What was the beginning of Girard’s foray into farming?
In 1797-1798, Girard came into the possession of two parcels
of land aggregating seventy-five acres in what was then Passyunk Township; in
that time he wrote to his French correspondent that he had lately purchased
these two properties in the country situated three miles from Philadelphia on
the road to Fort Mifflin.1
Did this letter to
his French correspondent have a purpose?
Girard requested his correspondent to send by the ship Good Friends some roots of Muscat vines
and any other good white grapes grown in France. In the same year he also
directed that his Bordeaux correspondent send him twelve large hens and two
cockerels specifying that he wished those with large combs.
Was Girard considered
a competent farmer?
In 1830, the
Horticulture Society of Pennsylvania recognized Girard’s farms as being among
the best.
What were some of the trees and plants that Girard had
in the garden area?
The garden included an acre and a
half of fine vegetables, including America's first artichokes and a variety of
imported grape vines. Fruits, lemons,
mandarin oranges, and the only known citrons grown in this country, filled his
greenhouse. Finally, the report shows
that the farm was profuse with jasmine bushes, and 20 feet high Marseillaise
fig trees, and included 13 horses, 18 oxen, and 28 pigs. Later, the farms became the site of
a federal housing project, a Government Depot, League Island (now Roosevelt)
Golf Course, Girard Point Terminal, the Food Distribution Center and the Girard
Estate homes.
How much time did Girard spend on his farming?
Although Girard remained active in banking until his death,
as he aged, he devoted increasingly more time to his farm. It was located in
Passyunk Township, now South Philadelphia, and he called it the Places. He
bought this farm and farmhouse in 1797 from George Copper who obtained it
through default from Henry Seckel.
Seckel used this farm to introduce and grow Seckel pears. It consisted of two lots totaling 75 acres. The east wing of the farmhouse was built
about 1750.
Did Girard expand the farm from the original 75 acres?
Girard added the middle
section of the house in 1800 and the west wing in 1825.
He hired a caretaker, increased the productivity of the orchard, added
crops and cattle and marketed his products.
As the years passed, he purchased nearby acres, and when he died he had
accumulated 583 acres.
When was the house on
Water Street built and what was its basic design?
The house was built during 1795 and occupied sometime in
August 1796, when he explains his delay in answering Mr. Douglas by saying that
he had removed his counting house and that his papers were a little deranged. It
was a four story, brick structure with a sloping roof surmounted by a railing
and flanked by two great chimneys, one on either side. On an adjoining lot was
the public counting house where most of his commercial business was done. The
house was unpretentious but substantial but he liked refined furnishing. He
ordered from Bordeaux a mahogany sofa, twelve armchairs covered with blue
damask or satin, finished as plain as possible. He also ordered three oval
looking glasses with golden frames.2
On the ground floor there were two counting rooms – one
private and the other public. There were steps leading down to the wine cellar
and more steps leading to the first floor. On the first floor there was the
dining room behind which was a tiled kitchen. The drawing rooms occupied the
entire second floor. Sleeping apartments were on the third floor. Girard’s room
was in the rear. On the night table, Girard kept an unloaded brace of splendid
blunderbusses with brass barrels and steel bayonets. The fourth floor was used
by the servants. 3
Is it true that
Girard was one of the first residents of Philadelphia to use coal as a means of
heating his home?
Yes. In William Wagner’s Lecture 5, he speaks about Girard
buying his coal from England which lasted him more than a year for each cargo.
The rest he stored on his wharf.
What was Girard’s
library like?
He had about 150 bound volumes and 25 unbound pamphlets
chiefly in the French language. He had the complete writings of Voltaire which
were published in 1785.4
What books other than
the works of Voltaire did Girard keep in his library?
Aside from the works of Voltaire, Girard's most extensive
collection of books consisted of various dictionaries of agriculture one of
these was a ten volume work under the title Cours
Complet d’agriculture, edited by Rozier and published in Paris from 1791 to
1800. This was an extensive work of approximately six hundred pages in each
volume.5
What other subjects
interested Girard as seen in his book collection?
