George M. La Monte
Encyclopedia
George Mason La Monte was an American
businessman, philanthropist, and Democratic
politician. He was the Democratic nominee for United States Senate
in New Jersey
in 1918 and served as Chairman of the Board of the Prudential Insurance Company
.
, the son of George T. La Monte and Rebecca Kern. His family later settled in Bound Brook, New Jersey
, where he lived until his death. He studied at Columbia University
for a year before entering Wesleyan University
, where he graduated in 1884. After working as a commercial reporter for the Bradstreet
company, he trained at the paper company of Augustine Smith & Co. for several years.
La Monte then joined his father in the formation of a company to manufacture safety paper
used as an anti-fraud measure in the printing of checks and money orders. The company, George La Monte & Son, had its main office in New York City
and its manufacturing plant in Nutley, New Jersey
. La Monte was president of the company for thirty-one years.
. He was a delegate to the 1912 Democratic National Convention
and a presidential elector for Woodrow Wilson
. From 1912 to 1916 he was the New Jersey State Commissioner of Banking and Insurance.
In 1918 he was the Democratic candidate for the open seat in the United States Senate
left vacant after the death of William Hughes. (David Baird
was elected to fill the remainder of Hughes' term but did not stand for reelection.) Though La Monte did not campaign actively for his candidacy, President Wilson wrote a public letter warmly endorsing him. In the general election, La Monte was defeated by Walter Evans Edge
, then serving as Governor
.
, he was elected Chairman of the Board in 1925, serving in that position until his death.
La Monte lived for many years at the Piedmont Farm in Bound Brook, where he maintained a prized herd of Guernsey cows. He married Anna I. Vaill in 1887, and they had three children: George V. La Monte (vice president of his father's firm), Archibald D. La Monte, and Isabel La Monte (who married Edmond B. Hackett).
In 1927 La Monte died of heart disease at the Weylin Hotel
in New York City. He was 64 years old.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman, philanthropist, and Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician. He was the Democratic nominee for United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in 1918 and served as Chairman of the Board of the Prudential Insurance Company
Prudential Financial
The Prudential Insurance Company of America , also known as Prudential Financial, Inc., is a Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 500 company whose subsidiaries provide insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both retail and institutional customers throughout the...
.
Early life and business career
La Monte was born in 1863 in Danville, VirginiaDanville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
, the son of George T. La Monte and Rebecca Kern. His family later settled in Bound Brook, New Jersey
Bound Brook, New Jersey
Bound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. At the United States 2010 Census, the population was 10,402.Bound Brook was originally incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 24, 1869, within portions of Bridgewater Township...
, where he lived until his death. He studied at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
for a year before entering Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
, where he graduated in 1884. After working as a commercial reporter for the Bradstreet
Dun & Bradstreet
Dun & Bradstreet is a Fortune 500 public company headquartered in Short Hills, New Jersey, USA that provides information on businesses and corporations for use in credit decisions, B2B marketing and supply chain management...
company, he trained at the paper company of Augustine Smith & Co. for several years.
La Monte then joined his father in the formation of a company to manufacture safety paper
Security paper
Security paper is paper which incorporates features which can act to identify or authenticate a document as original or features which demonstrate tamper evidence when fraud is attempted, e.g., to remove or alter print such as amounts or signatures on a cheque...
used as an anti-fraud measure in the printing of checks and money orders. The company, George La Monte & Son, had its main office in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and its manufacturing plant in Nutley, New Jersey
Nutley, New Jersey
2010 Census Data:*TOTAL: 28,370 or 100%*White: 23,405 *African American: 628 *Asian: 2,824 *American Indian and Alaska Native: 36 *Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 4...
. La Monte was president of the company for thirty-one years.
Political career
In 1911 La Monte served a term in the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. He was a delegate to the 1912 Democratic National Convention
1912 Democratic National Convention
The 1912 Democratic National Convention was held at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore from June 25 to July 2, 1912. It proved to be one of the more memorable United States presidential conventions of the twentieth century. The main candidates were House Speaker Champ Clark of Missouri and...
and a presidential elector for Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
. From 1912 to 1916 he was the New Jersey State Commissioner of Banking and Insurance.
In 1918 he was the Democratic candidate for the open seat in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
left vacant after the death of William Hughes. (David Baird
David Baird (New Jersey)
David Baird, Sr. was a U.S. Senator from New Jersey.-Biography:A Scots-Irishman born in County Londonderry, Ireland, Baird immigrated to the United States in 1856 and entered the lumber business in Port Deposit, Maryland. He moved in 1860 to Camden, New Jersey, where he continued in the lumber...
was elected to fill the remainder of Hughes' term but did not stand for reelection.) Though La Monte did not campaign actively for his candidacy, President Wilson wrote a public letter warmly endorsing him. In the general election, La Monte was defeated by Walter Evans Edge
Walter Evans Edge
Walter Evans Edge was an American politician. A Republican, he was twice the Governor of New Jersey, from 1917 to 1919 and again from 1944 to 1947, serving as governor during both World War I and World War II...
, then serving as Governor
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
.
Later life
After the election La Monte returned to his business and philanthropic interests. He served as President of the First National Bank of Bound Brook and was a major contributor to Bound Brook civic institutions. After several years on the Board of Directors of the Prudential Insurance CompanyPrudential Financial
The Prudential Insurance Company of America , also known as Prudential Financial, Inc., is a Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 500 company whose subsidiaries provide insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both retail and institutional customers throughout the...
, he was elected Chairman of the Board in 1925, serving in that position until his death.
La Monte lived for many years at the Piedmont Farm in Bound Brook, where he maintained a prized herd of Guernsey cows. He married Anna I. Vaill in 1887, and they had three children: George V. La Monte (vice president of his father's firm), Archibald D. La Monte, and Isabel La Monte (who married Edmond B. Hackett).
In 1927 La Monte died of heart disease at the Weylin Hotel
Weylin Hotel
The Weylin Hotel was located at 527 - 531 Madison Avenue and 40 - 54 East 54th Street in New York City. It was situated on the southeast corner of 54th Street. The structure was sixteen stories tall and opened in March 1921. The building fronted sixty-one feet on Madison Avenue and one hundred...
in New York City. He was 64 years old.
External links
- Biographical information for George M. La Monte from The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...