Herman D. Aldrich
| Herman D. Aldrich | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Herman Daggett Aldrich July 6, 1801 Mattituck, Suffolk County, New York, U.S. |
| Died |
April 5, 1880 New York City, U.S. |
| Resting place | Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Residence |
14th Street, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. 200 Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Religion | Episcopal Church |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Wyman |
| Children | 3 sons, 2 daughters |
| Parent(s) | James Aldrich |
| Relatives | Thomas Underwood Dudley (son-in-law) |
Herman D. Aldrich (July 6, 1801, Mattituck, New York--April 5, 1880, New York City) was an American businessman and philanthropist in the Gilded Age.
Early life
Herman Daggett Aldrich was born on July 6, 1801 in Mattituck, New York.[1] His father, James Aldrich, was of English descent.[1]
Career
Aldrich moved to New York City, where he worked for Stephen Lockwood, a merchant.[1]
In 1820, Aldrich co-founded McCurdy and Aldrich, a dry goods commission firm, with Robert Henry McCurdy.[2] It later became known as McCurdy, Aldrich and Spencer.[2] The three partners retired circa 1860, when it became Low, Harriman & Co.[3]
Philanthropy
Aldrich made charitable contributions to St. Luke's Hospital Center.[1]
Personal life
Aldrich married Elizabeth Wyman, the daughter of Samuel Wyman, in 1840.[1] Beside three children who died in childhood, they had three sons (James H. Aldrich, William W. Aldrich, Spencer Aldrich) and two daughters (Helen Hudson Aldrich married Rev. James Nevett Steele of the Trinity Church, and Mary Elizabeth Aldrich who married Thomas Underwood Dudley, the second Episcopal Bishop of Kentucky.)[1][4] They resided on 14th Street, until they moved to 200 Madison Avenue, both of which are located in Manhattan, New York City.[3]
Death and legacy
Aldrich died on April 5, 1880 at his Madison Avenue residence.[3][5] His funeral was held as a joint ceremony with Robert Henry McCurdy, who died on the same day, at the Calvary Church.[5] The funeral was attended by Peter Cooper, William E. Dodge, Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen, James Watson Webb, Thurlow Weed, etc.[6] His sermon was given by Bishop Henry C. Potter and Reverend E. A. Washburne of the Episcopal Church.[7] He was buried at the Green-Wood Cemetery, next to McCurdy.[5]
His estate built Aldrich Court, a skyscraper located at 41-45 Broadway in Manhattan, between 1886 and 1887.[8] By September 1905, his extensive real estate holdings, inherited by his widow and valued at US$5 million, were auctioned off.[9]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hall, Henry (1895). America's Successful Men of Affairs: An Encyclopedia of Contemporaneous Biography. New York City: The New York Tribune. p. 13.
- 1 2 Ingham, John N. (1983). Biographical Dictionary of American Business Leaders. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 896.
- 1 2 3 "Herman D. Aldrich.". The New York Times. April 6, 1880. p. 5. Retrieved December 4, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "A Bishop Married. At Calvary Church.". Chicago Daily Tribune (Chicago, Illinois). June 3, 1881. p. 2. Retrieved December 4, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 "The Scythe of Death. Two of New York's Oldest and Most Esteemed Citizens Laid Side By Side.". Record of the Times (Wilkes-Barr, Pennsylvania). April 8, 1880. p. 1. Retrieved December 3, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "New York Notes.". Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan). April 11, 1880. p. 16. Retrieved December 4, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Current Events.". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York). April 8, 1880. p. 2. Retrieved December 4, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Landau, Sarah Bradford; Condit, Carl W. (1999). Rise of the New York Skyscraper: 1865-1913. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. p. 149. ISBN 0300064446. OCLC 32819286.
- ↑ "BROADWAY BUILDINGS TO GO AT AUCTION; Aldrich Estate Holdings, Valued at $5,000,000, to be Sold. ALDRICH COURT IN THE LIST The Columbia Building, Several Other Broadway Structures, and 500 Oyster Bay Lots Included.". The New York Times. September 14, 1905. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
Announcement has just been made that one of the largest auction sales of real estate ever held in this city will take place on Oct. 25 at the Vesey Street salesroom. The properties involved belong to the estate of the late Elizabeth W. Aldrich, and their value has been estimated at $5,000,000.