He was interested in building rustic houses, the economy of
farm life, the goodness of nature and animal husbandry.6
What farm property fruit
trees gave Girard the most pleasure?
On the farm, Stephen had a small green house 25 feet long
that was well stocked with lemons, mandarins, oranges and many other kinds of
fruit all large and beautiful. There was
a variety of citrons and a curious play of nature in some fruit that had the
appearance of a half-closed hand. The tree which bore this singularly shaped
fruit was said to be unique. Nothing of the kind existed anywhere in the United
States.7
Turning to the
politics of the time, why did President Washington send John Jay to England?
Washington believed that a conciliatory tone should be set
in negotiations with the British, instead of exerting pressure on them to put
an end to their aggressions.8
Was the Jay Treaty
signed by both countries?
It was signed by John Jay and the British on November 19th
1794.
Why wasn’t there a
public outcry before the treaty was signed?
It had been kept secret from the public.
What was the final
outcome of this agreement?
The American public was furious. It thought that Jay had
given away the store. When Jefferson became president in 1801, he did not
repudiate the treaty. He kept the Federalist minister, Rufus King, in London to
negotiate a successful resolution to outstanding issues regarding cash payments
and boundaries. The treaty broke down when it expired in 1805.
Jefferson rejected a renewal of the Jay Treaty in the Monroe-Pinkney Treaty of
1806 as negotiated by his diplomats and agreed to by London. Relations turned
increasingly hostile as a prelude to the War of 1812. George Wilson writes that
in 1815, the Treaty of Ghent superseded the Jay Treaty. The angst that Girard
suffered when the Jay Treaty was approved by the Washington administration
years earlier was relieved when Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801.
Girard worked on Jefferson's behalf toward his election and was rewarded when
Jefferson made drastic changes in foreign policy, changes that Girard had
wanted and was denied by the Jay Treaty. Jefferson also took other measures to
gain safety for ships at sea from which Girard took pleasure and comfort.
Jefferson was Girard's kind of president.9
What tangible results
did the Treaty of Ghent secure?
Great Britain did not agree to end impressment of American
citizens into the British navy but the practice did end. The harassing of
American merchant ships did stop.
Did Girard always
stand with Jefferson in political matters?
Although Girard was an admirer of Thomas Jefferson and was
identified with numerous activities of the Republican Party, he was a firm
believer in the United States Bank standing on this question against Jefferson
and in support of Hamilton and the Federalist Party.10
When did the first
United States Bank open?
The first United States Bank was opened in Carpenter's Hall
in 1791 where it continued until 1797 at which date it moved to its new
building on South Third Street. In addition, it established branches in different cities throughout the country. The bank operated under a charter
granted by Congress for twenty years on January 23, 1810.11
How did Girard react
when John Adams won the presidency?
Adams would represent the same politics as Washington in dealing
with England. Adams was a Federalist and Girard was a Republican. Girard, as a
party manager, served as treasurer and donated generously to his party.
Pennsylvania, at that time, allowed only tax payers to vote. Girard would then
pay the delinquent poll taxes for numbers of good republicans who had either
been too careless or too poor to qualify as voters.
Did Girard take an
active role in politics?
Girard participated actively in the presidential contest of
1800. In that year he was a candidate on the Republican ticket for a seat on
the Select Council of Philadelphia. He was elected in a great landslide to the
Republican Party. When in 1801, the Republicans in Philadelphia formed a
committee for a public celebration on March 4th, Girard presented
the “powder necessary to make the celebration a noisy one.” The Committee of
Arrangements thanked Girard for his donation of gun powder for the celebration.
12
How did Great Britain
react to the rapid rise of Napoleon?
