John S. Sinclair Explained

John S. Sinclair
Office:4th President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Term Start:1936
Term End:1941
Predecessor:George W. Norris
Successor:Alfred H. Williams
Birth Date:6 April 1897
Birth Place:Brooklyn, New York
Death Place:Wilton, Connecticut
Education:Columbia University (BA, LLB)
Spouse:Mary Hewes Biddle

John Stephens Sinclair[1] (April 6, 1897 October 29, 1972) was an American lawyer and financier who served as the fourth president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia from 1936 to 1941.[2] He was also president of the National Industrial Conference Board from 1948 to 1963.[3] [4]

Early life and education

Sinclair was born in Brooklyn, New York City in 1897.[5] He served in the US Army during World War I as a second lieutenant and graduated from Columbia College in 1920 before receiving his LLB from Columbia Law School in 1922. He married Mary Hewes Biddle, a member of the Biddle family of Philadelphia and granddaughter of architect Addison Hutton, that year.[6] [7] [8]

Career

Sinclair entered private legal practice before joining the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia as associate counsel and became deputy governor in 1934. He became president in 1936 and served in that role until 1941,[9] when he resigned to become vice president of New York Life Insurance Company.[10] He became director and executive vice president the following year.

In 1941, Sinclair was elected president of the National Industrial Conference Board. He also served as a director of Union Pacific Railroad and was a member of the New York Yacht Club.

Death

Sinclair died on October 29, 1972, at his home in Wilton, Connecticut.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Sinclair, John S. . A Half-century of Government Spending: Delivered Before the North Central Conference of the National Industrial Conference Board, Cleveland, Ohio, December 13, 1949 . 1950 . National Industrial Conference Board . en.
  2. News: 1972-10-30 . JOHN S. SINCLAIR, LAWYER . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-11-25 . 0362-4331.
  3. News: 1951-08-23 . INDUSTRIAL GROUP GETS 4-POINT PLAN; Conference Board President Suggests Ways Body Could Aid Business System . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-11-25 . 0362-4331.
  4. News: 1953-07-30 . ROLES FOR BUSINESS IN ECONOMY SHOWN; Industrial Conference Board, in Annual Report, Stresses Importance of Principle ROLES FOR BUSINESS IN ECONOMY SHOWN . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-11-25 . 0362-4331.
  5. Web site: John S. Sinclair Federal Reserve History . 2022-11-25 . www.federalreservehistory.org.
  6. Web site: Vassar Miscellany News 9 February 1922 — Vassar Newspaper & Magazine Archive . 2022-11-25 . newspaperarchives.vassar.edu.
  7. Web site: JAMES GARRETT BIDDLE . 2022-11-25 . timesmachine.nytimes.com . en.
  8. Book: Biddle, Henry D. (Henry Drinker) . A sketch of Owen Biddle, to which is added A short account of the Parke family, together with a list of his descendants / by Henry D. Biddle. . 1926 . Philadelphia : [s.n.], 1926. . Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center.
  9. News: . 1936-03-14 . NEW RESERVE HEAD FOR PHILADELPHIA; John S. Sinclair, Lawyer, Native of Brooklyn, Is Elected Successor of G.W. Norris. . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-11-25 . 0362-4331.
  10. News: 1941-05-17 . J.S. SINCLAIR GETS POST WITH N.Y. LIFE; Philadelphia Reserve Bank Head Elected Vice President of Insurance Company TO BEGIN DUTIES JULY 1 A.H. Williams Named as Successor in Presidency of Federal Institution . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-11-25 . 0362-4331.