Thomas Thornton Snell (Gary, IN)
Thomas Thornton Snell (January 3, 1879 – June 28, 1927)
Biography
- Name: Thomas Thornton Snell
- Birth: January 3, 1879 Birbeck, IL
- Death: June 18, 1927 Los Angeles, CA (Buried Glendale, CA)
Early life and family
Thomas Thornton Snell was born to James Thornton (Sr.) and Hannah A. (Conklin) Snell on January 3, 1879. Three children came to bless the union, Lena, the oldest child and only daughter, and two sons, Thornton, Jr. (the subject of this biography), and Harry, a future president of the De Witt County National Bank of Clinton. Lena married Will V. Dinsmore in 1892, and resided in San Jose, California. James Thornton Snell was behind the counter in his father's bank, that being the family patriarch Thomas Snell. At the start of the Civil War, James Thornton Snell enlisted at Clinton in the 145th Illinois Volunteer infantry and served with credit until the close of the war. He was appointed quartermaster of his regiment and occupied that office until mustered out.
DeWitt County pioneer Col. Thomas Snell (1818-1907) came to Clinton, Illinois without money or influence and through willing hands and plenty of brains accumulated more than a million dollars worth of property, most of it being in land which had increased many times in value. He was the builder of roads and railroads including much of the Illinois Central Railroad. Col. Snell raised and commanded the 107th regiment of Illinois Volunteers, composed of six companies from DeWitt county and four from Piatt, and served at the head of the regiment. In 1863 he returned to Clinton and resumed his business life. Col. Snell later turned his attention to banking and the operation of large tracts of land, which he followed to the time of his retirement. He was one of the richest men in central Illinois and one of the best known citizens. He was married to Miss Sarah E. Church, of Washington, in 1840, and she passed away October 11, 1876. Five children were born to the union, two of whom died in infancy.
On August 12, 1899, Thomas T. Snell married Gertrude McLean in Chicago. They were divorced on March 8, 1901 in Kent Michigan.
At his grandfather's death on June 19, 1907, the estate went to Maybelle Snell McNamara, but the family succeeded in breaking the will. Thomas T. Snell got $300,000. He inherited a still larger sum at the death of his father, also a banker in Bloomington.
In July 1908, Harriet B. Snell, nee Standon, was granted an absolute divorce from T.T. Snell in Goshen, on the grounds of cruel, inhuman treatment and indifference. She had demanded $200,000 alimony and Judge J.S. Dodge granted her about $50,000 consisting of shares in St. Joseph Valley Bank stock of Elkhart and monthly payments amounting to $125 during her life if she remained single. All household goods, valued at $15,000 were given to the wife. Mrs. Snell testified that she and her husband got along all right until January when he began neglecting her. In an argument, he had taken hold of her and pushed her out of the room. At this time he told her they had better settle up and quit. Snell was one of the heirs to the estate of the late Colonel Thomas Snell of Clinton, Illinois. Mrs. Snell would remain in Elkhart.
On November 15, 1909, Gary was agog over a reported engagement. Another romance of the footlights was reported and denied all in the same breath to have overtaken Thomas Thornton Snell, grandson of the late Col. Snell, president of the First National Bank and the First Trust & Savings bank of Gary. The rumor said he was engaged to marry Miss Hazel Adele, until 48 hours ago a show girl with the Montgomery and Stone company. Snell denied the alleged engagement saying, "I give you my word of honor there is nothing to it." Miss Adele in a small, musical voice said, "There is absolutely nothing to it." Nevertheless, Miss Adele quit the company Friday and last night was present with Snell in the audience in the theater where she had previously appeared behind the footlights. They left together and Miss Adele went to her suite of rooms in the Congress hotel. Rumor had it that not only the young man but even his mother had been captivated by the beauty of the show girl. A trousseau, it was said, had been paid for by his mother. A visit to a well known jeweler, according to the same rumor, cost the Snell's a small fortune. "It's all a joke," Snell said, "I think I know where that story of the purchase of the jewelry arose. I visited a local jeweler with Miss Adele, but I did not purchase any diamonds. I went there to have a monogram inscribed on my watch." Snell admitted that Miss Adele had quit the company and said that she would not go to New York with the company, which closed its Chicago engagement the previous night, but that she was going south with her parents for the winter. When Miss Adele came to Chicago at the beginning of the engagement she occupied rooms in a modest boarding house at Eighteenth street and Michigan avenue. She met Snell during her engagement there and since then she has taken a suite of rooms at the downtown hotel.
In January 1914, he purchased 20 acres of land fronting on Cedar Lane, Ossining, NY for $40,000 on which he planned to erect a large county residence and outbuildings. Fish & Marvin and the Briarcliff Realty Company rented to Mr. Snell the Rigdon residence furnished which he occupied pending the construction of the new house.
