John C. Traphagen
John C. Traphagen | |
|---|---|
| President of the Bank of New York | |
| In office 1931–1948 | |
| Preceded by | Edwin G. Merrill |
| Succeeded by | Albert C. Simmonds Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Conselyea Traphagen October 20, 1889 Nyack, New York |
| Died | October 2, 1979 (aged 89) Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Spouse |
Janet Voorhis
(m. 1920; died 1975) |
| Relations | Henry Traphagen (uncle) |
| Children | Hugh Maxwell Traphagen |
| Parent(s) | William C. Traphagen Caroline Ross Maxwell |
| Alma mater | New York University |
John Conselyea Traphagen (October 20, 1889 – October 2, 1979) was an American banker.
Early life
[edit]Traphagen was born in Nyack, New York on October 20, 1889 into a family long associated with politics and business. He was a son of Caroline Ross (née Maxwell) Traphagen (1853–1936) and William Conselyea Traphagen (1837–1894). Among his siblings were Eleanor Van Vorst Traphagen (wife of William Bisland Williams Jr.), Ethel Traphagen (founder of the Traphagen School of Fashion and wife of artist William Robinson Leigh), and Maxwell Eustace Traphagen (who married Sarah Neilson Stearns). His father was an attorney who was elected a member of the New York State Senate representing the 10th District, New York City.[1]
His paternal grandparents were Henry Mackaness Traphagen and Sarah (née Conselyea) Traphagen.[2] His father and uncle Henry Traphagen, the 19th Mayor of Jersey City, were great-grandsons of former Jersey City mayor Cornelius Van Vorst. His maternal grandparents were Caroline Ely (née Milligan) Maxwell and Minister John Stevenson Maxwell (son of Hugh Maxwell, the New York County District Attorney and Collector of the Port of New York under Presidents Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore).[3]
He attended New York University School of Commerce. Hе was awarded an LL.D. degree from St. Lawrence University in 1934.[4]
Career
[edit]In 1905, he began his career with George C. White Jr. & Company, who were dealers in bonds. He served as vice president, and director, of the Seaboard National Bank and, successively by mergers, he became vice president of the Equitable Trust Company and vice president and director of the Chase National Bank.[4]
In 1931 during the Great Depression, Traphagen became president of the Bank of New York, and successfully guided the institution through it with significantly increased deposits. He grew the bank's trust and investment department. Upon the election of Albert C. Simmonds Jr. as president in 1948,[5] he became chairman of the bank, serving until his retirement in 1957.[6][7] He was a director of the bank from 1931 until 1971.[4]
Traphagen served as a director or trustee of many firms, including the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Company, the Prudential Insurance Company of Great Britain, the Skandia Insurance Company, Babcock & Wilcox, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the International Nickel Company of Canada.[4]
Personal life
[edit]In 1920, Traphagen was married to Janet Voorhis (1892–1975), a daughter of Margaret (née McAdam) Voorhis and Augustus Marvin Voorhis, a president of the Nyack National Bank. Her grandfather, William Voorhis, was a member of the New York State Assembly for Rockland County and served as Commodore of the Atlantic Yacht Club. Together, they were the parents of:[8]
- Hugh Maxwell Traphagen (1927–2010), who worked for Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory.[9][10]
He was a member of the Holland Society of New York, Pilgrims Society, Saint Andrew's Society of the State of New York and the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York. His was also a member of the Century Association, India House, Links Club, Union Club of the City of New York, American Yacht Club and the Rombout Hunt of Dutchess County.[4]
Traphagen died at St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut on October 2, 1979.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ Miller, Tom (27 March 2021). "Daytonian in Manhattan: The 1873 William C. Traphagen House - 14 East 63rd Street". daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com. Daytonian in Manhattan. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ Virkus, Frederick Adams; Marquis, Albert Nelson (1930). The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy: First Families of America. A.N. Marquis. p. 342. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ The Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York: Containing Chronological Record of the Years 1938-1945 : Genealogical Record, 1934-1945 : Constitution and By-laws as of March 1, 1945 : the Saint Nicholas Society Medal of Merit, 1937-1945 : List of Officers, Former Officers and Members : and Other Matters of Interest to the Members of the Saint Nicholas Society. The Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York. 1945. p. 142. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Clark, Alfred E. (October 5, 1979). "John C. Traphagen, 90, Ex‐Banker". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "A.C. SIMMONDS JR., BANKER, 60, DEAD; Headed Bank of New York --Led State Association". The New York Times. June 24, 1963. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ "CHANGES ANNOUNCED Bank of New York and Fifth Ave. Bank Shifts Officers". The New York Times. June 10, 1948. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ "MERGER IS PLANNED BY TWO OLD BANKS Bank of New York, Founded in 1784 by Hamilton, to Join With Fifth Ave. Bank". The New York Times. March 11, 1948. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Zimm, Louise Hasbrouck (1946). Southeastern New York: A History of the Counties of Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland and Putnam. Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Incorporated. p. 116. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "Paid Notice: Deaths TRAPHAGEN, HUGH MAXWELL". The New York Times. December 25, 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "HUGH MAXWELL TRAPHAGEN". The Journal News. Dec 26, 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2024.