Barrett Wendell Jr.
Barrett Wendell Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 April 1881 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | 3 June 1973 (aged 92) Lake Forest, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Occupation | Investment banker |
Barrett Wendell Jr. (April 19, 1881 – June 3, 1973) was a notable American investment banker.
Early life
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Wendell was the firstborn of Edith (Greenough) Wendell and Barrett Wendell, a distinguished Harvard professor specializing in English literature. His mother played a significant role in historic preservation efforts. He had three siblings: Mary Barrett Wendell, William Greenough Wendell—who pursued a career in banking—and Edith Wendell, who married Charles Devens Osborne, a publisher and former mayor of Auburn.
On his father's side, his grandparents were Jacob Wendell and Mary Bertodi (Barrett) Wendell. His uncle was the actor Jacob Wendell (actor), whose daughters included Catherine Herbert, Countess of Carnarvon and Philippa Stewart, Countess of Galloway. His maternal lineage featured William Whitwell Greenough, who served as president of the Boston Public Library.
Wendell completed his studies at Harvard University in 1902. During his time there, he was an active member of the varsity baseball team and subsequently took on the role of coach for several seasons.
Career
Wendell became affiliated with Lee, Higginson & Co., an investment firm established by his wife's grandfather in 1848. Following the dissolution of the original company, he assumed leadership of their Chicago branch under the reorganized Lee Higginson Corporation. He remained a director until his retirement in 1965. In 1919, he authored an unpublished History of Lee, Higginson & Co..
His professional contributions extended to serving as a governor for the Investment Bankers' Association of America and as an overseer at Harvard University. Additionally, he held the presidency of both the Harvard Club of Chicago and the Bond Club of Chicago.
Personal life
Wendell married Barbara Higginson (1884–1971) on June 18, 1910. She was the daughter of Francis Lee Higginson and niece of Henry Lee Higginson. Together, they had three children:
- Barbara Wendell (1911–2014), who married Horace H. Soule in 1934; they divorced in 1938. She later wed Chester Brooks Kerr in 1944; this marriage also ended in divorce.
- Barrett Wendell III (1913–1987), who married Margaret Mitchell in 1937.
- Francis Lee Higginson Wendell (1916–1994), who first married Camilla Alsop in 1937 and subsequently Joan Monroe Armour.
Barrett Wendell Jr. passed away on June 3, 1973, at Lake Forest Hospital located in Lake Forest, Illinois.