Franklin Bank (Boston, MA)

Episode Information

Episode UID
7557262590457
Episode Type
Suspension โ†’ Closure
Bank Type
state
Bank ID
755726259 hash
Start Date
January 18, 1838
Location
Boston, Massachusetts (42.358, -71.060)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini (chosen from majority vote of a three-model LLM ensemble)
Short Digest
ea5b2b6c2a528933

Response Measures

None

Description

Contemporary reports state the Franklin failed on government drafts and was listed among failed/sued Boston banks.

Events (1)

1. January 18, 1838 Suspension
Cause
Government Action
Cause Details
Unable to meet government drafts/demands for funds; government drafts precipitated inability to pay and suspension.
Newspaper Excerpt
The failure of the Commonwealth Bank of Boston, has produced great excitement in that City... This is the second deposite bank which has failed in Boston, the Franklin having been one, and both have failed on government demands.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (4)

Article from Richmond Enquirer, January 18, 1838

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Article Text

BASKRUPTCT.-The failure of the Commonwealth Bank of Boston, has produced great excitement in that City, and several meetings were held among the officers of the Bank Association.-' The result of their canvassings was the striking the name of the Commonwealth Bank from the roll of the Association. The refusal to receive its bills on deposite seals the news of the failure, but the Boston Post expresses a belief that its bills will be ultimately redeemed. The failure was caused by Government drafts, which the Bank was unable to meet. This is the second deposite bank which has failed in Bos. ton, the Franklin having been one, and both have failed on government demands. The bills of nearly half the banks in that city were mutually refused on deposite during Friday, but the Board of Commissioners on Saturday published their intention, that the bills of the associated banke will henceforth bo received in good faith by the banks belonging to the association. The Commonwealth, Franklin, and Lafayette Banks do not belong to the association, and the Massachusetts Bank, which since its foundation. never suspended specie payments, has never joined it." A Correspondent of the National Intelligencer states, "that the Commonwealth Bank has a very large amount of bills in circulation. All the fishing bounties in this State have lately been paid out in their bills. Some few individuals owe them a large amount. John K. Simpson, in particular, owed them a very heavy sum, and his (recent) death has probably hastened their destruction. He was President of the Bank."


Article from The Madisonian, January 23, 1838

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Article Text

BANKS. There are many malicious reports constantly circulated in the northern cities, probably originating with the Loco-focos, in relation to Bank stoppages, in order to create a panic to the prejudice of those institutions, and to frighten the people into the support of Divorcing the Government from all intercourse with them. We shall announce all failures, and insolvences, as the news of them reaches us in authentic form. The notes of the "Middle Interest Bank," of Boston, it is stated, are refused at the Suffolk Bank. The "Patterson Bank," of New Jersey, has been declared, by a legislative report, insolvent, and has stopped. The Middlesex Bank East Cambridge, Mass., has stopped payment and closed its doors. We have seen the notes of the Franklin Bank, of Boston, in circulation. That bank failed some time since.


Article from Morning Herald, April 2, 1838

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Article Text

though the bank writer seems to be imprfectly acquainted with grammar. What was the design of the call on the part of the Senate, I have yet to learn, unless it was done to prejudice the minds of Congress against banks. Both houses have been exceedingly dull today. In one house, the Army Appropriation Bill, and in the HORACE. other, the Camberland Road. BOSTON, March 30, 1838. MR. BENNETT-We have little or no news in this region-still less business. Importing and jobbing, and, in fact, business of all kinds, seems to have paused in its operations. The banks are hauling in, and the merchants are obliged to pay the last dollar to cancel their liabilities. The associated banks here are determined to meet the Gothanites face to face; so that, whatever may be the determination on their part, they will agree upon, and act in concert. The managers of our banks have had some important private meetings, and from what can be learned out of doers, they intend to curtail and then resume, whether they have company or notin order, if possible, to re-establish the credit of the Boston banks. The Market Bank has published a statement, which is not very satisfactory to the public. That it is in difficulty, few question; and that it has been seriously run upon, is noterious. However, the report made by interested persons, is worth as much as any fairstory which was ever made by individuals who have property at stake. The banks here have fallen from an eminence which was once indeed a credit to Boston, but from which she will never recover. For instance, the exploded banks: American Bank will pay her bills in full. Commonwealth Bank (president deceased-cashier and some of the directors in pecuniary difficulties,) will pay about 40 per cent. Commercial Bank (president gone to Canada with $19,000 in gold,) will pay her bills probably in full. Their funds are loaned to a few individuals, which, if paid, will be favorable to the stockholders. Franklin Bank (president, cashier and directors, indicted, and are to he tried for mismanagement; president Dunham says he can't read or write so how,) will pay probably 15 cents. Fulton Bank (some of its officers are laboring under the pressure of the times.) will pay from 80 to 90 per cent. Kilby Bank (some of its officers have known what it is to be in hot water-funds of the institution distributed among the directors,) will pay not far from 90 cents. Lafayette Bank (the past and present presidents, with the directors, are indicted for mismanagement, and will have their trial in a few days one of their directors has just had his trial for stealing $10,000 of Lafayette bills, and has been acquitted; the bank has been miserably managed,) will pay possibly, 7 per cent. The banks to be wound up are the Washington Bank, Hancock Bank, and Oriental Bank; and many more, doubtless, will think it expedient to surrender, and die an honorable death rather than to linger on, and after all, be compelled to give up the ghost, in deep disgrace. Many failures have not taken place here within a short period, though in all probability they will occur in afew weeks to an alarming extent. Yet, indeed, the plan of mertgaging property is here all the go! The city clerk, with hisassistants, find but little leisure, while the lawyers are cudgelling their brains in devising howtheir clients can get out of a bad scrape, and not suspend payments. The mortgages of one large house which failed a short time since, covered one hundred and fifty pages. So, thus they contrive and plan. Many respectable houses, who are now in good standing, have get their stocks mortgaged The Misses Grimke are here and lecturing at the Odeon to crowded houses. Great anxiety is manifested to hear them. They are listened to with profound respect and attention. Abolition is making great headway in this State. I assure you, you might as well talk about putting spurs to the lightning, as even to (attempt to drive the thing faster, or to make Abolitionists more rapidly than they are ROW increasing in the East. The C. H. Lord prosper the cause of the just.


