5237. Rock Island Bank (Rock Island, IL)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Closure
Bank Type
state
Start Date
November 23, 1854
Location
Rock Island, Illinois (41.509, -90.579)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
f1f28ee8

Response Measures

None

Description

Multiple contemporaneous November 1854 newspaper reports list the Rock Island Bank among Illinois banks that 'suspended payments' during the statewide/free-bank panic. The articles do not report a specific depositor run on this particular bank nor any reopening; they describe it as suspended/discredited. I classify cause as macro_news (part of wider Illinois/free-bank panic).

Events (1)

1. November 23, 1854 Suspension
Cause
Macro News
Cause Details
Listed as having suspended payments amid the November 1854 banking panic originating from failures and loss of confidence among free/state banks in Illinois and neighboring states; part of a broader panic rather than bank-specific scandal.
Newspaper Excerpt
the following Banks, located in other parts of the State: ... Rock Island Bank
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (4)

Article from The Ottawa Free Trader, November 18, 1854

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Article Text

Bank Panic in Chicago, The panic, which had its origin a month or two ago in the failure of the Indiana free banks to make any definite arrangement for the redemption of their paper, and which has raged with more or less violence in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and other places ever since, finally broke out on Monday at Chicago, and threatened to carry all her banks and business men before it. The Merchants' and Mechanics' bank was the first to give way under the pressure, and with it went the Cherokee Insurance Com pany, of Dalton, Georgia, which was : shinplaster concern owned by the same bank. As soon as the fact became known the excitement grew intense about the streets, and all sorts of rumors were afloat Depositors and bill holders of other bank became uneasy, and a general rush to th banks followed, The "City bank" next elo sed its doors. and with it went down th bank of Milledgeville, Georgia, a shinplaste concern owned by that bank. The "Unior bank" of Forest, Brothers & Co., next expe rienced the effects of a run, and in a fey hours was forced to close its doors. Othe banks showedsigns of weakness, and close for a few hours, but we believe these are al the banks that have not yet resumed opera tions. With the closing of these banks came th general throwing out of the bills of th country banks with which they had connec tions by agency or otherwise, and thus th rumor was at once spread that those countr banks had also failed or suspended, Amon banks at which the finger was thus pointe were the bank of Naperville, the bank o Elgin, the Belvidere bank, Dupage Co bank, Ottawa bank, Rock Island bank, and several others, none of which, however, S far as we are advised, has failed to meet al it liabilities as presented, and the bills o which, being amply secured by state stocks are still current as any paper in the country and received by all the bankers and busines men in or out of Chicago, with a few unim portant exceptions. Indeed, a card is pub lished by nearly all the wholesale dealers in Chicago, in which they state that, seeing no just cause for the present panic in reference to the stock secured banks of the city and this state, they will continue to receive thei bills as heretofore, and the same course i again generally adopted by the bankers After diligent enquiry we cannot find that single country bank has yet suspended, and indeed, no serious run has yet been threat ened on any except in a few places immedi ately contiguous to Chicago, and there doubtless, the brokers and money shaver were at the bottom of it. The storm, however, appears to hav nearly spent itself in Chicago, and there is fair prospect of a calm, and speedy resump tion by the suspended banks. The Press o Thursday says: Yesterday, we are happy to say, ou streets were quiet. So far as we could lear the run on the Banks is over, and unles some new cause of alarm should arise, w have reason to hope the crisis is passed Business is moving along as usual, and seems to have returned to its original chan nels. It gives us great pleasure to say that w were assured last evening by one of the pro prictors of the City Bank, that they expec to resume business on Tuesday next. W also heard, but not officially, that the Unio Bank will resume in a few days. The directors of the Merchants and Mo chanic's Bank also publish a card this morn ing, which looks to the early resumption ( business. These facts will tend to strength en public confidence. With the resumption of these banks, ( course the Georgia money, for which the are responsible, will again become good, S that persons holding Milledgeville, Chere kee, &c., should by no means dispose of at present at the loss of a cent. It wi doubtless be all current again in a week, an the same patience which it is most profitabl to exercise in reference to our own bank will be found most profitable in reference t the Georgia banks. But when this foreig stuff does again become good, it will un doubtedly be the wisest course to exchang it as fast as possible for our own state cur rency, which we know to be safe.


