119 THL

Inventory created by Archives Staff 07/82. Last revised 2/18.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: Collection is open to all researchers.

USE RESTRICTIONS: Restrictions may apply concerning the use, photoduplication, or publication of items in this collection. Consult a member of the archives staff for information concerning these restrictions. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright.

EXTENT: 0.84 linear feet

DATE: 1924 - 1997

SCOPE AND CONTENT: This collection includes bank records, annual reports from the 1960s through to the 1990s, various promotional items, copies of the newsletter ,“The Beacon”, from 1924 and 1928. There are a  series of articles titled “Cornerstone of History” which describe the renovation of the Feltner building. There are also news articles of banking activities over the years.

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL: Farmers and Merchants National Bank was first organized in Winchester in December 1901. It formally opened for business on January 13, 1902. The original portion of the present bank was completed and occupied in 1903, and was located upon the historical lot No. 19 (on what is now Loudoun Street) as indicated by the original plans for the city by Col. James Wood. The first board of directors included John Keating, Daniel Annan, W.P. McGuire, Perry C. Gore, W.C. Graichen, German Smith, Harry H. Baker, Maurice M. Lynch, James W. Rhodes, Walter E. Barr, Charles E. Clevenger, Samuel M. Chiles, John M. Steck, Sr., Thomas M. Nelson, E.D. Newman, Robert T. Barton, and Jacob S. Haldeman.

Robert Barton became the first president of the bank and served in this position until his death in 1914. In 1929 the bank bought the adjacent Rosenmyer property, and from 1946-1947 the banking house was renovated and expanded. F&M expanded further in 1954 with the erection of the branch bank on N. Cameron. In 1958, a second branch opened on Valley Avenue.

BB & T announced plans to purchase F&M in January 2001. The merger was approved in June 2001 and F&M performed its last transaction in December of that year. On December 22, 2017, the original F&M building was sold to a group of investors for 2.7 million dollars. This was the first time the building has changed hands since its construction in 1902.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: “History of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank,” Box 1, Farmers and Merchants National Bank Collection, 119 THL

CITE AS: Farmers and Merchants National Bank Collection, 119 THL, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA, USA.

ACQUISITION INFORMATION: Acquired as a gift.

ORGANIZATION:

BOX 1 

News articles – printed (photocopy) unnumbered leaves includes various articles pertaining to the renovation of Lawyers Row on Rouss Avenue. “Cornerstone of History”, articles describing the renovation of the Feltner building, and the purchase of the bank by BB&T.

Architectural Notes on F&M Property – This folder contains the following items:

Information on Jacob Senseny-Theodore M. Bantz Building, Part I, 3 leaves, printed and typescript (photocopied), October 11, 1993
Information on Jacob Senseny-Theodore M. Bantz Building, Part II, 2 leaves, typescript (photocopied), October 25, 1993
Letter to Garvin Walter requesting a cartoon sketch of new Frederick County Court House, 21 April, 1997

Newsletters; 3 items, 4 pages each, printed – This folder contains the following items:

“The Beacon” newsletter from Farmers & Merchants National Bank, Vol. 4, No. 8, November 1924
“The Beacon” newsletter from Farmers & Merchants National Bank, Vol. 7, No. 11, February 1928
“The Beacon” newsletter from Farmers & Merchants National Bank, Vol. 7, No. 12, March, 1928

History

“History of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank,” 2 leaves, typescript, undated

Invitation

Invitation to the F&M National Corporation Headquarters Celebration on August 30, 1997 to commemorate new headquarters, printed

Annual Reports - 1960’s - 1970’s; 11 items, printed, typescript, includes the following:

Letter to stockholders concerning stock shares and payment of dividends, 1 leaf, typescript, April 1, 1963
“Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders,” 6 pages, March 1977
“Sixty-Third Annual Report to the Shareholders of Farmers & Merchants National Bank,” 4 pages, December 31, 1964
“President’s Report to Shareholders, F&M National Corporation,” 1974, 7 pages
“Sixty-Sixth Annual Report,” 12 pages, printed, 1967
“Sixty-Seventh Annual Report,” 16 pages, printed, 1968
“Annual Report,” 16 pages, printed, 1969
“F&M National Corporation 1974 Annual Report,” 24 pages, printed
“F&M National Corporation Annual Report 1976,” 28 pages, printed
“F&M National Corporation Annual Report 1977,” 28 pages, printed
“F&M National Corporation Annual Report 1979,” 36 pages, printed

Annual Reports - 1980’s; 7 items, printed, includes the following:

