William Alexander Julian: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|28th Treasurer of the United States, 1933–1949}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2020}}

| name = William Alexander Julian

| image = William Alexander Julian - April 18, 1938.jpg

| caption = Julian in 1938

| order = 28th

| office = Treasurer of the United States

| term_start = June 1, 1933

| term_end = May 29, 1949

| president = [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]<br>[[Harry S. Truman]]

| predecessor = [[W.O. Woods]]

| successor = [[Georgia Neese Clark Gray|Georgia Neese Clark]]

| birth_date = {{birth date|1870|8|6}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|1949|5|29|1870|8|6}}

| death_place = [[Bethesda, Maryland]], U.S.

| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]

| spouse =

| children =

| relations = [[Henry S. Julian]] (brother)

| signature = William A Julian sig.jpg

'''William Alexander Julian''' (August 6, 1870 – May 29, 1949) served as the 28th [[Treasurer of the United States]] from June 1, 1933 to May 29, 1949 under [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and [[Harry S. Truman]]. He remains the last man to have served as Treasurer of the United States.

Julian was born on August 6, 1870,<ref name="ourcampaigns">{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=11790 |title=Julian, William Alexander "W. A." |publisher=our campaigns.com |access-date=December 8, 2018}}</ref> the son of Alexander and Elizabeth C. (nee Laughlin) Julian.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.geni.com/people/Alexander-Julian/6000000003079410526 |title=Alexander Julian |publisher=geni.com |access-date=December 8, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.geni.com/people/Elizabeth-Laughlin/6000000027453037995 |title=Elizabeth C. "Bettie" Laughlin |publisher=geni.com |access-date=December 8, 2018}}</ref> His brother was [[Henry S. Julian]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112560888/long-illness-is-fatal-to-mrs-henry-s/ |title=Long Illness is Fatal to Mrs. Henry S. Julian |date=1937-02-15 |newspaper=Evening Star |page=B4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=2022-11-04}}{{Open access}}</ref> In 1888, Julian graduated from Dodds College in Frankfort, Kentucky.<ref name="ourcampaigns"/>

[[File:US-%24100000-GC-1934-Fr-2413.jpg|thumb|Julian's signature appeared on the 1934 [[gold certificates]], which included the largest currency denomination ever issued by the United States.]]

Julian settled in [[Cincinnati]], where he first worked as a bank clerk, then as a shoe manufacturer. Building on the success of his shoe business, he went on to a career in bank management. He declined repeated offers of public office, including [[Woodrow Wilson]]'s offers of seats on the [[Federal Trade Commission]] and the [[Federal Reserve Board]]. He ran unsuccessfully for [[U.S. Senator]] from Ohio in 1920 and retired from business soon afterward.<ref name="obituary">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1917&dat=19490530&id=32EpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hIEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1453,4296372 Julian, U.S. Treasurer, Is Killed In Crash], [[Schenectady Gazette]], May 30, 1949</ref> He appeared as a delegate to the [[Democratic National Convention]] from Ohio in 1924, 1932, 1940 and 1948.

As the only Treasurer appointed by Roosevelt, Julian was one of the longest-serving Treasurers, although a distant second to [[Thomas T. Tucker]]. During his term the government completed its transition away from the [[gold standard]] as a basis for currency by passing the [[Gold Reserve Act of 1934]]. Under the act, Julian took custody of the gold that had been confiscated under [[Executive Order 6102]] and held at the [[Federal Reserve Bank]]s.

On May 29, 1949, Julian died in a car crash in [[Bethesda, Maryland]].<ref name="obituary"/><ref name="ourcampaigns"/>

== External links ==

*{{commons category-inline}}

{{s-ppo}}

{{s-bef|before=[[Timothy Sylvester Hogan (politician)|Timothy Sylvester Hogan]]}}

{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[United States Senator|U.S. Senator]] from [[Ohio]]<br>([[Classes of United States Senators|Class 3]])|years=[[1920 United States Senate election in Ohio|1920]]}}

{{s-aft|after=[[Atlee Pomerene]]}}

{{Succession box|title=[[Treasurer of the United States]]|before=[[W.O. Woods]]|after=[[Georgia Neese Clark Gray|Georgia Neese Clark]]|years=1933–1949}}

[[Category:Franklin D. Roosevelt administration personnel]]

[[Category:Truman administration personnel]]