Charles Frederick Berwind Explained

Office:President of Berwind-White Coal Mining Company
Term Start:1886
Term End:1890
Predecessor:Inaugural holder
Successor:Edward Julius Berwind
Birth Date:1 April 1846
Birth Place:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Death Place:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Resting Place:West Laurel Hill Cemetery
Children:4
Relations:Edward J. Berwind (brother)
Julia A. Berwind (sister)
Robert E. Strawbridge Jr. (grandson)

Charles Frederick Berwind (April 1, 1846 – December 4, 1890) was a founder of the Berwind-White Coal Mining Company, serving as its first president.

Early life

Berwind was born on April 1, 1846, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the eldest of five sons born to German immigrants Augusta (née Guldenferring) Berwind (1821–1904) and John Berwind (1813–1893).[1] [2] Among his siblings was Edward Julius Berwind,[3] and sister Julia A. Berwind, a social welfare activist.[4]

Career

After receiving an education in the public schools, he entered the office of R. H. Powel & Co. as an office boy in 1861. He was rapidly promoted and, in 1863, when Powelton Coal and Iron Company was formed, he was made assistant to the president before being promoted to vice-president upon reaching the age of majority. In 1869, he formed Berwin & Bradley, taking over the coal business of the Powelton company. In 1874, Berwind joined White & Lingle.[5]

In 1886, Berwind went into business with his younger brother, Edward, and Judge Allison White; co-founding Berwind, White & Company, which was incorporated as Berwind-White.[6] The Berwinds worked closely with J. P. Morgan in the consolidation, reorganization, integration, and expansion of his coal mining operations.[7] After his death in 1890, his brother Edward became sole manager of the company.[8]

Berwind served as president of the Pennsylvania and Northwestern Railroad Company, a director of the Girard Life Insurance Company, of the Girard National Bank and of various coal and lumber companies.[5]

Personal life

Berwind was married to Anita Hickman (1852–1922),[9] the daughter of Cheyney Hickman, a government director of the Bank of the United States.[10] Anita was born in Río Cuarto, Argentina, where her family fled after her father committed financial fraud.[11] [12] Together, they were the parents of four daughters, two of whom married into the European aristocracy:[13]

Berwind died of Bright's disease at his residence in Philadelphia on December 4, 1890.[24] His widow died at the home of their youngest daughter Frederica in Paris in April 1922.[9] [25]

Estate and descendants

In 1918, during World War I, Alien Property Custodian A. Mitchell Palmer took over the property and trust funds of American women who had married Germans and Austrians and that of the German and Austrian heirs of such former American women.[26] At the time, Gertrude, Baroness von Boecklin of Rust, Ringsheim in Baden, Germany, had her assets seized, which included the more than $300,000 in property that was placed in trust from her father's estate.[26]

Through his daughter Edith, he was a grandfather of Alta von Kleist (d. 1967),[27] who first married Count James de Martino of Rome in 1933.[28] [29] Asta later married Jean Paul-Boncour (the French Ambassador to Argentina and Thailand whose brother, Joseph Paul-Boncour, was the Prime Minister of France[30]).[17]

Through his daughter Gertrude, he was a grandfather of Baron Ruprecht von Boecklin of 277 Park Avenue,[31] [32] who inherited the Baroness' estate upon her death.[33]

