serve without pay as receiver for the First National Bank of Hempstead, Nassau. Although the First National Bank has not been formally declared bankrupt, its conservator, George M. Estabrook, has admitted no plan for opening it appears feasible. In his letter to the Controller of the Currency in Washington, Loft said he made the offer to save as much of the life savings of depositors as possible. He gave as references Gov. Lehman, Banking Commissioner Joseph A Broderick and several New York banks.


Article from Daily News, February 2, 1934

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Article Text

LOFT WOULD ACT WITHOUT PAY AS BANK'S RECEIVER George W. Loft, candy millionaire who since his retirement from Loft's, Inc., has been president of the South Shore Trust Company of Rockville Centre, Nassau, yesterday offered to serve without pay as receiver for the First National Bank of Hempstead, Nassau. Although the First National Bank has not been formally declared bankrupt, its conservator, George M. Estabrook, has admitted no plan for opening it appears feasible. In his letter to the Controller of the Currency in Washington, Loft said he made the offer to save as much of the life savings of depositors as possible. He gave as references Gov. Lehman, Banking Commissioner Joseph A. Broderick and several New York banks.


Article from Daily News, February 14, 1934

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Article Text

LAWYER NAMED BANK RECEIVER The controller of the currency has appointed Edwin V. Hellawell, Garden City attorney, as receiver for the First National Bank of Hempstead, it was announced by George Estabrook. conservator of the bank, yesterday. The bank was closed at the time of the banking holiday last March, and has been opened on a limited basis since. The bank is the oldest in Nassau County and had $3,887,000 in deposits at the time it was closed. Invest Wisely-Buy Now


Article from Daily News, February 14, 1934

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Article Text

LAWYER NAMED BANK RECEIVER The Controller of the Currency has appointed Edwin V. Hellawell, Garden City attorney, as receiver for the First National Bank of Hempstead, it was announced by George Estabrook, conservator of the bank, yesterday. The bank was closed at the time of the banking holiday last March, and has been opened on a limited basis since. The bank is the oldest in Nassau County and had $3,887,000 in deposits at the time it was closed. Invest Wisely-Buy Now


Article from Brooklyn Eagle, June 9, 1934

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Article Text

Hempstead Sued By Bank Receiver Hempstead, June 9-Edwin Hellawell, receiver for the First National Bank this village has brought suit against the town of Hempstead to compel the return of $450,000 of mortgage securities the bank. He says he has filed papers in the suit with the United States District Court, Eastern DisThese securities, he said, were turned to the 1933, about and before the closed, for deposit by the town. He says these securities the deposit vault the bank but that the town officials the key said he had previmade Holley Patterson, presiding officer of the board supervisors, to return the securities that he can liquithem and hold the proceeds until time the courts will decided the issue.


Article from Brooklyn Eagle, June 9, 1934

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Article Text

Hempstead Sued By Bank Receiver Hempstead, June 9-Edwin V. Hellawell, receiver for the First National Bank of this village has brought suit against the town of Hempstead to compel the return of $450,000 of mortgage securities to the bank. He says he has filed papers in the suit with the United States District Court, Eastern District. These securities, he said, were turned over to the in January 1933, about month and half before the closed, collateral for deposit of $477,000 by the town. He says are now the safe deposit vault in the bank but that the town officials have the key to this The said he had previously made demand upon Holley Patterson, presiding officer of the board of supervisors, to return the that he can liquidate them and the until such time courts will have decided the issue.


Article from Brooklyn Eagle, July 14, 1934

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Article Text

Hempstead Bank Pays Dividend A liquidation dividend of 50 cents on the dollar today to 2,600 depositors of the closed First National Bank Hempstead, cordng announcement by Edwn Hellawell the bank's receiver. Total payments amounted to over $1,000,000 Although the bank had 8,000 depositors with deposits totalling more than $2,000,000 at the time its closure during the "bank holiday in March. 1933 only 6,000 have filed claims date with the Controller of Currency and only 2,600 claims have been approved The claims are being paid off in alphabetical order, and only those with initials to were given checks today The will be called the bank during the following week.


Article from Brooklyn Eagle, July 17, 1934

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Article Text

Closed Bank Pays First Dividends Special to The Eagle Hempstead, L. I., July 17-More than $500,000 in checks was received today by 700 depositors of the closed First National Bank here, representing their first 50 percent dividends. By Friday Edwin V. Hellawell, receiver, expects to have sent out vouchers to 2,600 of the bank's 7,000 depositors. The largest voucher sent out so far was for $20,089. One for $6,000 was sent Dr. Arthtur Chalmers aMrtin of Garden City, chairman of the Nassau County Committee of the American Society for the Control of Cancer.


Article from Brooklyn Eagle, October 19, 1934

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Article Text

Bank Receiver Sues Note on Decision was reserved by Justice Philip A. Brennan in Part of the Nassau Supreme Court yesterday after argument in suit brought by Edwin Hellawell, as receiver of the First National Bank of Hempstead to collect $10,000, the value of note given to the bank in March. 1932 by Williar T. Hutcheson, one of the directors. The note was given to offset an alleged depreciation caused forced liquidation and was to used to protect the bank and depositors. The was that there was consideration given and that there therefore liability on the part of Hutcheson to Ingraham Job Justice Brennan also reserved decision peremptory mandamus Deputy County Attorney Fred Ingraham for reinstatement on the ground that veteran and that he dismissed when James Dowsey named succeed H. StewMcKnight. Mr. Ingraham's contention that he should not dismissed without hearing On another writ mandamus the brought by Louis highways in the village of Floral Park, where contended that could not dismissed summarily because status an exempt fireman Judge Brennan also served The village claims that the job was now being by the Department of Public Works.