Melvin Alvah Traylor (October 19, 1878 in
Breeding, Kentucky – February 14, 1934 in
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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), the eldest of seven children of James Milton Traylor and Kitty Frances Traylor née Harvey. He was an American
lawyer and
banker
A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets.
Becaus ...
.
He was
admitted to the bar
An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...
in
Hillsboro, Texas
Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Hill County, Texas, United States. The population was 8,221 at the 2020 census.
History
Hillsboro was named for Hill County.
At one point during Bonnie and Clyde's robberies in Hillsboro, they ...
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
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and became president of the
American Bankers Association
The American Bankers Association (ABA) is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association for the U.S. banking industry, founded in 1875. They lobby for banks of all sizes and charters, including community banks, regional and money center banks, sav ...
in 1926 and later the first president of the
First Union Trust and Savings Bank in 1928 which would go on to become
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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's largest bank under his leadership in 1931. He was a strong proponent of a
world bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Inte ...
and was a part of the American delegation to the conference that set up the
Bank of International Settlements
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is an international financial institution owned by central banks that "fosters international monetary and financial cooperation and serves as a bank for central banks".
The BIS carries out its work th ...
.
He spoke out on the financial causes of the
Great Depression and gained national attention, appearing on the cover of
Time Magazine
''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Ma ...
on November 21, 1932. He was considered a possible
Democratic candidate for
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
in
1932
Events January
* January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel.
* January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort to assassinate Emperor Hiro ...
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 is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...
on February 14, 1934 in Chicago, Cook Co. Illinois.
Notes
Sources
TSHA Online – Texas State Historical Association – Homeat www.tshaonline.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Traylor, Melvin Alvah
1878 births
1934 deaths
Candidates in the 1932 United States presidential election
20th-century American politicians
People from Adair County, Kentucky
Deaths from pneumonia in Illinois