Article from Burlington Tri-Weekly Hawk-Eye, November 23, 1854

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Article Text

According to our last advices, the panic was to some extent abating. In Ohio, the Secretary of State advertises to take the notes of the suspended State Stock Banks on Taxes and all other public dues, as the State has ample security in Stocks deposited. The following banks have suspended payments since we published a list: City Bank of Chicago; Merchants & Mechanics Bank, Chicago; Farmers Bank, Chicago; Phoenix Bank, Chicago; Union Bank, Chicago; And as a consequence, two wild cat concerns from Georgia, but owned in Chicago: The Milledgeville Bank, Georgia; The Cherokee Bank & Ins. Co., Georgia; And the following Banks, located in other parts of the State of Illinois: Belvidere Bank; Bank of Rockford; Bank of Naperville; Bank of Ottawa; Du Page County Bank; Rock Island Bank; Rock River Bank, Beloit, Wis. These are mostly sma 1 institutions, with small circulation, and no necessity exists for a very deep shave upon their paper. The Brokers and Bankers of St. Louis have published a card agreeing to receive the notes of all the Illinois banks which have not 5113pended, at their face, and expressing confidence in the soundness and ultimate safety of the Free Banks of that State.


Article from Weekly National Intelligencer, November 25, 1854

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Article Text

ILLINOIS BANKS.-The Telegraph announces, every day or two, the suspension of some of the Banks of Illinois. One list which is before us embraces the following Banks: City Bank of Chicago; Merchants' and Mechanics' Bank, Chicago; Farmers' Bank, Chicago; Phoenix Bank, Chicago; Union Bank, Chicago. And, as a consequence of these failures, two wild-cat concerns from Georgia, but owned in Chicago : The Milledgeville Bank, Georgia, and the Cherokee Bank and Insurance Company, Georgia. Add to these the following Banks, located in other parts of the State: Belvidere Bank, Bank of Rockford, Bank of Naperville, Bank of Ottawa, Du Page County Bank, Rock Island Bank, and Rock River Bank, Beloit, Wisconsin. This is, we believe, the extent of the bank suspensions in Illinois ; and when it is recollected that the most of them are, in familiar phrase, "one-horse affairs," having capitals perhaps of $50,000 and a circulation of $30,000 or $40,000 each, scattered all over the State, it is somewhat surprising that even the excitable people of Chicago should make 80 much ado about it. It is not pretended that the banks, if let alone, will not redeem their paper. Our own bankers, we are glad to see, are pursuing a very proper course. They are receiving on deposite from their customers the notes of all the Free Banks of Illinois not known to be discredited in that State. They take this responsibility, we presume, believing that the banks are, as a general thing, sound. The Bank Commissioners at Springfield and Chicago have each made publication, assuring the public of the safety of the bill-holders.-St. Louis Republican.


Article from The Athens Post, December 1, 1854

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Article Text

ILLINOIS BANKS.-The St. Louis Republican gives the following as a list of Illinois Banks which have suspended payment, and are therfore discredited: City Bank of Chicago. Merchants' and Mechanies' Bank, Chicago. Farmers' Bank, Chicago. Phoenix Bank, Chicago. Union Bank, Chicago. And, as a consequence of these failnres, two wild catconcerns fromGeorgia, but owned in Chicaco: The Milledgerille Bank, Georgia, and The Cherokee Bank and Ins. Co., Georgia. Add to these the following Banks, located in other parts of the State: Belvidere Bank; Bank of Rockford; Bank of Napierville; Bank of Ottawa; Du Page county Bank; Rock Island Bank, and Rock River Bank, Beloit, Wisconsin. The Republican remarks: "One of these Banks-the Farmers' Bank of Chicago, has been calling in its paper for three months past with a view to the closing of the concern, and there is very little in circulation. The Auditor of the State of Illinois has published a notice stating that all the circulation of this Bank will be redeemed at his office in Springfield, pro rata, out of the trust funds deposited by the Bank. The stocks pledged for the payment of this circulation will be converted into specie funds, as required by law, at as early days as practicable, when further notice will be given."