The coup d’état of the19th Brumaire which established the
consulate in France was followed at once by the drafting of a new Constitution
and its promulgation on the fifteenth of December, 1799. Napoleon, who easily gained
the mastery over his colleagues, set himself at once to make peace with the
powers of the Coalition and on December twenty-fifth addressed notes to Great
Britain and Austria proposing that an end be put to the war. Great Britain
rejected the offer, Austria did not accept, and in May, 1800, Napoleon made his
famous crossing of the Great St. Bernard and descended on Italy. Marengo and
Hohenlinden followed and in February, 1801, at Luneville, Austria made peace.
Naples did the same in March; the other powers signed treaties during the year,
and Great Britain, who for eight years had been at war with France, signed
preliminary articles at London in October, 1 801. The terms were discussed and
finally settled at Amiens in 1802.
In December, 1801, the United States Senate ratified the
Convention of September, 1800, which put an end to our war with France. As
amended by the Senate, the Convention had been returned to Napoleon for his
approval of the restriction which limited its duration to a period of eight
years, and of the dropping of the second article which provided for a further
consideration, some time in the future, of the question of damages for
spoliations on our commerce. Determined to pay no damages, Napoleon saw in this
action of the Senate a chance to be rid of a troublesome issue, and in giving
his approval added the words that he did " accept, ratify and affirm the
above convention, with the addition imparting that this convention shall be in
force for the space of eight years, and with the retrenchment of the second
article; Provided that by this retrenchment the two States renounce the respective claims which
are the object of the said article."
On May 16, 1803, Great Britain declared war on France, but
really on Napoleon, and opened a struggle which ended on the field of Waterloo.
Great Britain blockaded the mouths of the Elbe and the Weser, and Napoleon,
on July 15, by a decree barred from every port of France any vessel which had
cleared from Great Britain.
How did Girard plan
to use Amelia Island as a refuge?
With the belligerence of Great Britain on the one hand and
the unpredictable aggression of Napoleon on the other, Girard decided to
shelter his ship Good Friends with
its cargo of more than a hundred thousand dollars in the Spanish port of Amelia
Island (in present-day Florida). He had no intention of risking a loss of ship
and cargo on the open seas. Events, however, conspired against Girard. The
Spanish were driven off the island by American forces. Since some of the cargo
consisted of British made items which were forbidden by American custom laws,
Girard was faced with a large bill.
How did Stephen’s
brother John interpret the naming of the vessel Good Friends?
John thought that Stephen’s naming of the ship was a token
that their fraternal quarrels had ended.
Were John Girard’s
efforts in trans-Atlantic trade successful?
John had not fully understood the dangers of trade on the
high seas. With money he could ill afford, he bought a brig and hired a captain
to sail it. Unfortunately, it was captured by the British which ended John’s
business career.
When did Girard’s
brother John die?
John died of tropical fever in the West Indies on November 4th
1803. He was fifty-five years old. After the death of his brother, Stephen took
John’s three daughters to his own home and provided for their maintenance and
education and except for the brief time when two of them attended a boarding
school, they continued to reside with him until their several marriages. He
appeared to have enjoyed the companionship of these young women and with their
assistance he gave hospitable entertainment to numerous visitors.13
Did Stephen continue
this kindness after two of John's daughters were married?
Yes. When the women had children of their own, he liked to
have them around the house and felt it his right to have the little people
close by.14
Was it during this
period, after the Napoleonic Wars, that Girard grew more attentive to his
family, friends and French refugees?
Yes. The most familiar of all the French refugees was Joseph
Bonaparte, King of Naples and later King of Spain who first came to New York
incognito. At the outset, Joseph Bonaparte was coldly received in America but
Stephen Girard became his close friend and trusted adviser. In addition, Girard welcomed other refugees
who had sought safety in America following the wars. Girard also provided for
the support of his aunt Ann Lafargue and his sister Victoire in France and
extended aid to his brother Etienne when he made it known he was in need. The service of Girard to the
children of his brother Etienne and the further fact that he had a strong
attachment for his grand-niece Caroline Lallemand show Girard's love for
children, his interest in education and his affection for the members of his own
family.15
Where did Joseph
Bonaparte live while he was in the Philadelphia area?
