Hamilton Bank (Hamilton, OH)

Episode Information

Episode UID
3450671090478
Episode Type
Suspension โ†’ Closure
Bank Type
trust
Bank ID
345067109 hash
Start Date
October 1, 1839*
Location
Hamilton, Ohio (39.394, -84.566)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini (chosen from majority vote of a three-model LLM ensemble)
Short Digest
3408c69de14e077b

Response Measures

None

Description

Articles list 'the Hamilton' among Ohio banks that suspended; no reopening reported and law threatened charter forfeiture after 30 days.

Events (1)

1. October 1, 1839* Suspension
Cause
Macro News
Cause Details
Part of a widespread suspension/panic among Ohio and eastern banks in Octโ€“Nov 1839; suspension appears driven by broader interbank suspensions and market loss of specie rather than a single bank-specific failure.
Newspaper Excerpt
the Hamilton ... are the only Ohio Banks known to have suspended.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (2)

Article from Richmond Enquirer, November 1, 1839

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Article Text

Constituting a total deposite of $1,645.000 Of these stocks, Indiana is quite good it not better than the others, yet that stock sold within a few days a 50 cents on the dollar It is therefore evident that the is security, though good, fails at the moment when it wanted in a state of ease and confidence in the market when the security will bring full price, it is not wanted; but is at a time like this, when the bills of the banks hus secured are selling at a discount of 5 per cent., thereby tempting speculators to run the banks, that the security is most wanted Should the new banks now be forced to suspend, and the whole of the above amount of $1.645,000 be thrown upon the market, The the holders will not realize 40 cents on the dollar. stocks of the new banks, as compared with the old in stitutions, are comparatively worthless, from the fact that in their dealings are ID securities which are at present consertible. These considerations are biassing the pubof the old system- with the arrival of the from England, an lic in next favor packet explosion banks will proba in bly take place among certain of the new this State which may prostrate the new system entirely, and the old banks of the city of New York will form a nu cleus around which will rally the solvent merchants and healthy business, while the speculating bankrupt jobbers, auctic neers and insolvents of all kinds will periah under the ruins.of that mighty system of unlimited credit they have helped to create. The Lancaster (Ohio) Eagle of the 26th says, "Thus for the Cincinnati Banks, (except the Commercial.) the X-nia. Hamilton. Dayton and Urbana are the only Ohio Banks known to have suspended. The Zanesville Ga. zette Wednesday last, says that the Granville Society has also suspended The Bank of this place (the Co. jumbus and Zanesville Banks) have, it 15 understood, decided to continue specie payments "The Wheeling Times says it has no doubt, from pre sent appearances that most of the banks in Ohio will wind up their affairs. They had much-better do it than attempt, embarrassed and restricted as they are, to continue business The Columbus Statesman of the 25th. gives an elaborate Table. fornish by the Auditor of the State, of from the condition of the thirty fire Banks of Ohio, present which it appears, that their amounts to $10, 22297-their circulation to 6.263 454-their deposite other money, 1.844 8-which with the monies due to banks and other liabilities. amount in the whole to $23.055426-And on the other side of the account, their notes discounted amount to $11;208 125; specie 2 098,587; notes of other banks 930-565. due from o her banks 966, 190: other resources 7,821,856; amounting in the whole to $23 065 426 The Indiana Banks. it is said by some, continue to pay specie.- But the Chillieothe Gazette of the 24th saye, that they have suspended. The Northern Bank of Kentucky, at Lexington, has suspended TENNESSEE BANKS "The news of the suspension eastward. reached Nashrille on the evening of the 17th inst The same evening, a consultation was had among the bank officers, of that city. but nothing definite was concluded on Next morning. the Bank of Tennessee the made specie draft of $100,000, on the Union, immediate and Planters Banks-the consequence was an Ten suspension by the two last named. The Bank of nessee still held out paying specie on the 18th inst. as we learn from the Nashville Whig of that date, while being unwilling to take the reaponsibility of suspending. the State Legislature is present, in session, to direct its movements The Nashville Banner of the 19th informs us, that the Union and Planters Bank suspended on the 18th, R. and that on the afternoon the Speaker of the H. of laid before the House the following communication from the President of the Bank of Tennessee "BANK OF TENNESSEE, Oct. 18, 1839. 'To the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee: Gentlemen- last evening's mail we are in recript of information that the Banks of Philadelphia, Baltimore and Cincinnati have suspended the payment of specie, and probably the New York and Kentucky Banks also. "This morning the Union and Planters' Banks have from also suspended The balance due this institution these Banke is very considerable, and they have refused the payment of the same. 1 have the honor to be, Yours very respectfully, W NICHOL, President. "This communication was addressed to both The Houses de. and referred to the committee on Banks. Yoakum bate was in the Senate was quite animated. Mr introduced a resolution. providing that notwithstanding the of payments by the other banks, 'the and branches to debts as the public faith and common pay suspension bank its of Tennessee specie will still resolution continue honesty require.'-1 immediate adoption of this Gilleswas pressed with much zeal by Mr Yoakum and Messrs. pie at considerable length by the who advocated its on which was ultimately fix Committee Laughlin and opposed and others, Banks, reference carried wasto to The object as avowed by most of the speakers all the responsibility of suspending on the Bank-at the sub eventato give no advice or make no pledge on ject. until the condition of the Bank and to to continue were officially specie payments made its it is known ability thought, the Legislature. The committee on Banks, will report to-day not beard the result.) The Commercial Bank of Columbia (S C) has acted the so for in an manner. Notwithstanding Baske in were urged by a deColumbia exemplary meeting of it the has citizens, to suspend specie payments, clined to but taken measures to virtually suspend, afford the purchase all necessary pecupiary relief, especially towards 'This' the C. Carolinian) striking not only of the soundness of cotton." evidence. (says of is this another com ex cellent institution. but of the general good sense, which perhensive views, and sound banking principles, will govern its affairs now, as heretofore. A little time shew the correctness of its policy. in the present instance, not only for its own sake, but that of the business of the place also-especially if, as seems daily more and more probable, the New York Banks do not suppend, which


