Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-10
JOHN B. LARNER,
BANKER, EXPIRES
Civic Leader and PhiIanthro-
piSt Had Been AiIing Since
! ~ Early Summer.


chairman of the George Washington
University Board of Trustees, died last
night at his home, 1709 Nineteenth
street, after long illness. He was rs
years old and a lifelong resident OF
Washington Death was due to a gen.
eral breakdown caused by age.
Mr.. Larner for many years active
here as a civic leader and phllanthrop-
list, had been in poor health since the
beginning Of the Summer. He had re-
turned here only recently from MS
Summer home at Mitflintown, Pa.
Funeral services will be held at 2:3O
o'clock Thursday afternoon at the New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church, with
Rev. DR.. Joseph r. Sizoo. pastor. OH
ciating. Burial will be in Rock Creek
Cemetery. Pallbearers had not been
named today
President Edward j. dcQuade of the
District Bankers Association, ap-
pointed the following to repre-
sent the association at the funeral:
Corcoran Thorn, president American Sc
curity g. Trust Co.; William u. hoover
president National Savings g. Trust Co..;
Ge--ye E. Fleming, vice president union
trust Co.; John Poole, president Fed
e.9l-American National Bank & Trust
CD. Robert v. Fleming. president Riggs
National; Henry H. Mckee, president
National Capital Bank; George w.
White. president National MetropollCah'
Ianier P. McLachlen, president NC
Lachlen Banking Corporation; victor b.
Deyber, president Second Natlonai'
Frank j. Stryker, president Columbia
National, and Francis G.. Addison, rr
president Security Savings 81 CONNER
cial. Mr.. McQuade as head OF the as
ISOLATION and of the Liberty National
Bank, also will attend.
Long and Brilliant Career.
John Bell Larner was one of the most
versatile of men Not only was he an
Unusually successful banker and lawyer
but he was a guiding spirit In many
corporations, intensely interested IN
education. stanch churchman, and a
writer on many different subjects.
Mr.. Larner was born in washington
August 3, 1858, the son OF Nople u anu
Anna NJ (Keller) Larner. He was eou-
Gated in the public schools here and
graduated from what is now the George
Washington University Law School IN
1879 with the degree Of bachelor OF
laws while the degree Of doctor OF
laws was conferred upon him by the
same university in 1904. After the
World War he was decorated py me
Red Cross of Germany, through the
German government, for distinguished
service rendered during the great
struggle.
Admitted to the District Of Columbia
bar in the same year of his law School
graduation, in 1879. Mr.. Larner was
admitted to practice before the United
States Supreme Court in 1885. AS an
attorney he specialized In the law OF
estates wills and corporations. He was
closely connected with the Washington
Loan g. Trust Co. from its organization,
being vice president and general coun-
sci of the trust company from 1883 TO
1917, when he was elected president to
succeed John Joy Edison, who was then
made chairman Of the board.
Preferred Banking to Law.
During this period as counsel for the
bank Mr. Larner found that he liked
banAlng even better than law. Almost
unconsciously at first he found himself
giving more and more time to finance
and less and less to legal matters.
While he gave up private law practice
yet Mr., Larner always did great deal
of reading along legal lines was presi-
dent and counsel of the Home Plate
Glass Insurance Co, OF Washington, vice
president of the National Union Insur-
ance Co. and of the Equitable Corpora
tive Building Association. Many years
ago he was vice president ana counsel
of the Board of Trade.
Few bankers or business men have
Eiven as much of their executive ability
to outside civic and social interests.
Mr.. Larner served on all presidential
inauguration committees from 1904 to
and including the induction into office
of President Hoover. Several years ago
he served as treasurer OF the Near East
Relief Fund in Washington, and played
an extremely important role in the great
amount of financial help rendered that
part of the world at that time. 1t was
during this crisis that the term "philan-
thropist" came to. be fittingly applied
to Mr.. Larner more than ever before.
From the days Of his early manhood
Mr.. Larner was one of the pillars OF the
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.
He was serving as president of the
Board of Trustees at the time of his
death, and at 10 was intensely con-
cerned with every department. OF the
church's activities. Three years ago,
when the congregation voted to buy
additional property adjoining the IA
nous Lincoln Church" to the west,
sentiment in favor of the purchase, ana
aided in the financial plans necessary
in carrying out such step.
John Dickson Home Official.
At the time Of his death he was vice
president of the John Dickson Home,
president of the Presbyterian Home for
fund OF the American Red Cross, and
president of the Washington Home for
FoundlingS. on account OF his deep
interest in religious progress and wide
acquaintance among church leaders, he
was elected a trustee in Princeton Theo-
logical Seminary about three years ago.
In Washington educational interests
Mr.. Larner rendered great service.
When he died he was chairman of the
Board of Trustees of George Washing
ton University. having served the lnsti-
tuition for a great many years. He was
a strong advocate of higher education,
his cooperation with the faculty to-
ward advancing standards was always
notable, and his enthusiastic efforts to-
ward the establishing Of a real college
campus and the addition of new build
ings were equally valuable to the insti-
tuition.
From 1912 to 1919 Mr.. Larner was a
member Of the Washington Board OF
Education. When away from the city
on motor trips he enjoyed nothing more
than visiting the cap1Yf IS OF leading
Eastern colleges, aler. for i5eas which
he thought might be carried out here.
He often said that he regretted the de-
clining interest in the classics in the
higher institutions of learning. He was
such a brilliant linguist himself that
many years ago he was the author of the
first English translation Of Alexander
Dumas Life of Napoleon" which caused
a great deal of comment both IN this
country and abroad.
other literary efforts included con-
siderable writing for financial maya
zines and the editing Of the RECORDS OF
the Columbia Historical Society. Since
1904 he had edited Is Of these volumes
His collection of rare books and book
plates was a notable one.
Planned Big Bank Addition.
In 1921 and 1922 Mr.. Larner was