Joseph established himself at Bordentown, New Jersey to be
within easy reach of both New York and Philadelphia. When in Philadelphia, he
occupied a house belonging to Stephen Girard at the southeast corner of Twelfth
and Market Streets in what was called Girard Row. 16
Concerning the house wanted by Joseph Bonaparte, Girard
wrote: "I have not yet been able to find a house that would suit you. The
advertisement on this subject is still in two of our papers. Mr. Meany intends
to rent one of his houses; one is new and is situated on 9th Street between Spruce
and Pine and the other on Walnut Street near 10th. If the accommodation and the
houses suit you, I am sure that the proprietor, whom I know very well, would give
you your choice." Girard, unfortunately, had overlooked the little
formality of consulting Mrs. Meany, who now wrote: "Mr. Bonaparte called
on Captain Meany this morning to rent the house in which he now lives to which
he in part consented, but as it would be very disagreeable and particularly
inconvenient for me to move at this inclement season (December), and what I
cannot possibly consent to, therefore if you will represent the case so as to abbreviate
the difficulty you will ever oblige." The house in question was that on
Walnut Street for which a lease to the Count had already been signed by Mr. Meany.
The rent was to be $1200 a year.”
How did Bonaparte’s
visits to Girard’s home affect Stephen?
Often solitary and morose, Girard developed in his later
years a more frequent tendency to smile, especially after the arrival of his
friend Joseph Bonaparte and other guests that lifted his spirit.
How did his
acquaintances in France hope that Girard would spend his money in the country
of his origins?
They hoped he would bring his wealth to Europe and the
opportunity he would have to be the guide and patron of French merchants and to
engage in the cultivation of beautiful vineyards and the development of
extensive herds in the fertile fields of Languedoc. Finally Girard was pictured
as dying after he had founded a magnificent, benevolent institution in Paris,
his name descending as a blessing to the poor and homeless.
How had life in
France changed?
In a letter to one of his correspondents, Girard requested a
"candid opinion respecting political events as far as it related (to)
commercial interests." The events were well worthy of consideration even
from a commercial point of view. The French Republic had ceased to exist. In
its place was the Emperor Napoleon.
What effect did these
events have on commerce?
The effects on world commerce were duly reported to Girard
by his correspondents in accordance with his request. A Liverpool house,
complaining of the dullness of trade, said: "This unusual depression is
not to be attributed to any considerable increase in our general importations.
The unsettled state of the continent has shaken that confidence so necessary to
trade.”
How did the Battle of
Trafalgar prove Great Britain’s superiority and change the conditions of war at
sea?
The Battle of
Trafalgar was fought on October 21st 1805 off Cape Trafalgar on the
Spanish coast, between the combined fleets of Spain and France and the Royal
Navy. It was the last great sea action of the period and its significance to
the outcome of the war in Europe is still debated by historians. The
French and the English were intermittently at war with each other and Girard's
ships and cargoes were often confiscated.
What was the concern
of the French when Wellington moved into Bordeaux?
The concern was that their lives would be once again torn
apart.
Were these fears
realized as the troops arrived in France?
After the occupation of Bordeaux, Madame Capeyron (Sophie
Marie Girard) wrote: "It has fallen
into the power of Louis XVIII. All I can tell you of my own knowledge is that
the expectation of a real calamity which we believed would overtake us on the
arrival of the English and Portuguese which was to be nothing less than death
and pillage, has not happened and that everything passed off without any
disturbance whatever.”17
Did Girard hear again
from Madame Capeyron on this subject?
As soon as the news arrived, Madame Capeyron made haste to
tell it. "I reopen my letter to tell you that Paris has been taken in the
name of Louis XVIII. Bonaparte has abdicated his Crown and they have allowed
him an annual income of six million. The members of the Senate have all been
made peers of France and their salaries are to be continued.”