“F&M National Corporation Annual Report 1983,” 33 pages, printed
“F&M National Corporation Annual Report 1984,” 27 pages, printed
“F&M National Corporation Annual Report 1985,” 39 pages, printed
“F&M National Corporation 1986 Annual Report,” 39 pages, printed
“F&M National Corporation 1987 Annual Report,” 40 pages, printed
“F&M National Corporation 1988 Annual Report,” 43 pages, printed
“F&M National Corporation 20th Annual Report,” 44 pages, printed, 1989

Annual Reports – 1990’s; 7 items, printed, includes the following:

“Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders,” 17 pages, March 1990
“Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders,” 14 pages, March 1996
“F&M National Corporation Annual Report 1990,” 40 pages
“F&M National Corporation Winchester, Virginia, 1991 Annual Report,” 43 pages
“Annual Report 1992,” 48 pages
“F&M National Corporation Annual Report 1993,” 51 pages
“F&M National Corporation 1995 Annual Report,” 59 pages

BOX 2

Almanacs; 3 items, printed, includes the following:

1964 Farmers and Merchants National Bank Almanac, 32 pages
1970 Farmers and Merchants National Bank Almanac, 32 pages
1977 Farmers and Merchants National Bank Almanac, 34 pages

Balance Book and Checkbook; 2 items, includes the following:

Balance book with “Farmers and Merchants” imprinted on cover, 20 pages, printed and manuscript, dated between January 27, 1960 and September 1, 1965
Checkbook from Farmers and Merchants Bank, 1 leaf, printed, remaining stubs dated between August 31, 1961 and September 18, 1961

Calendars; 7 items, printed, includes the following:

Calendar card for 1953, back has a promotion for the Christmas Club
Calendar card for 1964, back has a picture of the Loudon St. office
Calendar card for 1967, back has a picture of drive-thru teller
Desk calendar for 1965, cardboard-backed, “Farmers and Merchants National Bank” printed at top
Desk calendar for 1970, cardboard-backed, “Farmers and Merchants National Bank” printed at top, has a built-in thermometer
Desk calendar for 1974, cardboard-backed, “Farmers and Merchants National Bank” printed at top
Wall calendar for 1964, labeled as a “Historical Weather Chart Calendar,” 16 pages

      Christmas Club Promotional Items; 3 items, includes the following:
       Christmas-patterned paper bag, date unknown
       Christmas carol booklet, 16 pages, printed in color, no publishing date
       Promotional “Christmas Club” card, cardboard, no date

Filing and Storage; 5 items, includes the following:

Pay envelope for Goldie Brown from Farmers & Merchants, total amount is for $2.29, printed, date unknown
Blue envelope with “Valuable Papers - Compliments of Farmers & Merchants National Bank” printed on front, date unknown
Blue laminated cloth change bag with zipper, “Farmers & Merchants National Bank” printed in white on front, date unknown
Brown pocket-folder, “Compliments of Farmers and Merchants National Bank,” intended for storage of receipts for Federal income tax withheld from employee wages, 1950

Green Cloth change bag with zipper, Farmers and Merchants National Bank, Winchester, VA printed in yellow on front, date unknown, 1 item

Loan Applications, blank, 3 items

Memo Books; 2 items, includes the following:

Small, black memo book, “Farmers & Merchants National Bank & Trust Co.” printed in gold on front, manuscript, date unknown
“Farmers’ Memo Book, Compliments of Farmers & Merchants National Bank,” copyright 1949, 80 pages, printed and manuscript

Pin – Lapel Pin, “F&M Bank”, 1 item

Promotional Booklets; 5 items, printed, includes the following:

“Something New in Winchester” booklet advertising the new branch bank and its drive-in tellers as well as other F&M services, 12 pages, date unknown
Promotional card for Farmers & Merchants National Bank, has picture of a seated woman with pie, date unknown
“The Book of Presidents,” compliments of Farmers & Merchants, 24 pages, copyright 1964
“Presidents of the United States,” compliments of Farmers & Merchants, 32 pages, copyright 1948
“Historic Winchester and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia,” sponsored by Farmers & Merchants, 24 pages, 1982

Promotional items; 2 items, includes the following:

Promotional light switch plate from Farmers & Merchants with built-in thermometer
Promotional cardboard folding fan from Farmers & Merchants

War Bond Envelope; 1 item, print and manuscript

War Bond envelope from Farmers & Merchants, property of Mary C. Brown, copyright 1942, transaction dates between January 1942 and January 1949