Bank notes from J. D. Hamlin's Banking House, 1862

From Orrin E. Dunlap article "Niagara's Banks": "In the early [1860s], John D. Hamlin, a brother of George and Samuel Hamlin, had a banking house in the village of Niagara Falls. In the days of the Civil War, people found it very difficult to make change, and it was at that time that T.G. Hulett came to the rescue. He was superintendent of the Niagara Falls Gas Company, and he issued $1,400 worth of checks in denominations of 5,10,15, 20, 25, 50, and 75 cents. These bore the date of July 1st 1862. Each one bore teh signature of Mr. Hulett. There were two issues. THe first had the denomination in red figures, the second in green. Some have an engraving of a blacksmith in the left, others a woman carrying heaves of wheat, some the head and shoulders of Washington, a woman feeding a horse, etc. A different engraving appears to have been selected for each denomination. The wording on the checks was as follows: "J.D. Hamlin's banking house, pay the bearer Ten Cents in current bank notes, whhen presented in Sum of One or more Dollars". All but $150 worth of these checks were redeemed, and the amount not presented for redemption served to meet the expense of the issues. The conditions in war time resulted in a lot of worthless checks of this nature being floated, and under date of November 21, 1862, a hand bill was issued...stating they would only accept checks or 'shinplasters' issued byt eh City of troy, City of Albany, City of Rochester, Monroe County, or by T.G. Hulett on J.D. Hamlin's bank, Niagara Falls. It is thus evident that Judge Huelett's checks answered for both of the former villages..."