Did Girard ever marry
his longtime mistress, Sally Bickham?
No, Sally left Girard to get married. In 1796, the family
atmosphere was markedly changed. Sally Bickham had been Girard's surrogate wife
for nine years. The parting was amicable and Girard was sorry to see her leave,
but he did not spend much time alone.
How did Sally
Bickham’s leaving affect Girard?
Girard had never considered that Sally was essential to him.
He had not known how deeply his feelings ran for her. Only after she had gone
away with Charles Harrison did Stephen realize his deep fondness for the
laughing girl.18
What realization did
Sally come to regarding her feelings for Girard?
Her devotion to Girard was evoked more
for his kindness to her brother than to Girard the man.
What happened to
Sally Bickham after leaving Girard?
When Sally’s husband died years later, she rented a smaller
house that Girard owned. There is no evidence that she wanted to return to her
former status but that position had already been filled by Polly Kenton.
Somewhat desperate, Sally began to take up with various men and her reputation
was the talk of the neighbors. When Girard heard about her lifestyle, he sent
her a note, giving her three months to vacate his property.
How did Sally respond
to the note from Girard?
Sally did not write to Girard but her sister Isabella did
saying that Girard had acted improperly with Sally who had lived with Girard as
his wife for eight or nine years. Girard ignored this letter.
What do we know about
Girard’s second mistress?
The parting of Sally Bickham was amicable and Girard was
sorry to see her leave, but he did not tarry long in replacing Sally. Shortly
after her departure, Girard took another mistress. Polly Kenton, a laundress,
twenty-six years younger than Girard, and only twenty-six years of age, moved
into the Girard house. Girard's fortune had grown considerably and at that time
was in excess of $250,000, and he was well on his way to becoming a millionaire.
Polly Kenton saw that as incentive to take on the role as mistress. She did not
disappoint Girard, giving him all the comforts that such a relationship
included. In return, Girard lavished upon her gifts of extreme extravagance, a
contradiction to the austerity he normally exhibited, especially in business
matters. But Polly was a woman cut from the same cloth as Girard; she worked
hard and expected others to do the same. Aside from his love for her, Girard
wanted to honor his mistress with gifts that would please her as a woman.
What might Girard
have looked for in Polly?
Polly Kenton, happy, buxom, competent, was, although young,
more mother than mistress. She symbolized, perhaps, the mother Girard had lost.19
How did Girard know
Polly?
She had been coming to the house to take away the soiled
laundry. Sally didn’t like her because of her direct ways but Stephen did like
her. It wasn’t long before he suggested she take on the post as housekeeper. He
didn’t, however, move her into his home until he was sure he wanted it. He
discovered that she was no nonsense and honest.20
According to many, who were the five most important persons in Philadelphia during that period?
It may be disputable but the names might be: William Penn,
Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Stephen Girard and Walt Whitman. 21
The names of Benjamin
Franklin and Stephen Girard are often joined when speaking of philanthropy and
development of their era. Is this an accurate statement?
Girard was inspired by Franklin. Girard observed the
progress of the University of Pennsylvania which was founded by Franklin along with the Philadelphia
Public Library, the Philadelphia Hospital and learned from the ideas and
problems encountered by the planners. Girard was to create a school for poor
fatherless boys many years later.22
Was Girard politically
motivated?
He rubbed elbows with the greatest figures of the Colonial
Period. He was a progressive but still managed to get along with the
conservatives. Similar to Franklin, he wanted education to be within the reach
of all people. Showing his willingness to support both sides of the aisle,
Girard assisted in the raising of a liberty-pole in the Presidency of John
Adams and gave his full backing to Thomas Jefferson. For as long as he lived,
he held the name of Thomas Jefferson in high esteem.
Why did Girard feel
especially close to Franklin, Jefferson and Paine?
All three spoke French and had great respect for the French
people. Both Franklin and Jefferson had traveled to France on official business.
