Melvin Alvah Traylor (October 19, 1878 in Breeding, Kentucky – February 14, 1934 in

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

), 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 ...

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 , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

'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

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. He spoke out on the financial causes of the Great Depression and gained national attention, appearing on the cover of

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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 ...

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 – Home
at 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