Thurtell and Related Families
Thurtell and Related Families


Notes for Henry THURTELL

Some of the original information about Henry Thurtell is from the 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 the 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.

A notice in the "Grand Traverse Herald" in January 1889 for Maple City, Michigan, found on the internet in August 2000 at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jayhomer/heraldja1.htm shows that "Walter Thurtell's brother is now driving the stage; commenced with the new year." This might have been Henry Thurtell, or possibly it was his brother Edward Thurtell.

Henry Thurtell is listed in the Washington, DC, City Directory for 1890 found in the Ancestry.com internet library in May 2000. This shows his occupation as "geol sur" and his residence in the District of Columbia in 1891.

The minutes of the UCCSN Board of Regents, Reno, Nevada, listed on the internet in August 2000 at http://www.nevada.edu/board/minutes/1890/1891/18911005.htm originally listed in Volume OB - Pages 148-151, show the Meeting Minutes for October 5, 1891, which state "The appointment of Henry Thurtell as Professor in Mechanical Drawing, Mathematics and Mechanics by the President of the University at an annual salary of Eighteen Hundred Dollars, commencing from October 1, 1891, was confirmed."

The "Nevada State Journal" on June 16, 1893, shows "Married - Thurtell - Bishop - At San Francisco, June 11, 1893, at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Wells Drury, by Rev. W. W. Davis, rector of St. Luke's parish, Professor Henry Thurtell of Reno and Miss Persia Bishop, daughter of Dr. S. Bishop, of Ione, Cal." A copy of this notice was received in 1997 from Miss Lee Mortensen, Librarian, from the Nevada Historical Society, 1650 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89503, 702-688-1191. A reference to this notice was found in October 2000 in the Ancestry.com database on the internet. The index found on the internet showed the given name as Henry Thurtell, the spouse's surname as Bishop, the spouse's given name as Pesia (instead of the correct Persia), the event as married, the date as June 11, 1893, and notes as "in San Francisco. Groom is of Reno, bride is of Ione, California."

An index of the Nevada State Journal newspaper, 1870-1900, found on the internet in October 2000 in the Ancestry.com library, shows that H. Thurtell (Prof.) and Mattie Snow were married August 4, 1896, at Pacific Grove, California.

Henry Thurtell and his family are listed in the 1900 U.S. Census for Reno Town, Reno Township, Washoe County, Nevada (Enumeration District 42, Sheet 5, Ward of City 4). It was enumerated on June 4, 1900. They are living at 719 Center, Reno, Nevada. Henry Thurtell is shown as a white male aged 35, born in June 1865 in Canada, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1866 and has lived in the U.S. 34 years and is a naturalized citizen. He is listed as a professor, who owns a farm but has a mortgage. It shows both his parents were born in "Canada Eng." He has been married to his wife for four years. She is listed as Julia M. Thurtell, age 29, born in June 1871 in Iowa, and is the mother of one child, who is living. Both her parents are shown as born in "Canada Eng." Both Henry and Julia are shown as able to read, write, and speak English. Listed with them is Henry's daughter, Persia, a white female age 5 born in July 1894 in Nevada, whose father was born in "Canada Eng." and mother was born in Nevada. Also listed with them is their son, Charlie, a white male born in June 1899 in Nevada, shown as 11/12 years old. His father is shown as born in "Canada Eng." and his mother in Iowa. Neither of the children is attending school. Maria Snow, Henry Thurtell's mother-in-law, is listed as a widow age 58, born in April 1842 in Vermont, whose parents were both born in Vermont. She is shown as the mother of four children, only one of whom is living. She is able to read, write, and speak English.

Henry Thurtell is often mentioned in the minutes of the meetings of the UCCSN Board of Regents, Reno, Nevada, listed and indexed on the internet in August 2000 at http://www.nevada.edu/board/minutes/index.htm. The Meeting Minutes of January 5, 1903 (originally listed in Volume OC - Pages 272-279) include the sentence, "Upon motion of Regent Booher, seconded by Regent Kirman, Professor Henry Thurtell was granted a leave of absence for the month
of April for the purpose of attending the Golden Wedding of his father and mother."

