Melvin Alvah Traylor
Encyclopedia
Melvin Alvah Traylor the eldest of seven children of James Milton Traylor and Kitty Frances Traylor née Harvey. He was an American
lawyer
and banker.
He was admitted to the bar in Hillsboro, Texas
in 1901 and entered banking in 1908 when he became vice president of the Citizens National Bank of Ballinger, the bank merged with the Ballinger First National Bank in 1909 and Traylor became its president. He went on to oversee several banks around the United States
and became president of the American Bankers Association
in 1926 and later the first president of the First Union Trust and Savings Bank in 1928 which would go on to become Chicago
's largest bank under his leadership in 1931. He was a strong proponent of a world bank
and was a part of the American delegation to the conference that set up the Bank of International Settlements.
He spoke out on the financial causes of the Great Depression
and gained national attention, appearing on the cover of Time Magazine on November 21, 1932. He was considered a possible Democratic candidate for president
in 1932 but he did not pursue this candidacy, though he received approximately 40 votes on each of the first three ballots at the convention.
He served as president of the American Bankers' Association, president of the Shedd Aquarium Society, and trustee of the Newberry Library, Northwestern University, and of Berea College.
He married Dorthy Arnold Yerby 8 June 1906 and they were parents of Melvin Alvah Traylor, Jr. and Nancy Frances Traylor.
He died after a long battle with pneumonia
on February 14, 1934 in Chicago, Cook Co. Illinois.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and banker.
He was admitted to the bar in Hillsboro, Texas
Hillsboro, Texas
Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Hill County in Central Texas. The population was 8,232 at the 2000 census.Hillsboro, located on Interstate 35 where I-35E and I-35W meet south of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, is the primary center for trade and commerce in Hill County...
in 1901 and entered banking in 1908 when he became vice president of the Citizens National Bank of Ballinger, the bank merged with the Ballinger First National Bank in 1909 and Traylor became its president. He went on to oversee several banks around the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and became president of the American Bankers Association
American Bankers Association
The American Bankers Association is an industry trade group and professional association representing the United States' banking industry...
in 1926 and later the first president of the First Union Trust and Savings Bank in 1928 which would go on to become Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's largest bank under his leadership in 1931. He was a strong proponent of a world bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and was a part of the American delegation to the conference that set up the Bank of International Settlements.
He spoke out on the financial causes of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and gained national attention, appearing on the cover of Time Magazine on November 21, 1932. He was considered a possible Democratic candidate for president
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in 1932 but he did not pursue this candidacy, though he received approximately 40 votes on each of the first three ballots at the convention.
He served as president of the American Bankers' Association, president of the Shedd Aquarium Society, and trustee of the Newberry Library, Northwestern University, and of Berea College.
He married Dorthy Arnold Yerby 8 June 1906 and they were parents of Melvin Alvah Traylor, Jr. and Nancy Frances Traylor.
He died after a long battle with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
on February 14, 1934 in Chicago, Cook Co. Illinois.
Source
- TSHA Online - Texas State Historical Association - Home at www.tshaonline.org