Swing (Feb-Dec 1951)

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THE MAN OF THE MONTH 469 now Mrs. J. A. Nickell (Douglas Landers died at 43). "Marie was a wonder," he says, "and as clever, ac tive and shrewd as she was beautiful." The "kitchen cabinet threesome" of the Landers and Joe Williams became a foursome in 1914, when Joe first met Sam Herricks daughter, Nona. Nona's father had the Springfield Hudson motor car agency, where Joe and his father bought the first Williams family car. Miss Nona, a tall, attractive brovvfn-eyed beauty was practically in charge of her father's motor car business. "We'll buy the Hudson," Joe told her, "if you'll teach me to drive." And she did teach him — with subsequent dates, courtship and marriage in 1918 as the result. World War I had involved America by this time, after Germany began unrestricted submarine warfare February 1, 1917; and the United States Congress declared a state of war existed with Germany February 6. Joe felt he would have to go to war; and his pending departure was such a blow to the Landers family that they sold the bank, rather than try to run it without Joe Williams! But they hoped he would eventually return to Springfield to help them with their other enterprises. It was not to be. Mustered out of the Army in January, 1919, Sergt. Joe Williams of Battery B, 29th Field Artillery, who had trained at Camp Funston in Kansas too late to get overseas, started his return trip home via Kansas City. JOE probably didn't realise it; but two Kansas City bankers, John and Charley Moore of the old Na tional City Bank had observed his progress in Springfield, and had their eye on him as a "comer." In those days, the Mid-Day Club located on the top floor of the Commerce Building was one of the plush dining spots for Kansas City tycoons. After a casual meeting, the Moores invited Joe to lunch there, in the very building which today houses his office! The Moores were consolidating their bank with the Fidelity Trust Company to form the Fidelity National Bank and Trust Company. They offered Joe a position with the new bank as assistant cashier. Joe gave up the idea of returning to Springfield, took the job, and Kansas City gained a new and valuable citizen. Three years later, when Theodore and Hunter Gary took over the Continental National Bank, they employed fast-rising Joe Williams to help in its reorganization. This was in 1922 when the management team of Walter S. McLucas, William T. Kemper, Sr., and J. W. Perry had built the Commerce Trust Company into Kansas City's largest bank. Then McLucas of the Commerce accepted a New York offer with the National City Bank; W. T. Kemper's health failed; and Kemper and J. W. Perry sold their Commerce Trust Company stock to Theodore Gary and Associates. The Kempers repurchased the stock in 1933. Instead of going ahead with their plans to build up the Continental National, however, the Garys merged it with the Commerce. Joe Williams, who had been employed by the Garys to be their big frog in the relatively small puddle of the Continental Na