The Traverse City, Michigan, Evening Record for April 13 and April 14, 1903, has articles about the golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Thurtell on April 13, held at their home on the corner of Ninth and Pine Streets, Traverse City, Michigan. Despite the inclement weather, all of their children, most of their grandchildren, and nearly 30 other guests attended. Their children attending the celebration were Edward B. and Alfred Thurtell of Chicago, Walter Thurtell of Traverse City, Dr. Herbert Thurtell of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Henry Thurtell of Reno, Nevada, and Mrs. Wilbur D. Cook, accompanied by her husband, Dr. Wilbur D. Cook of Beloit, Wisconsin. The grandchildren were Earl Thurtell of Chicago, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Thurtell; Ben, Eva, and Helen Thurtell of Traverse City, children of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Thurtell; Helen, Howard, and Irene Thurtell of Manitowoc, children of Dr. and Mrs. Herbert Thurtell; and Charles Snow Thurtell of Reno, Nevada, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Thurtell. Miss Harriet Thurtell of Canada, sister of Francis Thurtell, also attended the celebration.

An index found on the internet in February 2000 in the Bureau of Land Management database on the internet at http://www.glorecords.blm.gov showed that Henry Thurtell was issued a land patent on September 27, 1904, for 160 acres in Humboldt County, California. This was a cash sale, and the location is shown as Aliquot Parts W 1/2 W 1/2, Section 9, Township 1 North, Range 5 East, Meridian Humboldt, Humboldt County, California. The BLM Serial number was CACAAA 146455. The land office location was not yet available online as of February 2000. Information from the Humboldt County, California, Planning Department showed that the property was parcel number 210-08309 and was located in the far eastern part of the county, near or on the Trinity County, border, off a road called Buck Mountain Road. As of February 2000 it was part of a 600-acre parcel owned by Lloyd Fountain of Manhattan Beach, California. Their records showed the most recent change in their records for the property was in November 1998. The property would be south of a town called Willow Creek, which is located very near the Humboldt/Trinity County line, on Highway 299. As of February 2000 no improvements had ever been made to the property, and it was completely undeveloped.

Records at the Humboldt County Recorders office showed that the record of the original purchase of the land was in the patent records. Certificate number 10046 there, recorded in Volume 239, Page 99, on December 10, 1904, shows that Henry Thurtell of Washoe County, Nevada, deposited his certificate of the register of his property in the General Land Office of the United States at Eureka, California, confirming that he had paid in full for "the West half of the North West quarter and the West half of the South West quarter of Section nine in Township one North of Range five East of Humboldt Meridian in California, containing one hundred and sixty acres." The land patent was issued September 27, 1904, by President Theodore Roosevelt. In January 1947 there was a transfer from Henry Thurtell, deceased, to his widow, Mate Snow Thurtell. Shortly following this transfer, she transferred the property in April 1947 to Rex E. and Helen B. Fountain. No other transfer was shown in the microfiche records at the Recorders office, apparently confirming the land was sold by the Federal government to Henry Thurtell as the original owner, later transferred to his widow in 1947 and then to the Fountains the same year, and still in the possession of a member of the Fountain family and completely undeveloped as of February 2000, over 95 years after it was originally purchased.

The minutes of the UCCSN Board of Regents, Reno, Nevada, listed and indexed on the internet in August 2000 at http://www.nevada.edu/board/minutes/index.htm often mentioned Henry Thurtell during his years with the University of Nevada. The Meeting Minutes of January 2, 1911 (originally listed in Volume OD - Pages 231-237 and listed on the internet at http://www.nevada.edu/board/minutes/1910/1911/19110102.htm) show that "Regent Williams moved and was seconded by Regent Henderson, that the Secretary of the Board of Regents be authorized and directed to have published a letter in the Gazette and Journal denying the published reports regarding Professor Thurtell being paid a salary from the University since September 1, 1905, the date of the beginning of his leave of absence from the University."

