Hopewell Bank & Trust Company (Hopewell, VA)

Episode Information

Episode UID
68050771580
Episode Type
Suspension → Closure
Bank Type
state
Bank ID
6805077 routing
Routing Number
68-0507
Start Date
August 17, 1931
Location
Hopewell, Virginia (37.291, -77.299)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini (chosen from majority vote of a three-model LLM ensemble)
Short Digest
9a2b19de9da387f3

Response Measures

None

Events (4)
1. August 17, 1931 Suspension
Cause
Government Action
Cause Details
State commissioner M. E. Bristow ordered the bank closed to protect depositors after examination showed unsafe condition.
Newspaper Excerpt
The Hopewell Bank and Trust Company, of Hopewell, was ordered closed today by M. Bristow. State Commissioner of Banking
Source
newspapers
2. October 29, 1931 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
A report of the receivers of the Hopewell Bank and Trust Company was filed ... signed by Thomas J. Blankenship and Archer Jones as receivers, dated as of October 29, 1931.
Source
newspapers
3. July 19, 1932 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
Suits have been entered here by the receivers of Hopewell Bank and Trust Company against the American Bank and Trust Company of Richmond ... for recovery of securities.
Source
newspapers
4. December 21, 1934 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
Suspension and ultimate removal of receivers for the Hopewell Bank and Trust Company, defunct for the last three years, was asked ... by depositors' protective committee charging gross misconduct.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (9)
1. August 17, 1931 The Evening Sun Baltimore, MD

Article Text

HAWKS TO GET REFUND levied against Frank Hawks at Burlington, Vt., for landing in the United States at a place not designated an official airport of entry will be mitted when appeal is made to the Hawks landed at Burlington after flight from Montreal. Commissioner Eble of the Customs Virginia Bank To Close Bureau said today the fine was autoRichmond, Va., Aug. 17 (/P)-The matic, but where a person of known Hopewell Bank and Trust Company, of integrity, through misapprehension, Hopewell, was ordered closed today by violated the rule, the fine is remitted M. Bristow. State Commissioner of upon application.

2. August 17, 1931 Ledger-Star Norfolk, VA

Article Text

Richmond Trust Company Is Acquired By American Oliver Sands, the American Bank and Trust Company; today nounced the the Company and its West branch. The American Bank and Trust Comwhen the its branch opened The transaction held all day yesterday and last night. was the HopeBank and Trust Company, which today was ordered closed the state banking commissioner, involved transaction. Officers Richmond Trust held interests the Hopewell Bank.

3. August 18, 1931 Evening Star Washington, DC
Article from Evening Star, August 18, 1931

Click image to open full size in new tab

Article Text

RICHMOND BANKS MERGE, STATE ORDERS CLOSING American Bank & Trust Acquires Richmond Trust-Institution at Hopewell Suspended. By the Associated Press. RICHMOND, Va., August 18. - The Hopewell Bank & Trast Co. of Hopewell was ordered closed yesterday by M. E. Bristow, State commissioner of banking and insurance. Mr. Bristow said the closing was ordered to protect the depositors of the bank, which was capitalized at $250,000. In a separate announcement today it was stated that the Richmond Trust Co. here had been acquired by the American Bank & Trust Co. of Richmond. Officers of the Richmond Trust Co. were interested in the Hopewell bank, but the transaction did not involve the latter institution. it was stated.

