---

National Bank Notes > North Dakota

---

---

Milnor, Milnor NB, W8264
Fr. 643 $20 1902DB
Grade: PMG Ch. VF 35    

---

This is the earlier of the two Milnor banks. The bank was organized on June 4, 1906 and issued just 1,845 large size sheets before liquidating on December 15, 1928. This is the slightly better of the two notes known and we are offering both! The pen signatures of Francis W. Vail, President and H.J. Edmon, Cashier are lovely and the color and paper quality of the note are beautiful. Francis Wheeler Vail was born at Port Washington, Wis., March 18, 1864. He attended Shattuck Military Academy and the Markham Academy. At the conclusion of his studies Mr. Vail remained a resident of his native city until 1885, working in a bank and gaining the experience. In 1885 he came west to Dakota and for a short time was employed in a bank at Wahpeton. He then moved to Milnor, where he held the position of cashier of the Bank of Sargent County, which was then a private institution, and occupied that position through its successive changes to a state and national bank. In 1908 Mr. Vail was elected to the presidency of the institution. In addition to his nancial interests Mr. Vail was secretary, treasurer and manager of the Farm Land and Finance Company of Milnor. Mr. Vail was also vice president of the Farmers Mill and Grain Company of Milnor. For several terms he served on the school board, and was city treasurer for two years and a trustee of the city board of trustees for the same length of time. Milnor is located in Sargent County in southeast North Dakota; the population was 653 at the 2010 census. Camp Buell State Historic Site is located here, the Sibley Expedition camped at the site July 3-4, 1863. In 1863 General Henry H. Sibley led an army across Dakota Territory, pursuing a group of Dakota who were believed to have participated in the Dakota Conflict of 1862. This town was founded in August 1883 after negotiations for more land had failed at Linton, three miles to the east. Everything in Linton was soon moved to the new terminus, which became Milnor. The post office was established October 18, 1883 with Thomas V. Phelps as Postmaster. As the temporary terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad branch line from Fergus Falls, Minnesota, the settlement was designated as county seat in 1883, but lost that honor in 1886 to the centrally located townsite of Forman. Milnor incorporated as a village in 1884, and became a city in 1914 with L. W. Intlehouse mayor. The name was chosen by the Northern Pacific Railroad for two of its employees, William Milnor Roberts, the Chief Civil Engineer, and William E. Milnor, the local telegrapher. It is the oldest existing settlement in the county, and had a college for two years before it was relocated to Mayville. A peak population of 850 was reported in 1890.

---