What did Girard have
to say about Thomas Paine?
According to Elbert Hubbard, in the time of Girard, the
names of Franklin, Jefferson and Paine were reviled, renounced and denounced by
good society; and it was in defending these men that Girard brought down upon
himself the contumely that endures--in attenuation, at least--even unto this
day.
What did Paine teach
Girard?
According to Hubbard, Paine taught Girard the iniquity and
folly of a dogmatic religion: the religion that was so sure it was right, and
so certain that all others were wrong, that it would, if it could, force
humanity at point of the sword to accept its standards.
Why was it said that
Stephen Girard was a master at lease agreements?
When business was slow, he would ask for a long term lease
renewal which pleased the landlord. Girard’s ability to sense an upward trend
allowed him to make a fortune while still paying a modest rent. This he would
do time and time again.
Many folks described
Girard as tight-fisted and stingy. How does that explain his tremendous
generosity and philanthropy?
It’s true that there seems to be a paradox. Perhaps where
Girard found illness or extreme poverty, he opened his heart and wallet. He was
known to pay low wages to his employees but he considered the wages fair. When
a ship captain in Girard’s fleet wanted to transfer to another ship, he said:
“You are discharged, sir. I do not make the voyage for my captains but for
myself.” To family members he was especially tight during the early years. They would ask for
frivolous things and he would scorn them and tell them to work for what they
wanted to buy.23
Could Girard be
considered capricious and eccentric?
That is an accurate assessment. On one occasion, an esteemed
Quaker asked Girard for a donation for the Pennsylvania Hospital. Girard
replied: “Call on me tomorrow morning, Mr. Coates, and if you find me on a
right footing, I will do something.” The next day Mr. Coates had breakfast with
Girard and received a check for five hundred dollars. When the Episcopalians
asked Girard for a donation, he wrote out a check for five hundred dollars.
Looking at the check, they asked Girard to add a zero to make it five thousand
dollars. He took back the check to correct it but tore it up instead. He was
capricious.24
How did Girard extend
his influence into South America?
Girard recognized the importance of aiding the
revolutionaries fighting for independence in South America. The leader of this
fight to free the people from the power of the Europeans who controlled all the
land and the wealth was Simon Bolivar.
Who paid Girard a
personal visit on behalf of Simon Bolivar?
It was Vincent Bolivar, Simon’s brother. Vincent came to ask
Girard’s help to procure arms and money to support a revolution against Spanish
rule in Venezuela. Girard was eager to help this worthy cause.25
How did Girard
approach the US Government to cover his activities with Bolivar?
Stephen wrote a letter to Secretary of State Monroe, not to
ask further assistance for the revolutionaries but to make sure he had not done
anything illegal. He merely asked if it were possible for a private citizen to
send arms to such a worthy cause.
There is no evidence that Girard ever received an answer to this query. 26
In his book, Stephen
Girard, America’s First Tycoon, George Wilson addresses the extreme plight
of South America in the nineteenth century with its pervading poverty and
overbearing upper classes. This was slavery at its most heinous form. In the
chapter on Simon Bolivar, Wilson speaks of Stephen Girard’s concern.
“Wars of independence were
brewing in South America early in the nineteenth century. They were led by Simon
Bolivar, who became known as the Great Liberator, and they were successful
because there were brave men willing to fight to be free. Most importantly, victory
was achieved because these men had arms and ammunition to fight with. Wars are
not won by bravery alone.
Stephen Girard’s role in
supplying weapons and munitions to Bolivar and his freedom fighters is a
noteworthy sidelight in the history of South America. Girard gave Bolivar the
lift he needed when he needed it the most—when he was a nobody, when he was
unknown, when he was unsung, when he was unheard of. Later, there were many who
climbed on Bolivar’s bandwagon, but it was Girard who led the parade.
