377. First National Bank (Harrison, AR)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Run → Suspension → Reopening
Bank Type
national
Bank ID
5890
Charter Number
5890
Start Date
December 17, 1930
Location
Harrison, Arkansas (36.230, -93.108)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
381f7baa

Response Measures

Capital injected, Full suspension, Books examined

Other: 1902 event: voluntary liquidation mentioned separately from 1930 Hudspeth-related failure.

Description

Articles report gradual/heavy withdrawals (a depositor run) forcing the First National Bank of Harrison to fail to open on Dec 17, 1930. The bank was placed in the hands of examiners/receiver. On 1931-03-05 a merger with Peoples Savings Bank completed and the consolidated institution reopened, halting liquidation. Cause attributed to withdrawals triggered by the collapse of the Hudspeth banking group and recent market crash (treated here as 'local_banks').

Events (5)

1. July 1, 1901 Chartered
Source
historical_nic
2. December 19, 1901 Voluntary Liquidation
Source
historical_nic
3. December 17, 1930 Run
Cause
Local Banks
Cause Details
Gradual/heavy withdrawals driven by collapse of the Hudspeth group and recent market crash; contagion from affiliated banks and related closings.
Measures
Bank failed to open and suspended operations; placed under national bank examiners/receiver involvement noted.
Newspaper Excerpt
Officials said gradual withdrawals for several days forced the closing.
Source
newspapers
4. December 17, 1930 Suspension
Cause
Local Banks
Cause Details
Suspension/closure due to heavy withdrawals in wake of Hudspeth chain closings and the November crash; banks did not attempt reorganization immediately and closed outright at time of suspension.
Newspaper Excerpt
The Citizens' Bank and Trust Company and the First National Bank here failed to open this leaving only one banking institution in the city.
Source
newspapers
5. March 5, 1931 Reopening
Newspaper Excerpt
Merger of the Peoples Savings Bank of Harrison and the First National bank, which closed December 17, was completed and the consolidated institution opened for business this morning, under the name of the Peoples Savings bank; The merger plan halted liquidation on the First National bank by a receiver .
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (6)

Article from The Green Forest Tribune, January 11, 1902

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Article Text

THE first week of the new year was an unlucky one for Harrison. The Daily Eclipse suspended publication and the First National Bank went into voluntary liquidation, leaving the city without either the luxury of a daily paper or a national bank.


Article from The Courier News, December 17, 1930

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Article Text

TWELVE Bank and Trust of Harrisont and Affiliated Institutions Close. LITTLE Dec. iccked by the closing of more than four score state and national banks month ago. felt the strain of second upthrust when group banks, whose affairs were closeinterwoven. closed their doors today. The institutions suspending iness today included some of largest in the northwestern section. The group was headed by owns shares in all the affected institutions. The of the group is the Citizens Bank and Trust company Harrison, of which Hudspeth rice-president. The bank was capiInlized at $100,000. and deposits gregated more than $1,000,000 was generally conceded in banking circles here today the collapse was directly attributable the November crash. which carried the Banks group, consisting of more than 40 banks and headed by the American Exchange Trust company of Litle Rotck. reported that Hudspell: held large block of stock In the Little Rock bank. The closed banks declined make any statement other than say the suspension caused by heavy withdrawals of the past two weeks. resulting from the failure Caldwell and company. Nashville, banking house, and difficulties encountered by the Banks group. Two national banks were among those closed today. They the First National Bank of Harrison and the First National Bank of reka Listed among the banks closed today The Citizens St. Joseph: Citizens Bank and Trust company. Harrison; First National Bank, First National Bank, Eureka Springs: Bank of A1Alpena Pass: Bank of North Arkantas, Everton: Bank of Lead Hill. Lead Hill: American Exchange Bank, First State Marshall: Citizens Bank. Yellville: Bank Filippin. Bank of Tyatt. the last two of which are brauches of the Citizens Bank Mississippi Bank Closes ABERDEEN Miss.. Dec. 17. (UP) On an order of the board of directors the Commercial Bank and Trust company. one of three banks here, failed to open today. and affairs were turned over to the state tanking for liquidation Capital of the bank was with $15,000 sinking fund. The bank statement Issued 1930 showed deposits of $118,000 with savings accounts deposited totaling


Article from The Boston Daily Globe, December 17, 1930

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Article Text

GRADUAL WITHDRAWALS FORCE BANK TO CLOSE HARRISON Ark, Dec 17 (A The Citizens' Bank and Trust Company and the First National Bank here failed to open this leaving only one banking institution in the city Officials said gradual withdrawals for several days forced the closing.


