James McLaughlin (Nashville, TN)
James McLaughlin (February 1, 1832 – August 13, 1904)
Biography
- Name: James McLaughlin
- Birth: February 1, 1832 Ireland
- Death: August 13, 1904 Nashville, TN
- Spouse: Elizabeth P. (Warner) McLaughlin 1845-1933
James McLaughlin was born in Ireland on February 1, 1832. When he was 6 months old, he moved with his family to the United States and his father settled in Nashville, Tennessee. He was educated in the public schools of Nashville.
James began his working career as a clerk in a wholesale grocery store, and was able to work his way up the ladder finally becoming a member of the firm. Later, he organized the grocery firm of McLaughlin, Butler & Company, which was succeeded by James McLaughlin & Company. There are many ads in Nashville papers from the mid 1880's for this firm. His last grocery business was called Kinney, McLaughlin & Company. Around 1885 he organized and served as President of the North Nashville Building Association. In the Nashville city directories from 1885 and 1886, James was Vice-President of the State Insurance Company. On January 15, 1869, he was elected President of the Second National Bank of Nashville, charter 771. On January 31, 1871, he married Elizabeth P. Warner in Nashville.
In early January, 1874, the Second National Bank of Nashville went into voluntary liquidation and closed. James went back to his wholesale grocery business mentioned above. In late August, 1886 James helped organize a new bank, and the Merchants Bank of Nashville was chartered as a state bank with John N. Sperry as President and James McLaughlin as Cashier. It opened for business in mid-October, 1886. James would stay as cashier of this bank until October 1, 1899, when he was elected President after the resignation of John Sperry.
On April 20, 1903, the Merchants Bank of Nashville became the Merchants National Bank of Nashville, charter 6729. Unfortunately, James did not get to serve this institution for long, as he died on August 13, 1904 of nephritis at his daughter's home in Nashville, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Nashville. James was one of the pioneers in Nashville's street railways, and had an interest in buying and selling real estate.
No known national bank notes exist with the signature of James McLaughlin on the Second National Bank and only one of the two notes known on the Merchants National Bank bears his signature.
Bank Officer Summary
During his banking career, James McLaughlin was involved with the following bank(s):
- Second National Bank, Nashville, TN (Charter 771): President 1869-1874
- Merchants National Bank, Nashville, TN (Charter 6729): President 1903-1904
References
- Bio written by Greg Culpepper 3/4/2021.
- Sources: Ancestry.com & Newspapers.com
- Banks & Bankers Historical Database (1782-1935), https://bbdata.banknotehistory.com