Theodore Schulze

Theodore Schulze II, (November 16, 1889 - September 23, 1936), was a Wall Street financier and executive.

The Schulze family of which Theodore Schulze II was a worthy scion was established in this country during the middle of the 19th century by his paternal grandfather, William Lindeke, who came from Germany at twelve years of age and settled in St. Paul, Minnesota, then an outpost on the western frontier. His other grandfather on his mother's side, William Lindeke was led by the same desire to leave war torn Germany and seek peace and opportunity in St. Paul. Lindeke owned and operated one of the first flour mills in that region. He was not a politician, but took a very active part in civic affairs. Both of these grandfathers became wholesale Mercahnts, Mr. Schulze's father became a manufacturer and wholesaler of shoes, having started his business career as a notary in that line of business. He was successful and became interested in banking, eventually becoming a director of the First National Bank of St. Paul. He was also very active in civic affairs. Reared in such an atmosphere and with such family traditions, it would be expected that Theodore the younger would find his forte in the field of business, and subsequent events have shown that he made no mistake in his choice of vocation.

Theodore Schulze II was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, November 16, 1889, son of Theodore A. Schulze I and Emma (Lindeke) Schulze. His preparation for college was in the public and private schools of his native city. For higher education he attended Yale University, graduating in 1909 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. At college he became a member of the Zeta Psi Fraternity. Having completed his formal education, went to work with his father as a manufacturer of shoes at the family company Foot, Schulze & Company. At the outbreak of World War I, Theodore A. Schulze I was president of the Foot, Schulze & Company, and his son was chairman of the board of directors. Theodore Schulze II was appointed a lieutenant to the Officers' Reserve Corps and was assigned to the production department of the Ordnance Department. Later he was promoted to captain in the same branch of the service. Captain Schulze was identified with the Ordnance Department until after the Armistice was signed. He continued as an officer of the manufacturing business in St. Paul until 1928, when the business was sold. In 1918 he moved to New York City, where, with other executives from Theodore Schulze & Company, he entered the field of financial underwriting. For some years the association was more or less informal, until 1922, when the business was incorporated under the title of Theodore Schulze and Assoc. The company was concerned primarily with private banking business, underwrites securities, forming syndicates in securities, and trading various securities. Mr. Schulze was president of the company since its incorporation.

In 1916, Mr. Schulze married Margaret Boyce Thompson, daughter of William Boyce Thompson, of Yonkers, New York. Their marriage ended in divorce, Boyce Thompson sighting "abandonment" as the reason for the separation. Two children were born from this union: A son, Theodore III, and a daughter, Margaret.

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