Article from Richmond Enquirer, November 19, 1839

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Article Text

# POLITICS, There is a good deal of commotion in the ranks of a certain party, occasioned by the arrangements which are on foot for nominating a candidate for the Presidency The anti-Democratic party have chosen their delegates from the several wards in this city, who are to meet in a county Convention next Tuesday, and elect four delegates to the great Whig Convention to be held at Harrisburg in December. But now arises the question, whether the delegates who are to be sent to Harrisburg shall be the friends of Clay or the friends of Scott. Shall they be instructed and pledged to give their voices for the nomination of Mr. Clay as the choice of their constituents, or shall they be left to vote in such a manner as they may deem most for the interest of the Whig party; in other words, to secure the nomination of General Scott, if they can? Shall they go with open instructions to insist on the nomination of Clay or with a private understanding that they shall insist upon the nomination of Scott? such is the alternative which now embarrasses the Whig party, and sets them quarrelling The dispute was prudently postponed until after the election, but is now raging violently, although a regard to appearances at present keeps the combatants in the journals under some restraint- "Thus," says a comic poet, "Thus a large dumpling, in its cell confined, Lies snug, until the water waxes hot, Then bustles midst the tempest of the pot, In vain the lid keeps down the child of dough, That bouncing, tumbling, sweating, rolls below." To carry these different views into effect, there has been much maneuvering in the ward meetings. In some of them, delegates have been chosen friendly to the claims of Scott; in others, friendly to Clay; in some, resolutions have been passed, recommending to the delegates to Harrisburg, that they press the nomination of Clay; in others, resolutions have been adopted requesting the county convention to appoint delegates, to Harrisburg, who will act for the best good of the party, without respect to persons The Evening Star clamors for the appointment of men who will be certain to insist on the pretensions of Mr. Clay; the Express cries out "no man pledges," and the Commercial backs the Express. How they will settle the matter, we can not say. In the mean time, however, it is amusing to observe the indirect manner in which the war is carried on by some of the belligerents The party friendly to Scott are all at once seized with a violent horror of pledges. Great as was always their aversion to the public candidate who has the imprudence to let his constituents know beforehand what he intends to do when elected, it is now greater than ever. They are quite abusive towards the members of the House of Assembly elected from this city, because they have declared in what manner they shall vote on certain important questions when they get to Albany The object of this abuse is plain enough; it is intended that it shall be applied to those who go to Harrisburg, pledged to insist upon the nomination of Mr. Clay-N Y Post. # BANK NEWS BASK NEWS -The Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company resumed the payment of specie on the 6th instant. It is the law in Ohio, that if any bank stops the payment of specie for more than thirty days its charter is forfeited. The Statesman, published at Columbus, Ohio, thinks that all the banks of the State which have suspended, will rather resume within the time prescribed by law, than suffer their affairs to be turned over to commissioners. The following are the only institutions that have thus far ceased to redeem their notes: all the banks of Cincinnati, except the Commercial Bank, the Hamilton, Dayton, Xenia, Urbana banks, and the two Banks of Wooster. The Bank of Illinois, situated at Shawneetown, has resolved not to suspend the payment of specie. Rutas S. Read, President of the Erie Bank of Pennsylvania, described as "the wealthiest citizen of Erie, and possessed of property worth more than five or six-times the liabilities of the Bank," has issued the following notice to the public: "The Erie Bank, having yielded to circumstances beyond its control, and joined the other Banks in Pennsylvania in suspending for the present the payment of specie, I, the undersigned, President of this institution, to