Temple Bowdoin Explained
Temple Bowdoin (July 14, 1863 – December 2, 1914) was an American businessman. While an associate of J.P. Morgan & Company, he was elected a member of the New York Stock Exchange in 1909.
Early life and education
He was born at Wolfert's Dell, Irvington, New York. He was the son of Julia Irving (née Grinnell) Bowdoin (1838–1915) and George Sullivan Bowdoin (1833–1913).[1] [2] His father was a banker who was a partner in Drexel, Morgan & Co. and a direct descendant of James Bowdoin, 2nd Governor of Massachusetts and namesake of Bowdoin College, founded by his son James Bowdoin III.[3] [4] His siblings were Fanny Hamilton Bowdoin (1866–1894),[5] who married Daniel Parish Kingsford (1858–1949),[6] and Edith Grinnell Bowdoin (1869–1943).
His paternal grandparents were George Russell James Bowdoin (1809–1870) and Frances "Fanny" (née Hamilton) Bowdoin (1813–1887). Through his paternal grandfather, he was a descendant of the Dudley-Winthrop family and through his paternal grandmother, he was the great-grandson of James Alexander Hamilton (1788–1878) and the great-great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton, the Founding Father and first Treasury Secretary of the United States, and Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, of the prominent Schuyler family. Through his mother, he was a descendant of Congressman Moses H. Grinnell, formerly the Collector of the Port of New York, as well as a descendant of Congressman William Irving and author Washington Irving.[7]
Temple Bowdoin graduated from Columbia College in 1885.[8]
Career
After college, Bowdoin spent several years traveling and then entered the banking business, clerking as a lawyer for four years at Winslow, Lanier & Co.[9] He joined J. P. Morgan & Co. in January 1891 and, two years later, was made a partner and put in charge of monitoring the firm's books, which he did until his death in 1914.[10]
He was in charge of the accounting business of J.P. Morgan & Company. Bowdoin was connected to Morgan for 25 years and a partner for 15 years. He was a director of the Niagara Development Company, Niagara Falls Power Company, and the Niagara Junction Railway Company.[11] [12]
In his will, he left all the employees of Morgan & Co. in New York and of Drexel & Co. in Philadelphia one month's salary, and those who had been in his personal service for a year or more, one year's salary.[13]
Social activities
He belonged to The Metropolitan Club, University Club of New York, New York Yacht Club, Union Club of the City of New York, St. Anthony Club, Tennis Ardsley Club, Baltusrol Golf Club, and the Automobile Club of America.[14]
In 1892, Bowdoin was included in Ward McAllister's "Four Hundred", purported to be an index of New York's best families, published in The New York Times.[15]
Personal life
On April 4, 1894, he was married to Helen Parish Kingsford (1863–1912).[16] [17] She was the daughter of Mary P. and John J. Kingsford of London, England,[16] and the sister of Bowdoin's brother-in-law.[18] Together, they were the parents of:
- Fanny Kingsford Bowdoin (1895–1899), who died young.[18]
- George Temple Bowdoin (1898–1967),[19] who served as the first mayor of Oyster Bay Cove, New York in 1932[20] and was elected to the Board of NYU in 1940.[21]
- John Temple Bowdoin (1900–1902), who also died young.[18]
His wife died on August 9, 1912. Bowdoin died at his home at 104 East 37th St. on December 2, 1914, following an operation for an intestinal disorder.[22] J.P. Morgan & Company closed for a time on the day of his death, out of respect. He was survived by a son, George Temple Bowdoin, then a student at Groton School. His estate was valued at $6,187,708, the bulk of which was left to his son.[23] His son was also heir to his grandmother's estate upon her death in 1915.[24]
Notes and References
- News: BOWDOIN ESTATE SET AT $6,600,998; Partner in the J.P. Morgan Company Left Bulk of His Property to Family. BIG SHARE TO GRANDSON Temple Bowdoin, Son, Left His Part to G.T. Bowdoin--Widow and Daughter Get Large Bequests. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. 10 August 1917.
- News: MRS. BOWDOIN LEFT ESTATE OF $641,134; Mother of Former Morgan Co. Partner Owned Realty, Stocks, and Bonds. $371,448 GOES TO DAUGHTER Grandson, Who Inherited $2,000,000 from Father, Gets $109,772 ;- $30,000 to Grace Church.. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. 22 July 1916.