On April 5, 1921, He married Alice G. Frizzelle in Detroit, Michigan. They had a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Snell, born May 15, 1926 in Hollywood, California.
Early Banking Career
In October 1904, the largest financial transaction in Elkhart's history was consummated when Colonel Thomas Snell, president of the Farmers' and Merchants' bank, located at 214 South Main Street, Elkhart, which was organized in May 1904, bought the controlling stock in the St. Joseph Valley Bank. Both were state banks capitalized at $100,000. The St. Joseph bank had $45,000 surplus. The two banks were consolidated into the St. Joseph Valley Bank. The St. Joseph bank was established in 1872. Colonel Snell was a banker of Clinton, Illinois. His Elkhart investments were for his grandson, T.T. Snell, formerly of Clinton.
In April 1909, T.T. Snell severed his connection with the St. Joseph Valley Bank at Elkhart to devote his time to the First National Bank of Gary, Indiana.
Reportedly, the First National Bank of Gary came into being as the result of Thomas T. Snell accidentally overhearing a conversation in 1916 in a Chicago hotel to the effect that the steel trust was about to found a new city in Gary. Having won laurels in the banking field at Elkhart, and possessed of plenty of money, Mr. Snell decided to found a bank in the new community. He at once wired to Washington, got priority on the name "First National Bank" and was sustained in the matter. In doing this it is said that Mr. Snell "put one over' on the shrewdest financiers in steel circles. From what can be learned the steel magnates, who later founded the Gary State Bank, had intended that it should have been the First National Bank, But Mr. Snell beat them to it. The bank was organized on November 5, 1906, and it had its first home on Broadway, near the Brellahan shoe store location in 1917. Mr. Snell was elected its first cashier, and other interested persons were W.S. Hazleton, E.C. Simpson, and J.W. Fieldhouse, an Elkhart banker who became the president. Mr. Simpson was identified with Snell and Fieldhouse at Elkhart and from 1910 to 1914 he was city treasurer of Gary. A short time after the Gary bank was founded he came to Gary to become cashier, Mr. Snell taking over the presidency. The capital at first was $25,000. In 1907 it was increased to $50,000, in 1908 to $100,000, in 1912 to $150,000 in in 1913 to $200,000. Among the first directors of the bank was William A. Wirt, the Gary educator, who had since organized and was elected president of the new National Bank of America of Gary. In 1908 the bank moved into its new home on Broadway between 5th and 6th Avenue into one of the finest banking houses in Indiana. As a subsidiary, the bank founded the First Trust and Savings Company which it later discontinued. Later, Snell and Simpson became heavily interested in the South Side Trust and Savings Bank. Messrs. Snell and Simpson organized the Snell-Simpson Company, First National Bank Building, which dealt in bonds and tax assessment liens. Mr. Snell was also a partner for a time in the Chicago and Gary bonding house of Snell, Dinkle and Holmes. Mr. Snell only lived part time in Gary. He was reputed as a millionaire and around 1911, he made his home at his estate on the Hudson River near West Point, New York. Property owned by Mr. Snell in Gary included the Brennan block southwest corner, 6th Avenue and Broadway which he purchased in 1913 for $75,000 and was worth $200,000 by 1917.
In December, 1912, the comptroller of the currency received the application to organize The First National Bank of Des Plaines, Illinois, capital of $25,000 with Oscar Fischer, Thomas T. Snell, George M. Whitcomb, and Walter L. Plew, directors.
On August 8, 1918, Thomas T. Snell returned to Gary and was arrested on a charge of obtaining money under false pretense. Recently, Snell had sold his stock in the First National Bank of Gary, Indiana and went to New York to live. The warrant on which he was arrested was sworn to by S.J. Watson, president of the Northern State Bank, and charged that Snell had given a worthless mortgage on his Hudson River home to secure a note for $5,000. Later he was released on $2,000 bail. The case went before Justice J.P. Fitzgerald. He bought a Hudson River home for $40,000, but had to dispose of it several months earlier. Snell had been living at the Hotel Biltmore, New York City. His wife, Hazel, was serving in the Red Cross in England. The case was bound over to appear in the Lake County Superior Court at the next term.
On August 27, 1918, The Northern State bank of Gary was closed by the state auditor and a receiver was appointed. The auditor declared the bank's assets had been dissipated through bad loans and inefficient management. The capital stock was $100,000, the deposits were $655,432, and its liabilities were listed at $822,450. It was believed there were sufficient assets together with the stockholders' liability to pay all depositors in full. The bank was one of the oldest in the city. The institution two weeks earlier caused the arrest of T.T. Snell, former president of the First National Bank of Gary, on a charge that he had secured a loan of $5,000 from the bank on worthless security. Snell’s arrest brought about the state investigation. [Note: no results on the charge against Snell of obtaining money under false pretense were found.]
