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The
First National of Sharon,
one of the oldest and most reliable banks of western Pennsylvania, was
founded in 1868, John J. Spearman,
the iron manufacturer of more than sixty years standing and one of the
most influential men in this part of the state, having been one of its
incorporators and its president since January, 1872. There was but one
other incumbent of that office, George
Prather, the first president, who died in the latter part
of 1871. The first vice-president was James
Westerman and the first cashier, J.
T. Wilson. Besides Mr. Spearman, following are the present
[1909] officers of the bank: Norman
Hall, vice-president; A.
S. Service, cashier, and W.
F. Porter, assistant cashier; directors, J. J. Spearman, Norman Hall, Irvine J. Hyde,
David Adams, A. S. Service, J. C. Chaplin and William Flinn. In 1875 the bank
erected an excellent building on State street, which, with alterations
and improvements to conform to modern requirements, is still occupied.
By the late eighties the books of the concern showed a surplus of
$100,000 and deposits of $500,000, twenty years after, or in 1908,
these items having been replaced by $160,000 and $1,048,000,
respectively. The business quarters of the First National Bank of
Sharon are models of convenience and comfort, its vaults being among
the most complete in western Pennsylvania, out side of Pittsburg. Its
savings department is well organized, and it has also a completely
equipped foreign department. Among its specialties, which have met with
much favor, are the issuance of travelers’ checks, available in any
part of the world, and allowing the privileges of a personal checking
account, even by those who are not in business.
Twentieth
Century History of Mercer County,
1909, page 227
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First National Bank of Sharon
Biography
of John J. Spearman
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