Here’s
some info on Thomas Wrenne:
Tennessee the Volunteer State 1769-1923: Volume 4
COLONEL THOMAS WILLIAM WRENNE.
Colonel
Thomas William Wrenne is widely and prominently known in the fields
of banking and
the law. He has been and is identified
with many
corporate interests which have been of vital force in promoting
the progress and upbuilding of the state and he has also been closely
associated with
various activities from which he has derived no personal benefit
but in which the public has been the direct beneficiary. Mr. Wrenne
came
to Tennessee from Rockbridge county, Virginia, where he was born
December 1, 1851, his parents being John and Margaret (Roche) Wrenne.
Brought
to Nashville in his early youth, he was graduated from the high
school
of this city with the class of 1870 and in the same year he entered
actively upon life's duties and responsibilities by becoming a
clerk in the chancery
court at Nashville, a position which he occupied for five years.
Gradually his interests have broadened and developed in scope,
volume and importance.
In 1875 he became superintendent and secretary and treasurer of
the South Nashville Street Railroad, with which he was thus identified
until 1882.
In the succeeding period of six years he served as clerk and master
of the chancery court and also as receiver of the Bank of Tennessee
and
thus entered into close relation with financial interests, which
have largely claimed his time and attention through the intervening
period.
In 1888 he was elected to the presidency of the McGavock & Mt.
Vernon Railroad Company and during his incumbency in that position
he was instrumental
in electrifying the road and consolidating it with several other
companies into one important corporation. He likewise inaugurated
the passenger
transfer system. It was also in the year 1888 that he was called
to the presidency of the Nashville Abstract Company, which position
he occupied
until 1894. In that year he organized the Nashville Title Company,
of which he was chosen president, continuing at the head of the business
until 1911. In 1899 he organized the firm of Thomas W. Wrenne & Company
for the conduct of a banking business, of which he has since been
the chief executive. This is today one of the old and time-honored
financial
institutions of Nashville, having from the beginning enjoyed a
most enviable reputation for stability and progressiveness. Since
its
organization Mr. Wrenne has served as president of the bank and
from the outset
has
ever recognized the fact that the financial institution is most
worthy of support and patronage which most closely safeguards the
interests
of its depositors. He has, therefore, been conservative in placing
loans and investments and at the same time his sound judgment in
such matters
has always prevented a useless restriction, so that progressiveness
has never been hampered. In 1899 Mr. Wrenne became the manager
of the loan
agency of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and has
continued in that connection through the intervening period as
representative of the corporation in Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia,
whereby millions
of
dollars have been invested by the company in the states mentioned.
In 1870 Mr. Wrenne was united in marriage to Miss Clara Virginia Hebenstreit
of Nashville and they became parents of a daughter, Tommie Wrenne. She
is now the wife of Dr. William D. Sumpter of Nashville and the mother
of four children, Clara Wrenne, Thomas Wrenne, Mary Rhea and William
D. Sumpter.
Not only have business and home interests made demands upon the time
and ability of Mr. Wrenne, but public affairs have also claimed considerable
of his attention and he has rendered to the state signal service in many
connections. He served on the staff of Governor M. R. Patterson with
the rank of colonel from 1907 until 1911 and was a member of the staff
of Governor Tom C. Rye with the rank of colonel from 1915 until 1918.
He received a similar appointment from Governor A. H. Roberts, serving
in 1919 and 1920 and was again made a member of the governor's staff
by Alfred A. Taylor for service in 1921 and 1922. His first political
position was that of member of the city council of Nashville, to which
office he was called in 1877 for a two years' term. In 1879 he became
a member of the board of education and continued in that position until
1891. He has rendered valuable aid in connection with many important
public projects. In 1896 he served as a director of the Tennessee Centennial
Exposition and vice chairman of the reception committee in charge of
those features which marked the opening exercises of the exposition.
He is a director of the Carnegie Library at Nashville and in 1907 he
was made chairman of the committee of arrangements, having in charge
the reception tendered President Roosevelt. In 1910 he was executive
officer in charge of the exercises held under the auspices of the Daughters
of the American Revolution at the dedication of the monument on the Public
Square of Nashville, erected to the memory of soldiers of the American
Revolution buried in Tennessee. He has served on the Nashville humane
commission and for years was continuously chairman of the board and is
also the author of the measure which enacted the law establishing the
commission. This was the first provision made by law in Tennessee and
probably elsewhere in America, whereby the state provided not only for
the maintenance and support of that feature of humane work, the protection
and care of animals by appropriating funds raised by taxation for the
purpose, but also for the care, protection and maintenance of men, women
and children.
When in February, 1912, General Sir Robert S. S. Baden-Powell,
founder of the Boy Scouts organization, visited Nashville, Mr.
Wrenne was
made chairman of the committee of arrangements, having in charge
the reception
tendered him. He was a member of the American committee for the
celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of peace among English
speaking
peoples in 1914 and 1915 and he was grand marshal in connection
with the celebration
of the one hundredth anniversary of Jackson's victory at Chalmette
Plains, popularly known as the battle of New Orleans, on the 8th
of January,
1814. This was featured at Nashville, on the 8th of January, 1915.
In 1908 Mr. Wrenne was elected the first president of the Nashville
High
School Alumni Association and is again filling the position at
this writing (in 1922). He has served as president of the first
Tuberculosis
League
of Nashville and also of Tennessee and he was chairman of the military
committee of Nashville and Davidson county of the Council of Defense,
during the World war period. He acted as chairman of the parade
feature in connection with the reception tendered by Nashville
and Tennessee
to the World war veterans in March and April, 1919, and has been
prominent in connection with various other public affairs, which
have figured
in the life of the capital and the commonwealth. He is well known
as the
author of an article entitled “Ireland's Sons in Tennessee,” published
in the ninety-eighth anniversary edition of the Nashville American
in 1910. In club circles, too, he is prominently known, belonging
to the
Hermitage, Nashville Press, Art and Commercial clubs. His life
has largely been one of public service, and city and state have
benefited
greatly
through his cooperation with interests of public importance.
Charles A. Leach
My wife’s great grandfather was David Wrenne, Sr., who became president of the bank when Thomas died in 1927. David, Sr. died in 1928 and David, Jr. became president - David, Jr. was president when the bank failed (not sure the exact year it failed).
Thanks Charles!-Marty