Petitions in bankruptcy filed Saturday, June 21, 1919, in the United States District Court in New York were as follows: a voluntary petition by Thomas T. Snell, 368 Fifth Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY, showing liabilities of $276,583, and assets of $64,460. Secured claims were Gary State Bank, $10.000, John W. Fleldhouse, $2,000; Fort Dearborn National Bank, $25,000; Northern State Bank, $8,000. Unsecured claims were Snell-Simpson Company, $22,000; E.C. Simpson, $10.000; Seligsberg & Co., $9,000; Gary Trust and Savings Bank, $5,000. Carl B. Elmer, 1269 Broadway, was the attorney.
California Banking Highlights
Stockholders of the State Bank of Venice elected directors including Irving H. Hellman, of the Hellman Commercial Trust and Savings Bank of Los Angeles; Harry W. Boles, and Thomas T. Snell, associated with Mr. Hellman who would be active in the local institution, and Dr. Joseph Saylin and S. Lang of Vencie. The bank planned to open for business as soon as the decorators and finisher got through their work. On February 1, the bank reported 271 accounts opened on its first day, representing a total in excess of $25,000. The officers were Harry W. Boles, president; Thomas T. Snell, vice president, and Eric Barnett, cashier.
On August 22, 1923, police were on the trail of a bandit band of five, one of them seriously wounded, who escaped with $16,000 in negotiable securities and $4,250 in cash and Liberty bonds, after holding up and robbing the Belvedere State Bank at 5247 Whittier Boulevard that morning. One of the band was shot with a sawed-off shotgun by Edward Skinner, standing in his barber shop across the street, as he was running with the other robbers, after the hold-up, to their car. The bandit staggered and almost fell. Skinner received a hail of bullets from the bandits and then fired the other barrel of his shotgun to unknown effect. The leader of the gang, whom deputy sheriffs identified as Jesse Taylor, escaped convict, called out, "Hurry up, or they'll get us all." Two other bandits lifted the injured man into the car and the five, drove off at terrific speed. A short time later the fugitives were sighted on Pasadena Avenue, near Coyote Pass. Shortly after 1 p.m. a man believed to have been one of the group rushed into a garage in South Pasadena, jumped into a new car and drove off before the garage-keeper could stop him. The bandits held up all the bank officials and employees, made a thorough search of the bank and of several patrons who entered during the hold-up. The bank had Just settled down to business 'at "11:45 a.m., when four men appeared at the door. They were unmasked. With spectacular bravado, each bandit took his place and kept it until they made their escape. One man, believed to be Jesse Taylor, stepped to the door of the bank, drew a .45 automatic pistol and said. "Stick 'em and keep 'em up, for we mean business.” Then he walked up behind M.L. Richardson, a customer standing at a teller's window, and shot over the customer's head into the celling. "Stick 'em up, keep 'em and back against the wall," said the bandit to Mr. Richardson. One bandit then stationed himself outside the bank door and brandished a revolver to keep the crowd back. A third entered and with revolver in hand lightly vaulted over the counter and covered officials and employees with his weapon. A fifth man was believed to have remained in an automobile parked about a half-block away. While the leader walked back and forth In the center of the floor, the man who vaulted over the counter shoved money at tellers' windows into a grip and then forced Homer B. Ragan, a bank official, into the vault for more. One of the bandits who stood guard inside the door announced that he was Tommy O'Connor and wanted no trouble, just money. He and the man supposed to be Taylor shot several times into the ceiling and repeatedly warned victims to keep their hands in the air. In the bank at the time were Thomas T. Snell, president; Warren T. Potter, cashier; Homer B. Ragan, manager of a department; Miss Clarice Bloom, bookkeeper and three customers.
On October 23, 1923, two men were arrested following the holdup of a filling station in the front yard of Lew Shank, mayor of Indianapolis. Thomas Dranginis, 23, and Jack Donavon, alias Halloway, 29, both of Los Aneles signed confessions admitting robbery of the Belvedere State Bank. The men under arrest said they drove up to Portland and then to Tacoma after the robber, moving later to Seattle. As they crossed a small river between Seattle and Tacoma, they threw out a bag containing some bonds, papers, and pennies taken in the hold up. From Seattle they drove to Waukegan, Illinois and then to Peoria and Indianapolis. The Tacoma Sheriff's office recovered most of the stolen bank securities. After the arrests in Indianapolis, a third suspect was arrested in San Pedro. Edwin M. Reautio was rooming with Thomas Dranginis. A fourth man was sought and a woman giving the name of Martinella Dranginis, wife of one of the men under arrest, was detained in Indianapolis. Dranginis said he and the young woman were married in Waukegan on the 9th.
