Guide to Federal Records

Records of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency


(Record Group 101)
1863-1995 (Bulk 1863-1981)

Overview of Records Locations

Table of Contents

  • 101.1 Administrative History
  • 101.2 Records of the Organization Division 1863-1981
  • 101.3 Records of the Division of Issue 1863-1935
  • 101.4 Records of the Examining Division (Division of Reports) 1863-1927
  • 101.5 Records of the Division of Insolvent National Banks 1865-1950
    • 101.5.1 General records
    • 101.5.2 Records of the Special Liquidator of Securities
    • 101.5.3 Records of the Finance and Audit Section
    • 101.5.4 Records of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company
  • 101.6 Records of the Federal Reserve Issue and Redemption Division 1914-44
  • 101.7 Records of the Personnel and Administrative Division 1909-60
  • 101.8 Records of District Offices 1920-62
    • 101.8.1 Records of the Midwestern District
  • 101.9 Textual Records (General) 1985-95

101.1 Administrative History

Established: In the Department of the Treasury by an act of February 25, 1863 (12 Stat. 665).

Functions: Administers the national banking system.

Related Records:
Record copies of publications of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government.
Records of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, RG 34.
Records of the Treasurer of the United States, RG 50.
General Records of the Department of the Treasury, RG 56.
Records of the Federal Reserve System, RG 82.
Records of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, RG 318.

Top of Page

101.2 Records of the Organization Division
1863-1981

Textual Records: Case files (638 ft.) relating to organization and voluntary liquidation of closed national banks, 1863-1967; closed District of Columbia nonnational banks, savings institutions, and building and loan associations, 1909-67; and National Agricultural Credit Corporations, 1925-38. Records relating to the banking emergency of 1933 and the issue of licenses to national banks, nonfederal credit unions in the District, and other banking institutions to reopen after the "bank holiday," 1933-47. Incomplete applications for authority to organize national banks, 1872-1903. Correspondence with and about state and private banks seeking national bank status, 1904-10; banks in foreign countries, 1903-10; and banks in U.S. insular possessions, 1902-8. Correspondence with national banks concerning establishment of branch banks, 1923-24. Merger, charter, consolidation, and other types of certificate, 1863-1981, with microfilm copies (5 rolls). Various types of authorization, 1863-1981, with microfilm copies (13 rolls).

Finding Aids: Lyle J. Holverstott, comp., "Preliminary Checklist of the Records of the Organization Division," PC 46-28 (Feb. 1946).

Top of Page

101.3 Records of the Division of Issue
1863-1935

Textual Records: Ledgers of national banknote circulation (currency and bond ledgers), 1863-1935. Records received from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, consisting of ledgers of national banknotes issued to national banks, 1863-87; and registers of Treasury numbers on national bank currency, 1864-1912. Journal of gold note circulation, 1871-84.

Top of Page

101.4 Records of the Examining Division (Division of Reports)
1863-1927

Textual Records: Bank examiners' reports and correspondence relating to national banks and other banking institutions, 1863-1913 and 1914-17. Field reports of Bank Examiner John B. Cunningham for national banks located in KS, MO, NE, and the Indian Territory, 1898-99 (in Kansas City). Correspondence with government and other officials, 1863-1926. Reports and correspondence concerning examination of nonnational banks, trust companies, and building and loan associations in the District of Columbia, 1874-1914. Reports of examining committees, 1912-13. Miscellaneous correspondence, 1864-1927.

Finding Aids: Maxcy R. Dickson and J. Eric Maddox, comps., "Preliminary Checklist of the Records of the Division of Reports," PC 46-51 (June 1946).

Top of Page

101.5 Records of the Division of Insolvent National Banks
1865-1950

Finding Aids: Lyle J. Holverstott, Maxcy R. Dickson, and J. Eric Maddox, comps. "Preliminary Checklist of Records of the Division of Insolvent National Banks of the Bureau of the Comptroller of the Currency, 1865-1945," PC 45 (June 1946).

Top of Page

101.5.1 General records

Textual Records: Comptroller's correspondence with national bank receivers and others concerning administration of receiverships, 1865-1950. Receivership records sent to the Comptroller, 1865- 1927. Conservator Division correspondence file, 1933-35. General correspondence about receiverships numbering from 577, with an index, 1913-48. Receivers' first, quarterly, and final reports, 1913-50. Dividend schedules, 1893-1950. Statements of disbursing accounts, 1879-1920. Comptroller's letters and telegrams to receivers and government officials regarding the liquidation of insolvent banks, 1872-1934. Records relating to the administration of the Guardian National Bank of Commerce (Detroit, MI) and the First National Bank of Detroit, 1933-46.

Finding Aids: John E. Maddox, comp., "Preliminary Checklist of the Records of the Division of Insolvent National Banks Relating to the Receivership of the First National Bank-Detroit, Detroit Michigan, 1933-46," PC 48-1 (Oct. 1947).

Top of Page

101.5.2 Records of the Special Liquidator of Securities

Textual Records: Correspondence of the Special Liquidator of Securities relating to open accounts, 1933-39; with bank receivers, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Comptroller of the Currency, and brokers, 1932-39; and with the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) and discontinued depositories, 1932-36. Brokers' sales tickets, 1932-39. Withdrawal authorities and withdrawal tickets, 1932-39. Vault vouchers, 1932-39. Brokers' sales analysis, 1932-36. Record books of securities received and delivered to the RFC, 1932-39.

Top of Page

101.5.3 Records of the Finance and Audit Section

Textual Records: Miscellaneous account books, 1868-1944.

Top of Page

101.5.4 Records of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company

Textual Records: Correspondence, 1870-1914. Minutes and Journals, 1865-74. Depositor signature books, n.d. Dividend payment record, 1882-89. Loan and real estate ledgers and journals, 1870-1916. Indexes to deposit ledgers, n.d. Miscellaneous finance and accounting records, 1870-1908.

Microfilm Publications: M816, M817, and M874.

Top of Page

101.6 Records of the Federal Reserve Issue and Redemption Division
1914-44

Textual Records: Correspondence, 1914-43. Daily issue reports, Federal Reserve Notes, 1914-44, and Federal Reserve Currency, 1915-43. Vault balances, Federal Reserve Currency, 1915-23. Destruction schedules documenting issue and redemption of Federal Reserve Notes, 1916-22.

Finding Aids: Henryetta Berry, comp., "Preliminary Checklist of the Records of the Federal Reserve Issue and Redemption Division," PC 649-13 (1948).

Top of Page

101.7 Records of the Personnel and Administrative Division
1909-60

Textual Records: Correspondence relating to bank examiner appointments, 1909-60.

Top of Page

101.8 Records of District Offices
1920-62

History: The six Regional Comptrollers of the Currency were established under the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in the Department of the Treasury by 12 Stat. 665 on February 25, 1863, to assist in administering the national banking system. The regional OCC's oversee the annual examination of national banks through a staff of bank examiners. These examinations are used by the OCC in assessing the financial condition, management quality, soundness of daily operations, and compliance with Federal banking laws, rules, and regulations by the national banks.

Top of Page

101.8.1 Records of the Midwestern District

History: The Midwestern District Office is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and is responsible for banks headquartered in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Textual Records: Correspondence of the Chief National Bank Examiner, 10th Federal Reserve District, 1920-62. Abstracts summarizing the condition of national banks in the Midwestern district as determined during examination by national bank examiners, 1920-35. Bank examiners' reports, 1920-50.

Top of Page

101.9 Textual Records (General)
1985-95

Training and performance development files, 1985-95.


Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

Ordering information

This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.


Top of Page

Guide to Federal Records >

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272