allay any apprehension there might be of the ability of the Bank to meet fully all its liabilities, do hereby pledge my private and individual property for the payment of all debts and demands against the said Bank." Statements of the condition of thirty five Safety Fund Banks and two branches, situated west of the city of Albany have recently been furnished to the Bank Commissioners at Auburn As compared with their condition on the 1st January last, it is as follows: 37 Banks. Capital Loans & disc's. Cire'ion 1st Jan., 1839, 7.646.000 14.105,034 7037 579 5th Nov, 1839 7.640.000 13 521.846 4.945 197 It is known, that the circulation of the River and City banks has decreased in a still greater proportion. The whole circulation of the chartered banks on the 1st of January, 1830, was $19 373 149 The lowest point which it reached during the suspension was $11 198.000 in April, 1eds. From the above data, says the Albany Argus, there can be no doubt that the circulation of the chartered banks is as low at this time, and probably lower, than at any time during the suspension. A convention of the Safety Fund Banks of this State at which twenty one banks were represented, was held on the 8th instant at Auburn. After appointing a committee to make arrangements for the establishment of an agency at Albany or Troy, it was resolved- That said Committee continue the present Messenger, to make his trips from Albany to Buffalo, every alternate week. That each Bank assort, count up and label the bills of the several Banks sent to the Agency Bank, in their packages. That the Agency Bank so to be established, seal up the bills, and notify each bank by mail, immediately after the arrival of the Messenger, of the amount of its notes then on hand for redemption. The bank so notified shall redeem its bills so sealed up, at the end of sixteen days from the time of sealing, by draft or funds, current in Albany. The packages of bills so redeemed, shall be returned to the respective banks by the Messenger, next after such redemption or payment. The day of sealing up shall always be on Saturday, and the day of redemption on Monday after the return of the Messenger Any other bank or individual may deposite bills of the associated banks, to be sent home for redemption as aforesaid, at the risk of the depositor, he paying one-fourth of one per cent. towards defraying the expenses attending the agency and redemption. The banks shall keep up the system of red-mption, by exchanging with each other, and adjusting balances as heretofore recommended by the committee of the safety fund banks. Resolved. That the banks under the General Banking Law, be invited to participate fully in the above arrangement, and subject to a proportionate part of the expense -that in case of a refusal, their notes be sent by the associated banks to the agency, and returned home for redemption, and that the agent in Albany be authorized to receive from others, and send home for redemption, packages of their notes, at a charge of one-fourth of one per cent. at the risk of the owner-N Y. Post. PENNSYLVANIA We find in the York Gazette of yesterday, the subjoined letter froรฎn Governor Potter, in reply to the communication of the committee who had been appointed, at the late meeting in that borough, to convey to the Executive a copy of the resolutions adopted by said meeting. These resolutions, it will be recollected, suggested to the Governor, an early call of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, with a view to the adoption of another measure recommended by the meeting, namely, the authorizing of a State loan of two millions of dollars, at an interest of tico per cent, per annum, and the granting of privilege to the banks of that State to issue one, two, and three dollar notes, to the amount that might be taken by them, respectively, of said loan. The object in view by the meeting was twofold-first, to provide small notes as a medium of small business transactions, during suspension; and secondly, to provide for the Commonwealth, at a very low interest, the means of meeting her engagements in regard to certain temporary loans: thus, the loan of two millions at two per cent, would not in effect increase the debt of Pennsylvania, but would, so fast as negotiated, be made to take the place of certain unfunded debts of that Commonwealth, bearing five and six percent interest. on from the letter of Governor Potter, that