Article from The Courier News, December 18, 1930

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Article Text

Institutions at and Green Forest Doors Today. LITTLE ROCK Two northwest banks were swept the state's already extended list defunct nancial institutions today the closing of the Peoples Bank of Berryville and the Farmers and Merchants bank of Green Forest. Both members of the twelve of which shut their doors yesterday. The Berryville bank was capitalized with deposits $177,835. and the Green Forrest institution had capital stock of with deposits aggregating $158.- The state banking took immediate action to nince the two banks the hands of department examiners. check complet this merning by Taylor banking commissioner. devosits of the Hudsoeth stitutions to anproximately with canital and surplus gregating action the two banks pending business today attributed heavy withdrawals of The three weeks developing from unrest depositors. Two of the banks closed the Marion County bank of and the Bank of Pyatt. DOYSESS charters and as the Citizens Bank of Yellville. but under senarate names the remaining nine pending yesterday. the First National hank of Harrison and the First National bank of Eureka Springs operate under national banking charters and have been placed in national bank examiner from the office of the The banks closing vesterday and today did no' attempt to take vantage the five day provision provided by state banking laws reorganization of affairs but closed outright. No plans for reprganization have been announced and believed the aftairs of the various will be the First National bank and the Scctland County Savings bank of Laurinburg were closed today. approximately In deposits.


Article from The Star Progress, December 25, 1930

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Article Text

Closing of Hudspeth Interests North Arkansas Causes Withdrawals on Bank Here. The Peoples Bank here failed to Thursday morning of last it being closed by orders of the board of directors to surpress which had developed caused twelve banks of the Hudspeth chain in Marion, Boone, Carroll and Searcy counties closing on Wednesday. It is said that this bank is vent but that was not in position to withstand run, evidences which had been shown for eral days prior to its closing, due to being member of the Hudspeth interests, and it neces. sary for it to close for the protection of its depositors. While awaiting the re-organization of this bank, has hampered business some extent, however, Berryville has not been without banking facilities at any time the First National Bank has mained open during this period of financial unrest. The closing of the Peoples Bank came as surprise to many citizwho had seen the two Berryville institutions remain open through the period of bank closings over the state, and was believed that the banks of Berryville, and Carroll county would the financial storm felt generally in the state and nation. is understood that persistent and growing tendency toward withdrawals had been reducthe cash in this bank for days. Some depositors had also been reducing their balances in the bank to the point where closing for short time was the only remedy. The situation in this part of Arkansas, differs from closings in other parts of the state, wherein the assets of the bank remained tact through conservative management, and withdrawals alone can be blamed for the situation. Over 90 Arkansas banks have suspended or closed for liquidation since November 17, when the ican Exchange Bank and Trust Company at Little Rock, closed. About have reopened or re-organized. The banks involved in this suspension are: Citizens Trust Co., Harrison. First National Bank, Harrison. American Exchange, Leslie. First National Bank, Eureka Springs. Bank of North Arkansas, Ever- Citizens Bank, Yellville. Citizens Bank, St. Joe. Bank of Lead Hill, Lead Hill. First State Bank, Marshall. Bank of Alpena Pass, Alpena. Marion County Bank, Flippin, Bank of Pyatt, are branches of the Citizens Bank at Yellville. closed when the parent bank suspended. The First National Bank and the Farmers Merchants Bank Green Forest, which were also closed Wednesday, were independently owned, the controlling stocks owned by citizens of this county. Out of the six banks operating Carroll County, only two remain open, the First National here and the Bank of Eureka Springs. understood that the closed institutions will again in open short time.


Article from Batesville Guard, March 5, 1931

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Article Text

Merged Banks At Harrison Opened Harrison March 5-Mergerger of the Peoples Savings Bank of Harrison and the First National bank, which closed December 17, was completed and the consoldiated institution opened for business this morning, under the name of the Peoples Savings bank, in quarters formerly occupied by the First National bank The consolidation marks resumption of business by the seventh of 13 banks in the À. T. Hudspeth chain which closed on the same day last December Mr. Hudspeth today said that plans for reopening the other six banks are well advanced The merger plan, which halted liquidation on the First National bank by a receiver provided for an increase of $25,000 in the capital stock of the Peoples bank, election of new officers and limited with. drawals for three years of depositors in the First National when it closed Officers or the reorganized Peoples bank are W F. Gordon president: W À Hudspeth, executive vice president J. L. Sims and W.-J. Myers, vice presidents, an C