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Thurtell and Related Families
Notes for Henry THURTELL
Sources: Family tree done by Harriet Thurtell about 1900, the 1963
Thurtell Family History, and the History of the Thurtell Family done by
Susan Persia Thurtell about 1968, all in possession of Susan Persia
Thurtell Miller. Additional sources are the marriage certificate of
Henry and Julia Mary (Mate) Snow Thurtell and the recollections of Susan
Persia Thurtell Miller. Much of the biographical information is from the
book "Who's Who in the Nation's Capitol, 1929-1930," edited by Stanley H.
Williamson, published by Ransdell Incorporated, Washington, DC, 1930, in
the possession of Susan Persia Thurtell Miller.
Henry (Harry) Thurtell was born in Rockwood, Ontario, Canada, but
graduated from high school in Traverse City, Michigan. In 1888 he
graduated from Michigan State College with a Bachelor of Science degree.
He also attended the University of Michigan and University of Chicago.
He was an instructor in mathematics at Michigan State College from
1888-1890 and an assistant professor in mathematics there 1890-1891. He
was a professor of mathematics and mechanics at the University of Nevada,
Reno, Nevada, from 1891-1908. He was also state engineer of Nevada
1905-1907 and railroad commissioner of Nevada 1907-1911. The marriage
certificate mentioned above shows he was a resident of Reno, Nevada, and
Julia Mary (Mate) Snow was a resident of Pacific Grove, California, at
the time of their marriage. In 1911 Henry and Mate Snow Thurtell moved
to Washington, DC, where they lived the rest of their lives, most of the
time at 1217 Delafield Place, Washington, DC. Henry Thurtell was an
examiner for the Interstate Commerce Commission 1911-1915, an attorney
examiner for the ICC 1915-1918, and chief examiner for the ICC
1918-1920. Beginning in 1920 he was assistant special counsel to a group
of southern railroads. His office address in 1930 was 1210 Shoreham
Building, Washington, DC. He was remembered as a brilliant mathematician
who could solve any mathematical problem ever presented to him. He was
also remembered as a very fair and honorable man who always kept his word.
Henry Thurtell and his family are listed in the U.S. Census for Reno
City, Washoe County, Nevada, for 1910 (Supervisor's District 171,
Enumeration District 71, Sheet 7A). This shows they were living at 761
North Centre Street, Reno, Nevada. The census was enumerated on April
10, 1910. It shows Henry Thurtell was white, age 45, born in Canada, and
that his father was born in England and his mother in Canada. He was
working as a teacher in the University and had not been unemployed. It
shows he had lived in the United States since 1866 and was a naturalized
citizen. He is shown as owning his home with no mortgage and that he and
his wife, Mary, had been married 13 years. His wife, Mary, is shown as
white, age 39, born in Iowa, with her mother born in Vermont and her
father in Pennsylvania. She is shown as the mother of three children,
all living. The children in the house were all shown as born in Nevada,
with their mother born in Iowa and their father born in Vermont. The
children are Persia, age 15, Charles, age 10, Frances, age 6, and Leroy,
age 4. Maria Snow, listed as mother, age 66 and a widow, is also living
with the family. The census shows she and her parents were born in
Vermont.
Henry Thurtell and his family are listed in the U.S. Census soundex for
1920 for Washington, DC (Vol. 18, E.D. 329, Sheet 7, Line 32). This
shows Henry Thurtell as a white male, age 53, born in Canada, living with
his wife, Mate Snow Thurtell, age 48, born in Iowa, and their children
Charles S., age 20, Frances, age 16, and Henry L., age 14, all of whom
were born in Nevada. His mother-in-law, Marie Snow, age 77, born in
Vermont, is also living with the family at 1217 Delafield, Washington,
DC. It shows Henry owned the home but had a mortgage. It shows Henry
Thurtell and his mother were born in Canada, and his father was born in
England. It shows he was an Examiner with the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
His death certificate confirms that he died at his home at 1217 Delafield
Place NW, Washington, DC, on May 16, 1941, from a cerebral hemorrhage
that occurred on May 10, 1941. He had a prior cerebral hemorrhage 14
months earlier and had arteriosclerosis for years according to the death
certificate. The physician who signed his death certificate was his
son-in-law, Dr. William P. Burns. The death certificate shows he was
born January 22, 1865, in Rockwood, Canada. His wife's name is listed as
Mate Snow. It shows he was a lawyer and that his father was Francis
Thurtell, born in England, and his mother was Amelia Higgenson, born in
South Carolina. His son, Henry Leroy Thurtell was the informant. It
shows he was buried in Fort Lin. Cemetery on May 19, 1941, and
arrangements were handled by the Deal Funeral Home, 4812 Geo. Avenue NW,
Washington, DC. The cemetery would appear to be the Fort Lincoln
Cemetery, 3401 Blandensburg Road, Brentwood, Washington, DC, phone
301-864-5090. In March 1998, however, that cemetery stated they had no
record of Henry or Julia Mary Thurtell or Maria Morrison Snow being
buried there.
In a 1997 telephone conversation his grandson RobRoy McGregor recalled
that Henry Thurtell had a photographic memory. He read everything, and
remembered everything he read. He had read law books in his spare time
in Nevada and had passed the bar without ever going to law school. His
hobbies were golf, tennis, calculus, writing poetry, woodworking, and the
crossword puzzles in the New York Times. He had written most of the
early laws of the Interstate Commerce Commission, many of which had
remained in effect for the next 50-60 years.
A letter dated February 25, 1998, from Dr. James Miller, recalls that
Harry Thurtell was highly respected by all of the family. He was a civil
engineer as well as an attorney. He tried cases in Chicago while
employed by the Southern Railroad and "would stop by in Berrien Springs
and would encourage me in my studies and would reward me at whatever
level of school for high grades in mathematics."
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Susan T. Miller
1411 West Childs Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187-4601
U.S.A.
630-682-0108
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