4. November 1, 1931 Richmond Times-Dispatch Richmond, VA

Article Text

10-Page Report Statement Cites Reasons Why Estimate ofProbable Payments Are Impossible Attend Meeting. Mrs. H. F. Danner, Mrs. Annie Caricofe, Mrs. Virginia Phelps, Mrs. Russell Brown. Mrs. W. Lantz, Mrs. Louise Gage, Mrs. Galloway Mrs. Marie Keller, Mrs. Mary Caldwell and Mrs. Martin the local lodge of Daughters of America attended the district meeting of the der which was held in Richmond Thursday night. Spends Here. Miss Florence Moore of Washington. D. the with Mrs. Harry M. Rouse of West Broadway. Peace." Music will be furnished by on Wednesday evening at 6:30 o'clock bers are urged to be present as supervise display of the Virginia fruit important business will be transacted in the Western the young people's choir. on the banks of the Appomattox River The Virginia State Horticultural near the Appomattox Manor, with enWill Arrive Sunday, Society and illustrated trance on Cedar Lane. There will be Miss Mary Jesse missionary to literature with the fruit. Sendai, Japan, will arrive Sunday to plenty of eats and an oyster roast has be the guest of her sister. Mrs. George been planned by the outing committee Looking for to work for R. Wolfe. of Riverside Avenue. which is composed of Fred Hummel will find helpers have put their ads in the Situations as chairman; R. C. Potts. Dr. D. Lane Virginia Apples Will Elder, S. K. Heard, John P. Goodman patch Classified Section. Be Shown This Week and James Gilgallon. The committees appointed for the celebration are Refreshments, John P. Goodman and Fruit Will Be Displayed in S. K. Heard: ticket. Leonard M. Jones Western Cities RATIN and James Gilgallon: ground comWINCHESTER VA. Oct. R. C. James Fancy Virginia apples in quantity are A. Payne: entertainment to be displayed next year in James Gilgallon and James A. Payne. Detroit. Minneapolis, and other WestRats, Mice, Termites Hopewell Wins, 25 to This to be an enjoyable ern cities in observance of National The football team of the Hopewell Apple Week by the and Roaches, Without affair and all members are invited to High School played the team of Ohio Railroad with the attend. POISON or TRAPS Washington and Lee High School at Winchester Chamber of Commerce Shipments of such varieties For Free Information Clarendon on Friday winning with Circle to Meet. DIAL OR WRITE score of 25 to Those making the The West End Circle of the First Grimes Stayman Winesap trip were: Coach Leslie Parsons, Mor- Baptist Church will hold its regular York Imperial and Ratin System of Va. Cunningham next Tuesday afternoon at Black Twig have made George ris meeting Allen Boone, Bradley Slagle, Edward the Mrs. R. Baker of R. Packett and Ohio adverCunningham, David Harrison, Clar- Highland Park at o'clock. All mem- tising director at Chicago, who will ence Elliott. Steve Bogese, Wilson Mifka, Milton Kruger. Louis Aderholt Welford Swift, Robert Swift, Theodore Herbener Sam Herbener. Herbert Ford Jr. William Johnson, Howard Davis, John Elder. Dennis Pritchard, Julian Pritchard Durwood and Tracy Minor. A report of the receivers of the Hopewell Bank and Trust Company was filed Saturday morning with Clerk of Courts G. C. Alderson. after being presented to Judge Thomas B. Robertson of the Corporation Court of this city. The report covers ten typewritten pages and is signed by Thomas J. Blankenship and Archer Jones as receivers, dated as of October 29. 1931. Ladies' Aid to Meet. The Aid Society of the Christian Church will meet at the home of the the Rev T. 313 North Eighth nue, Thursday night at 7:30 o'clock A letter from the State Commissioner of Insurance and Banking M. addressed to the board of SPITZER'S NOTED SERVICE directors of the dated August is included in exhibit as lows: study of our representatives' Is Based on Efficiency report of their recent examination of teous Attention and Modern your institution shows it to be in an Dependable Cleaning Methods unsatisfactory and dangerously extended On date of examination you showed borrowed DRESSES, Also Coats and Suits money of $245,000. and your account with the Richmond Trust Company MEN'S SUITS, Also Overcoats was overdrawn $151,515.42 We are at loss to understand how you can expect Quality Cleaning at Cash-and-Carry Prices your bank to succeed unless you adopt more plan in the future This followed by To Address Club. list of losses and doubtful assets of Honorable Carter W. Wormeley of the institution aggregating 50 Quality Richmond will address the members Exhibit B letter from Mr. of the Club of Hopewell at Cleaning Bristow. dated June in which he Spitzer meeting be held Wednesday aft- Dyeing goes into detail. regarding losses ernoon at 3:30 in the library of the At Our accounts and doubtful accounts ExHopewell Club in City Point. Main hibit C is letter to Mr. Bristow from Plant Roger E Brooks. president the To Give "Whoopee" Party. bank, in regard to some of the ac- 1008 N. Boulevard or Branches- Dial 5-1721 The members of the Chamber of Commerce will give "whoopee" party statement which is made in the report follows is absolutely impossible at this time to formulate. with any degree of accuracy. an estimate of the amount which this bank will pay its depositers This condition REPEATED BY exists for many reasons, principal among which may be mentioned the following the fact that large amounts of the bank's money was loaned on second deeds of and in other instances with little. any, security being to be given therefor: PUBLIC DEMAND large loans made corporations without requiring the indorsement of the officers and directors of the corporations: pledging and assigning its best assets to other banks pledging its assets to secure individual deposits from all loss: failing to heed Featuring the Best Clothing the advice and direction the State banking making large and excessive loans to its and Buy in the City of Richmond creating tremendous overhead which was increased as the financial of the bank became weaker and weaker To Conduct Service. Your SUITS In the absence of the pastor the Rev Alfred B. Clarke who attendChoice ing the Methodist Conference in Lynchburg, the laymen and choir of Trinity Methodist Church will have of charge of the morning service, at T'COATS o'clock with James E. MalAny presiding There will be no services but the young people will meet at with Miss Garment Annie as leader. Parachute Jumper Here Floyd parachute jumper of Buffalo, New York will be at the Hopewell Municipal Airport Sunday afternoon around o'clock and will make number of his daring jumps including 500-foot drop. He noted stunt flyer and will also give several exhibitions in stunt flying would probably have a statement lat- In charge of Service The people the Hopewell Methodist Church will have charge The grand jury's report charged of the evening service in the absence the banking laws were disregarded of the the H. Lanthe supervision at least of the Central Bilt- drum. who is attending conference in Bank and Trust Company and Bank at suburb of Donald Dorey young attorney of The bank closed following the this city will address the meeting on failure of the Central Bank Influence On World