Article from The Rhode-Island Republican, May 16, 1838

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Article Text

$32,126,058 the Total, ova made to the House of dated 26th appears ber resentatives, By report March, it Repof these eighty-eight banks, forty-six ssthe entire ase them. That of enhad that, discharged twenty-eight others, balances due of the them. from e-1in twenty 88had that date been drawn the by the (abalances tire balances at owing remaining remaining for, eight, and m. half H million as appears by a report to the 29th March,) were arfor the public made bout available service, considered and subnject to draft." '8The following banks have availed themhe selves of the act of the 12th of October last, d by giving bond with the requisite security ay $24,870 Buffalo, N. Y. Commercial Bank, to 781,316 Natchez, Miss. Agricultural Bank, Union Bank, 87,519 Nashville, Tenn. e 529,820 Louisvilla, Ky. Bank of Kentucky, 12,935 Bank of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio, 489,039 Detroit, Miche Bank of Michigan, of The following have claimed the benefit of the act of the 12th of October, " and bonds have been sent to them, which are, it is supposed, in the process of execution." $853,891 Branch Bank of Ala. Mobile, Ala. 864,409 Natchez, Miss. Planters' Bank, 10,304 Planters' Bank, Nashville, Ten. Franklin Bank, Cincinnati, Ohio, 328,924 377,762 Indiana, State Bank of Ind. 243,930 Farmers' & Mee. Bank, Detroit, Mich. The following banks have been sued: $39,636 Boston, Commonwealth Bank, do. Franklin Bank, 16,800 the same the several of the banks still " lil that, In report, Secretary held balan. states credit of officers," were in the course of paid out time to time, as which ces from at the disbursing needed." being is the history of the much abused banks. Of which held at the deposite This they period thirty-two of suspension, millions about them about a been twenty-seven by millions four have and already of half beand in the progress secured under the act Conand about fifty doling millions already gress, amply only thousand $16,800 of in suit. Of this sum, bank selected in 1836, under stances as elicited in in lars a placed lately the investiga- circumtions Boston, of not a very reputable and the entire to have been character, other at appears balance placed due there from 1st of October last, as at reported the bank to overto the amount of since the the Secretary the $2,600 therefore, that be date if shall be ultimately these common justice drawn of any thing banks, lost could by either hardly it to defect in the system. it is shown by the of e the own report, all Thus, attribute Treasury's that Secretary after the which has been not one will be lost by the banks, by the last mentioned dollar outery -Madisonian. made, unless inserted the above at the request of respected subscriber, we Having highly which would apoffer a few comments upon it, in pi pear to us necessary to place the subject in M its true position. [E: The above statement has reference solely to the liquidation of the debts due to the Government by the late Deposite Banks, and we are happy to perceive that a sum is considered liable to be ullost. That this is timately 60 small favorable eareful result manner mainly owing to the in which the government funds have been withdrawn from some of the Banks, and We time allowed to others in which to pay, we presume will not be denied. But the attempt to draw from the circumstances of cop the ultimate liquidation of all the governriot in the banks, an argument renewal of the ment in favor deposites of a connection beand them and the government, does not iss the at issue peoap tween meet question before the they The plain facts of the case, as par to us, are these-the ticl appear ple. government its equivadeposited in the bank specie or not lent, with the express stipulation of its repayment, when called for, in the same medium.-The banks suspended specie payments, and refused to pay the government er and other creditors, in any thing but irreto deemablepaper.-The governmentis bound the laws to offer nothing in payment to its but specie or its by creditors equivalent, banks, was and by this act of its agents, the tion thus rendered almost totally unable to comcon the ply with the requisitions of the laws; but drafts were as usual given on many of the full deposite banks, and the government creditor had the option of receiving depreciated bank paper in payment, or of protesting tha is draft, and waiting an uncertain period to his dues from the government, Most of these obtain legal currency. creditors in the preferred the first course, and in this way Me many of the deposite banks paid all their Ne debts to the government, while others have been unable even so to pay, and, on the the recommendation of the President, have been allowed several months to meet the demands ped of the Government upon them. We have thus briefly stated the facts, and So it remains for the people to decide if a syscou tem, which has brought discredit and emparrassment on the Government, and loss Ch the public creditor, is worthy of renewal fort even if no loss is ultimately sustained by the Government from its connection with tain he banks. the the the A water spout passed over Sullivan's