APALACHICOLA

Cottonton, first settled in 1821 around the mouth of the Apalachicola River. had grown into a customs port by 1824 with Charles Jenkins as customs collector. In 1827, the town was incorporated as West Point, and received its present-day name of Apalachicola in 1831 by an by an Act of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida. It became the county seat of Franklin County in 1832.

Before the development of railways in the Gulf states, Apalachicola was the third busiest port in the Gulf of Mexico (behind New Orleans and Mobile). The navigable Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers helped to establish it as a major cotton center.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, the sponge trade, led by Greek immigrants, was a major industry in the town. Still the home port today for many seafood workers, it hosts the annual Florida Seafood Festival. More than 90% of Florida’s oyster production is harvested from its well-protected bay.

The Apalachicola post office opened February 7, 1829, with John F. Booth as Postmaster, and is still in operation today. This website’s chapter on Postal Covers, under the categories Stampless Covers and 1847 Issue Covers, has ma y Apalachicola covers with different types and colors (red, black, blue) handstamp postmarks.

Bank of West Florida, Appalachicola (two P's, written dates of 1832, RWH&C. N.Y.)

1832 $1 Thomas Bertram, cashier Martin Brooks, Pres.

1832 $3

1832 $5

1832 $10

1832 Uncut Sheet of Notes
($1, $3, $5, $10)

Bank of West Florida, Appalachicola (two P's, written dates of 1832, DUB&S)

1832 $10 Thomas Bertram, cashier Martin Brooks, pres.

1832 $20

$10 & $20 Proof uncut sheet

Bank of West Florida was approved by the Territorial Legislature over the veto of Governor Duval on Nov. 17, 1829. The bank opened in Marianna and approved a branch in Apalachicola in 1831. By 1837 the bank ceased operations and then was reorganized in 1838, but was completely gone by 1842.

Bank of West Florida, Apalachicola (one P, written dates of 1832, RWH&C. N.Y.)

1832 $1 J.C. Wiggins, cashier

1832 $2 Proof

1843 $2 (A plate) J.C. Wiggins, cash. Hosey Cotton pres.

1832 $2 (B plate)

1832 $3 Proof
Harley L. Freeman Collection

1841 $3

Only Uncut Sheet Known of $1,$2,$2,$3

Bank of West Florida, Apalachicola (one P, written dates of 1840 and 1843. RWH&C. N.Y.)

1843 $1

18__ $3

18__ $5

18__ $10

Commercial Bank of Florida, Apalachicola (written dates spanning 1833 to 1838. CT&CP)

18__ $1

18__ $1 Proof

18__ $2

18__ $2 Proof

18__ $3

18__ $3 Proof

1835 $4 M. Clarke, cashier J.C. Maclay, president

18__ $4 Harley L. Freeman Collection

18__ $4 Proof

1835 $5 M. Clarke, cashier J.C. Maclay pres.

18__ $5

18__ $5 Proof

1838 $10

1838 $20

18__ $20 Proof

Uncut sheet of 18__ $2, $2, $3, $4

Uncut Note Sheet 18__
$10-10-10-20

Commercial Bank of Florida was approved by the Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida in 1833. Cashiers M. Clark and William Patrick and J.C. Maclay, president.

Commercial Bank of Florida, Apalachicola (written dates of 1837. DTL&CP. N.Y.)

1838 $5

1847 $5

18__ $10

1837 $10

18__ $20

Commercial Bank of Florida, Apalachicola (written date of May 9, 1838. RW&H. N.Y.)

Undated $5 Note with Authentic Signatures of William Patrick, Cashier and J.C. Maclay, President.
Held together by (3) Confederate 10 cent Stamps on the back.

1838 $5

1838 $10

18__ $20

Bank of St. Marys, Office At Savannah (engraved dates of Jan. 1, 1842 or Sept. 15, 1842. UBS&HP. and DU&C. N.Y.)

Notes engraved by Danforth, Underwood & Co. New York and Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Huffy, Phila. Ron Benice writes in his book: “John G. Winter was a prominent capitalist in Columbus, Georgia. He created the Bank of St. Marys as a vehicle for issuing change bills that would rarely be redeemed. Because such privately-issued bills were illegal in Georgia, they were printed as Apalachicola bills. To avoid having to redeem many of them, they were redeemable in Charleston or New York. After the Columbus newspaper complained, Mr. Winter replied that he would redeem them in Columbus “provided my teller is not annoyed by their presentment too often and in sums too small.” On April 23, 1852, with $350,000 outstanding, the bank suspended specie payments.” All notes are signed by John G. Winter, and were issued out of two offices, Savannah and Columbus Georgia.