Through his daughter Anita, he was a grandfather of Anita Strawbridge (wife of Lt. Cmdr. Hon. Theodore P. Grosvenor),[34] [35] and Robert Early Strawbridge Jr. (1896–1986), a polo champion and chairman of the United States Polo Association.[36]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Group . Berwind . Berwind . Charles Graham . The History of Berwind, 1886-1993 . 1993 . Berwind Group . 4 November 2019 . en.
  2. Book: Ingham . John N. . Biographical Dictionary of American Business Leaders . 1983 . Greenwood Publishing Group . 9780313239076 . 69-70 . registration . 4 November 2019 . en.
  3. News: E J. Berwind Dies; Coal Operator, 88; Said to Have Been Country's Largest Individual Owner of Bituminous Mines. Also a Patron of Arts Colleague of J. Pierpont Morgan Had Wide Railroad, Utilities and Steel Interests. . 4 November 2019 . . 19 August 1936.
  4. News: Julia A. Berwind, a Society Figure; Leader Here and in Newport Dies -- Did Welfare Work . . May 18, 1961 . 2009-09-08 .
  5. News: Philadelphia Affairs. Death of Charles F. Berwind and Dunbar Price--Reading Terminal . 3 March 2020 . . 5 December 1890 . 3.
  6. Book: The Trow City Directory Co.'s, Formerly Wilson's, Copartnership and Corporation Directory of New York City . 1889 . Trow . 27 . 3 March 2020 . en.
  7. Book: Mulrooney . Margaret M. . A Legacy of Coal: The Coal Company Towns of Southwestern Pennsylvania . 1989 . Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record . 51 . 3 March 2020 . en.
  8. News: Berwind-White Coal Shifts Its Officers; E.J. Berwind Retires as President to Become Chairman--Other Changes in Corporations. . 3 March 2020 . . 5 January 1930.
  9. Deaths . . June 1922 . 74 . 3 March 2020 . . en.
  10. Book: Report of the Committee of Investigation Appointed at the Meeting of the Stockholders of the Bank of the United States, Held January 4, 1841: Made to an Adjourned Meeting, Held April 5, 1841 : Also a Report of the Board of Directors . 1841 . 64 . 3 March 2020 . en.
  11. Web site: BERWIND/HICKMAN . www.thewindberproject.org . 3 March 2020 . en . 17 August 2018.
  12. Book: Pennsylvania Law Journal . 1845 . Walker . 87 . 3 March 2020 . en.
  13. News: Former American Women, Now Wives of German Noblemen, Return to America . 3 March 2020 . Morning Press . 126 . 25 January 1920. 48.
  14. News: Times . Special to The New York . Mrs. Strawbridge Dead in Newport; Wife of the Vice President of Philadelphia Department Store Stricken on Visit Active in Civic Affairs Had Been Commended by Queen Elizabeth for Work in Aiding British Relief . 3 March 2020 . . 21 July 1942.
  15. News: Times . Special to The New York . Robert Strawbridge Dies at 93; Headed Department Store Chain . 3 March 2020 . . 25 December 1963.
  16. News: Deaths . 3 March 2020 . . 12 December 1963.
  17. News: Edith von Kleist Dies in Geneva . 3 March 2020 . . 13 December 1963 . 42.
  18. News: Baroness Boecklin.; Former Gertrude Berwind of Philadelphia Dies in Geneva. . 3 March 2020 . . 10 October 1929.
  19. News: Times . Special to The New York . Von Bocklinsau -- Berwind. . 3 March 2020 . . 16 October 1900.
  20. News: Mask and Wig Man Marries Debutant Smart Set Witnesses Nuptials of Miss Berwind and Mr. Charles Gilpin, 3rd . 3 March 2020 . . 24 April 1903 . 9.
  21. News: Mrs. Gilpin Weds Mr. Harjes in Paris; Only Members of the Two Families and Official Witnesses at the Church Ceremony. . 3 March 2020 . . 21 February 1911.
  22. News: Times . Special Cable to The New York . H.H. Harjes Dies from Polo Injury; Head of Morgan Banking Firm in Paris Was Thrown From Horse at Deauville. Unconscious Until Death Banker Won Croix de Guerre in World War and Was a Leader in Finance. . 3 March 2020 . . 22 August 1926.
  23. News: Times . Special to The New York . Mrs. Porter, Aided France in 2 Wars; Organizer of Hospital at the Front in 1914 Dies---Set Up Relief Groups Here . 3 March 2020 . . 14 June 1954.
  24. News: Obituary Notes. . 3 March 2020 . . 5 December 1890.
  25. News: Obituary Notes Mrs. Charles Frederick Berwind . 3 March 2020 . . 30 April 1922.
  26. News: Palmer Takes Over American Trusts; Property Custodian Attaching Funds of Women Married to Germans and Austrians. Will Exceed $21,300,000 Countess Szechenyl, Formerly Gladys Vanderbilt, at Head of List with $9,000,000. Berwind Estate Affected. $4,000,000 Securities Taken Over. . 3 March 2020 . . 5 November 1918.
  27. News: Mrs. Paul-Boncour . 3 March 2020 . . 16 July 1967.
  28. News: Times . Special to The New York . Asta Kleist to Marry.; Daughter of Philadelphia Baroness Engaged to Count de Martino. . 3 March 2020 . . 7 May 1933.
  29. News: Times . Wireless to The New York . Count J. De Martino Weds Ast a De Kleist; Church Ceremony In Geneva for Philadelphia Girl and Resident of Rome. . 3 March 2020 . . 15 September 1933.
  30. News: Joseph Paul‐Boncour Is Dead; Ex‐Premier of France Was 98 . 3 March 2020 . . 30 March 1972.
  31. News: Troth is Announced of Miss Jane Brand; Chicago Girl Is Engaged to Baron von Boecklin of New York City. . 3 March 2020 . . 28 July 1934.
  32. News: Times . Special to The New York . Baron Von Boecklin Wed; Marries Miss Jane Brand at Lake Geneva, Ill. . 3 March 2020 . . 22 August 1934.
  33. News: Boecklin Estate to Son; Former Baroness Who Left $1,190,652 Had Made No Will. . 3 March 2020 . . 24 March 1931.
  34. News: Grosvenor--Strawbridge . 3 March 2020 . . 15 June 1923.
  35. News: Times . Wireless to The New York . Hon. Anita Grosvenor Hurt As Horse Falls; Former Miss Strawbridge of Philadelphia Thrown in Riding With Cottesmore Hounds. . 3 March 2020 . . 18 January 1931.
  36. News: Robert Strawbridge Jr. Dies. Former Polo Star and Official . Robert E. Strawbridge Jr., one of the nation's leading polo players in the 1920s and 1930s and a longtime official of the sport, died Thursday at his farm in Chatham, Pa. ... He was elected chairman of the United States Polo Association in 1936 and retained the post for two decades. . . March 8, 1986 . 2011-03-29 .

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