- News: GEORGE S. BOWDOIN DEAD.; Retired Member of J. P. Morgan & Co. Was 81 Years Old.. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. 17 December 1913.
- Web site: Resplendent Refugee PORTLAND MAGAZINE . 2022-06-26 . en-US.
- News: DIED. Kingsford. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. 10 June 1894.
- News: DIED. Kingsford. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. August 29, 1949. en.
- Book: Emery. William Morrell. The Howland Heirs: Being the Story of a Family and a Fortune and the Inheritance of a Trust Established for Mrs. Hetty H. R. Green. 1919. E. Anthony and Sons, Incorporated. 273–274. 4 October 2017. en.
- News: Temple Bowdoin Dead, Partner In J. P. Morgan &, Co. and Stock Exchange Member. The New York Times. December 3, 1914. 13.
- Book: Pak. Susie J.. Gentlemen Bankers: The World of J. P. Morgan. 2013. Harvard University Press. 9780674075597. 280. 4 October 2017. en.
- Book: Carosso. Vincent P.. Carosso. Rose C.. The Morgans: Private International Bankers, 1854-1913. 1987. Harvard University Press. 9780674587298. 306. registration. 4 October 2017. en.
- Book: Poor's Manual of Public Utilities: Street, Railway, Gas, Electric, Water, Power, Telephone and Telegraph Companies. 1914. Poor's Railroad Manual Company. 1236. 4 October 2017. en.
- Book: Niagara Power; History of the Niagara Falls Power Company, 1886-1918. 1927. Priv. Print. for the Niagara Falls Power Company. 4 October 2017. en.
- News: BOWDOIN MILLIONS TO 16-YEAR-OLD SON; Will of Morgan Partner Provides That Youth Must Be Brought Up in America. GETS THE ESTATE AT 30 If He Dies Before That Age Property Is Divided Between Colleges and Charity.. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. January 5, 1915.
- Book: Kennan. George. Railroad Tycoon: A Biography of E.H. Harriman (Vol. I & II, Abridged, Annotated). 2014. BIG BYTE BOOKS. 33. 4 October 2017. en.
- News: McAllister. Ward. THE ONLY FOUR HUNDRED WARD M'ALLISTER GIVES OUT THE OFFICIAL LIST. HERE ARE THE NAMES, DON'T YOU KNOW, ON THE AUTHORITY OF THEIR GREAT LEADER, YOU UNDER- STAND, AND THEREFORE GENUINE, YOU SEE.. 26 March 2017. The New York Times. 16 February 1892. en.
- News: Bowdoin -- Kingsford. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. 5 April 1894.
- News: DIED. Bowdoin. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. 12 August 1912.
- Book: Reynolds. Cuyler. Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Building of a Nation. 1914. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. 1193. en.
- News: GEORGE BOWDOIN, A RETIRED BANKER; Philanthropist and Clubman Dies at 68 on Long Island. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. January 28, 1967.
- News: OYSTER BAY COVE ELECTS.; G.T. Bowdoin Chosen First Mayor of New Village.. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. January 15, 1932.
- News: BOWDOIN ON N.Y.U. BOARD; Banker and Philanthropist Is Elected to Governing Body. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. 19 February 1940.
- News: Temple Bowdoin Dead. The Wall Street Journal. December 3, 1914. 5.
- News: TEMPLE BOWDOIN LEFT $6,187,708; State of Partner in J.P. Morgan & Co. Shown in Tax Proceedings. FIRM'S PROFITS DISCLOSED Averaged $2,138,375 a Year From 1905 to 1914--Good-Will Appraisal Disputed.. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. 3 November 1922.
- News: G.T. BOWDOIN HEIR TO ANOTHER ESTATE; 16-Year-Old Boy, Who Recently Inherited $2,000,000, Gets Legacy from Grandmother. BIG BEQUESTS TO CHARITY Mrs. Julia Irving Grinnell Bowdoin Leaves $30,000 to Grace Church -- $10,000 to Temperance Society.. 4 October 2017. The New York Times. 18 March 1915.
