---

National Bank Notes > North Dakota

---

---

Ellendale, First NB, W6398
Fr. 642 $20 1902DB
Grade: PMG VF 25    

---

This Dickey County town had three national banks and this was the earliest. The bank was chartered in August 1902, issued 5,976 sheets and shows just seven large notes reported. An excellent signature of Crabtree, Vice President while the assistant cashier's is too light to decipher. Benjamin R. Crabtree was born near the village of Centerville, Wisconsin, Aug. 13, 1863. His father, Richard Crabtree, was vice president of the State Bank of Ellendale. In 1884 Benjamin entered the River Falls (WI) State Normal, later entering the Groton (SD) Institute. He graduated in 1889 and immediately accepted a position with C. A. Morrison, of Ellendale, as bookkeeper, soon becoming deputy county treasurer. He was appointed cashier of the State Bank of Ellendale in 1894. Mr. Crabtree was one of the trustees of the State Industrial School of Ellendale, clerk of the city school board and was also a director and secretary of the Ellendale Milling Company. Ellendale, on the border of North and South Dakota, is the county seat of Dickey County. The population was 1,394 at the 2010 census; a peak population of 1,967 was reported in 1980. Ellendale was founded in 1882 and was named for Mary Ellen Dale, wife of railroad official S.S. Merrill. The Great Northern Railroad established a terminus here in 1887 before building on to Forbes in 1905. This was the first permanent white settlement in the county, and it became the county seat in 1882. The post office was established May 22, 1882 with William E. Finch as Postmaster. It incorporated as a village in 1883, and became a city in 1889 with Thomas Sefton as mayor. Ellendale is the home of Trinity Bible College, located on the former campus of the North Dakota State Normal and Industrial School. Nearby Whitestone Hill Battlefield is the site of the battle between the Yanktonai and Hunkpapa Sioux Indians and the U.S. Calvary under the command of General Alfred Sully on September 5, 1863. Whitestone Monument is a tribute to both soldiers and the Sioux.

---