When Bolivar, with few guns,
little money and hardly any followers, first dared to dream of challenging and
defeating the mighty European powers that were entrenched in South America,
there were many who thought he was a fool. Nonetheless, Girard could see the
potential for triumph against seemingly impossible odds. U.S. foreign aid had not
been invented yet. Covert operations abroad were a nonexistent concept in
Washington. A fledgling America was still shying from international entanglements.
The laws of the United States frowned on unauthorized acts of war by private
citizens against sovereign governments.
In spite of these deterrents,
Girard financed the shipment of guns and ammunition to subjugated peoples in
South America in the name of liberty and justice. He put weaponry in the hands
of rebels desperately and urgently in want, rebels who were asking only for a
chance to fight and perhaps to die for their objectives. Girard was not the kind
to let legalisms stand in the way of a good cause.
There are many dimensions to
this improbable story. It seems odd that a maritime merchant sitting in his counting-house
in Philadelphia would become involved in the activities of an obscure would-be
revolutionary thousands of miles away. Yet, that is what happened. It happened
in part and indirectly because the slave revolt that had begun in St. Domingue
in the early 1790s culminated in a fiery and bloody climax in the early 1800s
when French plantation owners and their families were slaughtered in huge
numbers Napoleon sent tens of thousands of French troops across the Atlantic in
a futile effort to quell the uprising. Toussaint L’Ouverture, the leader of the rebellious
slaves, was captured by the French and removed to France, where he died in
prison in 1803. Nonetheless, former slaves continued to rebel and were
successful in winning both individual and national freedom. The former French
colony of St. Dominique became the independent country of Haiti, formerly founded
in 1804.”
Was President Madison
indifferent to the plight of the South American revolutionaries?
From the start of Madison’s first term, he was under the
threat of war with Great Britain. He could not be responsible for starting a
war with Spain even if he thought it was the right thing to do.27
What do we know about
a plot in 1811 to have Stephen Girard kidnapped?
In retrospect, it seemed to be a comedy of errors.
Incompetent men with no plan tried to kidnap Girard but he never felt he was in
danger. The leader was declared insane and his helpers were acquitted. They
thought that they would ask Girard to sign a few checks for them. Girard called
them a gang of bunglers and laughed at them.
What were some of
Girard’s setbacks in the several years that followed?
Girard's persistence kept his ships on the high seas. Two of Girard's ships the Voltaire and the Montesquieu were wrecked, the former in 1822 and the latter in
1824. The conditions of foreign trade offered little inducement for him to
continue. Markets abroad were unfavorable and commercial ventures often
resulted in long delays.28
What happened when
one of Girard’s captains let his ship The
Montesquieu fall into the hands of pirates?
Girard knew that it was carelessness on the part of the captain
and he intended to fire him but at the same time he made a point of not
humiliating him when he came into port with the ransomed ship.29
Were pirates also a
problem on the open sea?
On one occasion, one of his captains reported a loss of ten
thousand dollars having been robbed by pirates. Girard was not worried. He gave
the man a present of one hundred dollars and told him he should be thankful his
life was spared.
At what period did
Girard’s ability to read and hear begin to diminish?
According to Stephen Simpson who worked with Girard on a
daily basis, Girard’s left eye began to lose focus and his hearing was
effective only in the higher registers in late December of 1822.30
Did this impair his
ability to conduct business?
His ability to conduct business was not impaired. Although
he was in his 73rd year, his humor remained the same; his new ideas
continued flowing; his dynamic personality was unchanged.
When George Simpson,
the bank’s cashier for many years, died in December 1822, how did Girard react?
Girard called Stephen and said to him: “Your father, Mr.
Simpson, was an old man, and old men must die. It is nothing uncommon. When one
man dies, we must find others to do the business.”31
Was Girard ever a
patron of literature or the fine arts?
He was never a patron of the arts but we know from his admiration of Voltaire and the French writers of his age that he was not insensible to the charms and tastes of letters.32
He was never a patron of the arts but we know from his admiration of Voltaire and the French writers of his age that he was not insensible to the charms and tastes of letters.32
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