5. July 20, 1932 The Roanoke Times Roanoke, VA

Article Text

BANK RECEIVERS SUE Hopewell, July 19 (P).-Suits have been entered here by the receivers of Hopewell Bank and Trust Company against the American Bank and Trust Company of Richmond and jointly against the Richmond Trust Company and the American Bank and Trust Company for the recovery of securities of the face value of more than $500.000

6. January 16, 1934 The Richmond News Leader Richmond, VA

Article Text

RECEIVERSHIP PROBE SOUGHT George M. Cease Calls Attention of Judge Robertson to "Rumors." FULL INFORMATION ASKS Court Will Order Investigation Petition Is Filed in Case. An investigation into the receiverthe Hopewell Bank and Trust ship of be ordered by Judge Company Robertson. of the HopeThomas well court. petition is filed with him, making the request learned today. was promise was Judge George M. Cease, of Richmade to letter mond, response called attention to "ugly which have heard in circularumors that relative to the disposition of the tion money that has passed through the of the receivers to this date hands connection with the Mr. Cease wrote Judge Robertson under date of Jan. 11 stockholder in corporation who the time of the bank's closing holder of their certified checks for substantial amount." In his letter said that others affected entitled full information the present status of the conditions" of the bank. investigation of importance at this time in view the contest over the judgeship of the Hopewell corporation court, Mr. Cease holds. Archer Jones, wealth's who has been indorsed by the Hopewell bar for Judge one two receivers the closed bank. Mr. Cease in letter that full and should be before the general assembly takes any an election judge for the Hopewell court. Insists on Report. the only names before the legislature for this high Continued on Page Column

