19615. West Branch Bank (Williamsport, PA)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Reopening
Bank Type
state
Start Date
October 29, 1857
Location
Williamsport, Pennsylvania (41.240, -77.036)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
9a030a53

Response Measures

None

Description

Articles (duplicate) report a meeting of regional bank presidents at Williamsport resolving that during the suspension of specie payments by the banks of the Commonwealth they would not make arrangements to redeem notes in Philadelphia. This indicates the West Branch Bank participated in the statewide suspension of specie payments (Oct 29, 1857). No run, reopening, or receivership is mentioned; historically the 1857 suspensions were temporary, so I classify as suspension_reopening while noting reopening is not documented in these clips.

Events (1)
1. October 29, 1857 Suspension
Cause
Macro News
Cause Details
Participating in the statewide suspension of specie payments by banks of the Commonwealth (panic/credit contraction in 1857).
Newspaper Excerpt
it was resolved that during the suspension of specie payments, by the Banks of this Commonwealth, they did not deem it expedient to make any arrangements
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (2)
1. November 25, 1857 The Star of the North Bloomsburg, PA
Article from The Star of the North, November 25, 1857

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Article Text

At a Meeting of the Presidents of the Danville, Norihumberland, Lewisburg, West Branch, Lock Haven, and Jersey Shore Banks, at Williamsport, on the 29th ult., it was resolved that during the suspension of-specie payments, by the Banks of this Commonwealth, they did not deem it expedient to make any arrangements with the city Banks for The redemption of their notes, or suma of specie in Philadelphia to keep their notes at par.

2. November 25, 1857 The Star of the North Bloomsburg, PA
Article from The Star of the North, November 25, 1857

Click image to open full size in new tab

Article Text

At a Meeting of the Presidents of the Danville, Northomberland, Lewisburg, West Branch, Lock Haven, and Jersey Shore Banks, at Williamsport, on the 29th ult., it was resolved that during the suspension of specie payments, by the Banks of this Commonwealth, they did not deem it expedient to make any arrangements with the city Banks for the redemption of their notes, or sums of specie in Philadelphia to keep their notes at par.