Katanyan Bank Bank Notes
Scope and Contents
This small collection consists solely of bank notes (cancelled checks) of Wilson Colwell and his Katanyan Bank from 1857-1861. There is no ledger or listing of loans to accompany these notes.
Dates
- 1857-1861
Creator
- Katanyan Bank (La Crosse, Wis.) (Organization)
Access to Materials
Materials in this collection are available for patron use.
Historical Note
Wilson Colwell, a Pennsylvania native, was born in 1827. He was the son of Alexander and Margaret (Henry) Colwell, natives of northern Ireland and of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Colwell came to La Crosse in 1856 and founded the city's first bank, the Katanyan Bank. Colwell owned it and served as its president.
In 1858, he married Nannie Hammer, and their only child, Nannie Colwell, was born in 1859. In 1860 he and Nannie purchased property in La Crosse at present day 330 So. 6th St. He was elected mayor in 1861. In April of that year, Colwell enlisted in the U.S. Army as Captain of the Light Guards who then came to be known as Company B, 2nd Wisconsin of the Iron Brigade. Colwell was killed in the Battle of South Mountain, September 14, 1862. The Katanyan Bank crashed shortly after his death.
Extent
0.2 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Bank notes, 1857-1861, of the Katanyan Bank, La Crosse, Wisconsin's first bank. The bank was owned by La Crosse resident Wilson Colwell. When Colwell was killed in a Civil War battle in the fall of 1862, the bank crashed.
There are no other records with this collection other than the ephemeral bank notes.
Acquisitions Information
Donor unknown. (Accession No. x.026)
Physical Description
1 archives half box
OCLC Number
47227073
Processing Information
Processed by Anita Taylor Doering, Aug. 1989.
Creator
- Katanyan Bank (La Crosse, Wis.) (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Katanyan Bank Bank Notes, 1857-1861
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Anita Taylor Doering, Aug. 1989.
- Date
- 1989 August
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the La Crosse Public Library Archives Repository