7. December 22, 1934 The Portsmouth Star Portsmouth, VA

Article Text

Seeks To Oust Bank Receivers Dec. The affairs the defunct Hopewell Bank and Trust Company further litigation Charles Akers. chairman of positors' have named hearings on petition to the and their counsel filed two petitions in Circuit Court asking and ultimate moval receivers, and the other protesting payment of an auditor's Th second petition was argued before Judge Wilson action grounds insufficient The petition regarding the receivers still and no date has yet been pending for the hearing of evidence. In the action the audit Akers asked that Lee Rawlings and Company. Norfolk auditors, be nied their fee on the grounds that they asked tion for described inadeand deliberately misleading Regarding the conduct of the ceivership charges that of the bank, conducted by Archer Jones and Thomas Blankenship. the receivers David Harrison. their leged have been grossly The audit reveals the petitioner chain lictions of duty and gross neglect

8. December 22, 1934 The Roanoke Times Roanoke, VA

Article Text

REMOVAL OF BANK RECEIVERS ASKED Depositors' Committee Charges Affairs "Grossly Misconducted" Hopewell, Dec. 21 (AP).—Suspension and ultimate removal of receivers for the Hopewell Bank & Trust Company, defunct for the last three years, and their counsel, was asked of Circuit Judge R. T. Wilson here today by the depositors' protective committee which charged in two petitions that receivers and "their alleged counsel have grossly misconducted" the interests of the bank and have paid an excessive fee for what was described as an inadequate and deliberately misleading audit. Charles Akers, chairman of the depositors' committee, argued briefly against full payment of A. Lee Rawlings and Company, Norfolk auditing firm, but no date has been set for hearing on the petition asking suspension of receivers and counsel. Charge Gross Neglect "Your petitioner, while neither a lawyer nor an auditor, believes the audit plainly discloses facts which are apparent to any layman, that the affairs of the bank as conducted by Archer L. Jones and Thomas J. Blankenship, the receivers, both of whom are lawyers and under the direction of another lawyer, namely David A. Harrison, Jr., their alleged counsel, have been grossly misconducted and the audit bespeaks a chain of derelictions of duty and of gross neglect which if properly administered would have inured to the great benefit of the depositors who have patiently waited more than three years for the facts with hopes of some return," the petition said in part. Assets of the bank have decreased by $508,187.15 but no dividends have been paid, the petitions set forth, asserting in detail that Dr. D. Lane Elder, mayor of Hopewell; the two receivers and their counsel and several other well-known Hopewell people had been paid money out of bank assets while they had not been required to pay their direct and indirect obligations to the institution which was closed on order of the state corporation commission, a party to the present actions.

9. December 23, 1934 The News and Advance Lynchburg, VA

Article Text

Opposes Hopewell Bank Receivers Chairman Of Depositors' Committee Asks Court To Order Their Removal Hopewell, Dec. 22 (AP)-The affairs of the defunct Hopewell Bank and Trust Company were in further litigation today as Charles Akers, chairman of depositors' committee. sought to have a date named for hearings on a petition to oust the receivers and their counsel. Akers filed two petitions in circuit court here yesterday, one asking suspension and ultimate removal of the receivers, and the other protesting payment of an auditor's bill. The second petition was argued before Judge R. T. Wilson who dismissed fne action on grounds of insufficient evidence. The petition regarding the receivers is still pending and no date has yet been set for the hearing of evidence. In the action on the audit Akers asked that A. Lee Rawlings and Company, Norfolk auditors, be denied their fee on the grounds that they asked an excessive compensation for an audit described as inadequate and deliberately misleading. Regarding the conduct of the receivership Akers charges that "the affairs of the bank. as conducted by Archer L. Jones and Thomas J. Blankenship. the receivers and David A. Harrison Jr. their alleged counse!. have been grossly misconducted." The audit reveals, the petitioner said, "a chain of derelictions of duty and gross neglect age, and 10 to 12 from the juvenile home at Toledo. Dr. Mae Habenicht. superintendent of the state child welfare bureau said the adopters insist they receive the babies by Christmas. When greeting friends. native Indian women of Bolívia lift their hats.