In June 1924, D.W. Noble purchased the interests of Thomas T. Snell in the Sherman First National and State Banks and was elected president. Mr. Snell retained the presidency of the West Hollywood National Bank and the Hollywood State Bank. Mr. Noble established the Chehalis National Bank of Washington which later became the First National Bank of Chehalis. He was the president of the bank until a few weeks earlier.
In October 1924, it was announced that the new West Hollywood National Bank building on the southwest corner of Santa Monica and Fairfax Boulevards would open by November 1st. The announcement was made by Thomas T. Snell, president of the banking association. The handsome new building cost $75,000 and was of the colonial style of architecture. The West Hollywood National Bank would move across the street from the old location into the new building. The entire lower floor was dedicated to the bank and the upper story was for spacious offices and a large lodge hall. The bank installed a round Mosler vault door weighing 25,000 pounds, one of the largest vault doors in Hollywood. The design and building was done by F.R. Froley and the land was owned by F.C. Hardy, chairman of the board of directors of the bank. The officers were Thomas T. Snell, president; E.A. Burrell, vice president; B.R. Lannean, cashier, and the directors F.C. Hardy, H.G. Pearson, A.J. Sayne, and H.J. Ernster. The West Hollywood Savings Bank at 6900 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, with F.C. Hardy as president would relocate into the old location of the national bank.
On August 3, 1925, Thomas T. Snell, president of the West Hollywood National Bank denied a report that gained circulation to the effect the he sold his interest in the organization to the Hellman interests. "On the contrary, said Mr. Snell, "I recently purchased the Hellman interests in the Beverly Hills National Bank and was elected president of that organization a short while ago. I have no thought of selling my holdings in either institutions, and think that someone must have gotten hold of a twisted report of my purchase in Beverly Hills. There's no other place and no other connection that I could imagine as suiting me better."
Later life and death
On Saturday morning, June 18, 1927, after being in failing health for two years, Thomas Thornton Snell died at Los Angeles, California, following a serious operation. He was survived by his wife, his one year old daughter and his mother, Mrs. T.J. Snell of Bloomington, Illinois and a sister, Mrs. W.D. Dinsmore of Oakland, California. Mr. Snell was of the third generation bearing the name of Thomas Snell. His nephew was Thomas Snell Dinsmore and like his father, William V. Dinsmore, he was a banker and would become cashier and president in the old Snell Bank that became The De Witt County National Bank of Clinton, Illinois.
Funeral services were conducted on June 20, 1927 with burial in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California.
Bank Officer Summary
During his banking career, Thomas T. Snell was involved with the following bank(s):
- The Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Elkhart, Indiana: Vice President 1904-1909
- First National Bank, Gary, IN (Charter 8426): President 1908-1917; Cashier 1907
- The State Bank of Venice, CA: Vice President 1922
- Belvedere Bank, Belvedere, CA: President 1923
- West Hollywood National Bank, Crescent Heights, CA (Charter 11880): President 1924-1926
- Beverly National Bank, Beverly Hills, CA (Charter 12647): President 1925
Sources
- Thomas T. Snell on Findagrave.com.
- Banks & Bankers Historical Database (1782-1935), https://spmc.org/bank-note-history-project
- The Huntington Herald, Huntington, IN, Thu., Oct. 6, 1904.
- The Brook Reporter, Brook, IN, Fri., July 10, 1908.
- Bristol Banner, Bristol, IN, Fri., Apr. 2, 1909.
- The Times, Munster, IN, Mon., Nov. 15, 1909.
- The Wall Street Journal, New York, NY, Sat., Dec. 7, 1912.
- The Sun, New York, NY, Sat., Jan. 31, 1914.
- The Times Munster, IN, Sat., Nov. 24, 1917.
- The Times, Streator, IL, Thu., Aug. 8, 1918.
- The Chattanooga News, Chattanooga, TN, Tue., Aug. 27, 1918.
- The Times, Munster, IN, Wed., Aug. 28, 1918.
- New-York Tribune, New York, NY, Mon., June 23, 1919.
- Evening Vanguard, Venice CA, Sat., Jan. 21, 1922.
- The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, CA, Wed., Feb. 1, 1922.
- Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, CA, Wed., Aug. 22, 1923.
- Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, Los Angeles, CA, Wed., Aug. 22, 1923.
- The Hanford Sentinel, Hanford, CA, Wed., Oct. 24, 1923.
- The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, CA, Thu., Oct. 25, 1923.
- Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, Hollywood, CA, Sat., June 14, 1924.
- Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, Hollywood, CA, Fri., Oct. 3, 1924.
- Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, Hollywood, CA, Wed., Oct. 29, 1924.
- Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, Hollywood, CA, Mon., Aug. 3, 1925.
- The Pantagraph, Bloomington, IL, Tue., June 21, 1927, Tue.
- Decatur Evening Herald, Decatur, IL, Wed. June 22. 1927.