1842 25 Cent Note Rare Proof

1842 25 Cent Note

January 1, 1842
.50 cent Note

1842 Uncut Sheet of .25 cent & .50 cent notes (B38 & B39)

1842 $1 Proof

1842 $1

1842 Uncut Sheet of (4) $1 notes (B40)

1842 $2

1842 $3

Bank of St. Marys, Office At Columbus (engraved dates of Jan. 1, 1843 or Sept. 15 1843. UBS&HP. and DU&C N.Y.)

1842 25 Cent Note

1843 25 Cent Note

1843 50 Cent Note

1842 50 Cent Note

1843 $2

1843 Rare Issued $2

1843 $3

Exchange & Banking Co., of Apalachicola (engraved date of Dec. 20, 1841. D&C. N.Y.)

1841 $2 Unique Fully Issued

1841 Uncut Sheet of $1, $1, $2, $3

Benice states “fictitious bank, presumably created to fill the void left by the failure of Apalachicola’s legal banks.” A number of remainder sheets turned up on this bank around 1992.

City Council of Apalachicola (written date of Dec. 8, 1840. RW&H. N.Y.)

1840 6 1/4 Cent Note

Issued most likely, due to a shortage of change in the town, notes signed by F. Ellis, treasurer.

Appalachicola Lands (existing notes undated. R&C)

Appalachicola Lands $3 note (one of only 3 known)

Stock certificate on the Apalachicola Lands Co. or the Forbes Co. Purchase.

Map of the Forbes Purchase.

Map of the Forbes Purchase from Florida State Photographic archives and “Florida Memory”

Eagle Manufacturing Co., Columbus, Apalachicola imprint (engraved date of May 5, 1852. D&BE. N.Y.)

1852 25 Cent Note

1852 50 Cent Note

1852 $1

Eagle Manufacturing Co. operated a water mill on the Chattahoochee River, the notes are signed by W.H. Young, president of the company.

Coweta Falls Manufacturing Co. Jan. 1, 1855

25 cent note. C49-B54 (Only one known) Jan 1855

50 Cent Note
Jan 1, 1855

The Georgia Legislature chartered Coweta Falls Manufacturing Co. in 1844, the notes were offered in Apalachicola, Florida to evade the proscription in Georgia against non-bank inssued currency.

City Of Columbus, Apalachicola, Fl. 1838-42 (undated, RW&H. N.Y.)

6 1/4 Cent Note

12 1/2 Cent Note

Partial 25 Cent Note and 50 Cent Notes

Rare Complete 25 Cent Note

These notes were issued during the “Hard Times” period between 1838 and 1842. In 1843, Mr. Howell advised “to retire his change bills from circulation, there now being a sufficient amount of specie”.

18__ $1

18__ Uncut Sheet of $1, $2, $3

The city of Columbus, Georgia issued notes for distribution in Apalachicola Florida however, there are no issued notes known. These notes were issued by John D. Howell, a drygoods merchant and cotton dealer between 1838 and 1842.

Henry McIlvain Type Set Script. Nov. 18, 1879

1879 10 Cent Note This is the only note known

Apalachicola Exchange For Notes 1850's

1857 Exchange for $8000

1852 Exchange for $2500

185_ Exchange for Proof

Jno. C. Ruse Oct. 1, 1861

Oct. 1, 1861 .50 Cent Note
Unlisted Unique Note

Florida scrip issued in Apalachicola by Mr. Ruse, Payable in either Brunswick by Mr. Ruse or at the Hall & Duck Store in Columbus, Georgia.

National Currency First National Bank of Apalachicola (6274) Third Charter

1902 $5 Red Seal 3rd Charter #S6274

1902 $10 Red Seal 3rd Charter #S6274

1902 $20 Red Seal 3rd Charter #S6274

The First National Bank of Apalachicola received its charter on May 26, 1902 and was liquidated on Feb. 15, 1911. F.B. Wakefield signed as cashier and J.N. Coombs as president. The above three red seal notes represent three of the four notes known on the bank. President Coombs was also president of the Coombs Co. a lumber business, as well as Coombs Inn and Suites.

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