The Meeting Minutes of UCCSN Board of Regents, Reno, Nevada, of June 22, 1910, show the following information: "RESOLUTIONS ON THE RETIREMENT OF PROFESSOR HENRY THURTELL. In accordance with the instructions of the Board of Regents at their last meeting, I prepared the preamble and resolutions recognizing the services of Professor Henry Thurtell by the Regents of the University, and asked the Secretary of the Board of Regents to send them to him. These resolutions are to be recorded in the minutes of May 24th. The following are the resolutions of the Regents which were sent to Professor Thurtell:

" WHEREAS, Professor Henry Thurtell, who, for almost 20 years, has been connected with the University of Nevada as Professor of Mathematics and Mechanics, has been called to serve the State in a large and responsible office, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,

"First: That in accepting his resignation as a member of the teaching force of the University of Nevada, the Regents herewith desire to put on record his long and useful service to the University, his high and unselfish aims, and his abiding influence for everything that stood for scholarship, for good health, and for righteousness to the young men and young women who came under his influence as a teacher, and as a friend.

"Second: That these Resolutions be spread upon the minutes of the Board of Regents, and a copy sent by the Secretary of the Board to Professor Thurtell."

The Meeting Minutes of January 2, 1911, show that "Regent Williams moved and was seconded by Regent Henderson, that the Secretary of the Board of Regents be authorized and directed to have published a letter in the Gazette and Journal denying the published reports regarding Professor Thurtell being paid a salary from the University since September 1, 1905, the date of the beginning of his leave of absence from the University.

"The following letter was prepared and published in the two Reno dailies on January 5, 1911:

"At the meeting of the Board of Regents, held January 2, 1911, I was instructed to have published in the Gazette and Journal, a denial of the articles published in the Gazette at various times with reference to Professor Henry Thurtell receiving a salary from the University while holding another State Office.

"Professor Thurtell was granted a leave of absence from the University by the Regents from September 1, 1905 to September 1,1907, without salary. From September 1, 1905 to the present time no compensation whatever has been paid to him by the University.

"Professor Thurtell, during the years 1908 and 1909, did such teaching at the University as his duties of Railroad Commissioner permitted, but for this service he has never asked or received any compensation whatever. Yours very truly, George H. Taylor, Secretary of the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada."

The book "The University of Nevada, A Centennial History," by James W. Hulse (published in 1974 by University of Nevada Press, Reno, Nevada) shows on page 133: "MATHEMATICS. The first students on the Reno campus had relatively few options in mathematics. In the 1890s this field was wedded to mechanics and mechanical drawing. Henry Thurtell, who had been trained in Michigan colleges, was primarily an engineer. He arrived in 1891 to teach mechanics and, after 1897, was listed as a professor of mathematics as well. He soon became dean of the faculty. When he left in 1905 to become state engineer, the mathematics curriculum was little different than it had been in the 1890s."

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.

The obituary of Dr. Simeon Bishop that appeared in the "Reno Evening Gazette," Reno, Nevada, on February 21, 1920, on page 8, column 1, as found in microfilm in the Nevada Historical Society, Reno, Nevada, showed that Dr. Bishop's daughter, Persia, married Henry Thurtell, who is at the present time attached to the interstate commerce commission.

The 1926 Washington, DC, city directory, page 1473, lists him as Henry Thurtell, a lawyer with an office at 427 Munsey Building, and a residence at 1217 Delafield Place, NW. The same directory shows his children Chas S Thurtell and Frances Thurtell, who is shown as a typist, residing at the same address.

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.

The Washington, DC, "Evening Star" had an announcement of his death on Saturday, May 17, 1941, on page A-8 that read "Thurtell, Henry. On Friday, May 16, 1941, at his residence, 1217 Delafield pl. N.W. Henry Thurtell, beloved husband of Mate Snow Thurtell and father of Persia T. Burns, Charles S. Thurtell, Frances T. McGregor, and Henry L. Thurtell. Funeral from the W. W. Deal funeral home, 4812 Georgia ave. nw., on Sunday, May 18, at 2 p.m. Relatives and friends invited. Please omit flowers. Interment private."

Henry Thurtell's will was filed in Washington, DC, on May 23, 1941. It had been written March 31, 1938. It provided that his "just debts" be paid "as soon as may be practicable after" his death and that all "the rest, residue and remainder of [his] estate, of whatsoever nature, and wheresoever located or situated, including any and all property which I may hereafter acquire, I give, devise and bequeath unto my beloved wife, MATE SNOW THURTELL, absolutely and in fee simple." It also provided that his wife be appointed executrix of his will.

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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