Winthrop Sargent Gilman
Winthrop Sargent Gilman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Marietta, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | October 1, 1884 (aged 76) |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, merchant, abolitionist |
| Known for | Head of Gilman, Son & Co.; abolitionist activism in Alton, Illinois |
Winthrop Sargent Gilman (March 28, 1808 – October 1, 1884) was at the helm of the New York City banking firm Gilman, Son & Co. Originating from a New England lineage with established financial ventures in New York, Gilman expanded his business interests extensively throughout the Northwestern United States.
During the 1830s, while residing in Alton, Illinois, he oversaw grocery enterprises throughout the area, with a significant focus on St. Louis, Missouri. As a committed abolitionist, on November 7, 1837, he took a stand to protect a warehouse where abolitionist publisher Elijah Parish Lovejoy concealed a printing press for the Alton Observer against an attack by a pro-slavery mob; Lovejoy lost his life amid the violent confrontation. After this event, Gilman moved his family to New York City to engage in the family’s banking operations, where he remained professionally involved for the remainder of his life.
Biography
Born in 1808 in Marietta, Ohio, Winthrop Sargent Gilman was the son of merchant Benjamin Ives Gilman and Hannah (Robbins) Gilman. His father came from Exeter, New Hampshire, descended from notable early settlers and was an alumnus of Phillips Exeter Academy.
Gilman developed his career as a merchant based in St. Louis, Missouri, managing prominent grocery businesses while living in the free-state city of Alton, Illinois. There, he collaborated with Godfrey to operate a warehouse that safeguarded abolitionist publisher Elijah Parish Lovejoy’s printing press after previous presses had been destroyed by pro-slavery mobs. The violent clash that followed resulted in Lovejoy’s death and the destruction of the warehouse.
Before the outbreak of the Civil War, Gilman shifted to New York City to head the family’s banking firm. Gilman, Son & Co. maintained close ties with the influential Brown family of Providence, Rhode Island, founders of Brown University. The Gilman Land Company, associated with both the banking enterprise and John Nicholas Brown, engaged in real estate ventures such as the development of the Gilman Block in Sioux City, Iowa, thereby broadening their investment scope.
Marriage and family
In 1835, Gilman married Abia Swift (née Lippincott), daughter of Reverend Thomas Lippincott from Alton, Illinois. The couple had nine children who survived infancy, including five sons—Arthur (1837–1909), Winthrop S., Jr. (1839–1923), Theodore (1841–1930), and Benjamin Ives Gilman (1852–1933)—along with four daughters.
Gilman had a keen interest in scientific pursuits and constructed a private observatory at his New York residence, 'Fern Lodge', located in the Palisades, New York. There he frequently conducted observations of meteors.
Legacy
Gilman's sons Arthur, Winthrop Jr., and Theodore all continued involvement in the family banking enterprise.
Due to health challenges, Arthur retired to his estate 'Glynllyn' situated in the Berkshires near Lee, Massachusetts, where he dedicated himself to historical research and genealogical studies. Around 1870 he relocated to Cambridge, Massachusetts; there he and his second wife founded a women’s educational institution in 1879 which later evolved into Radcliffe College, affiliated with Harvard University.
Theodore Gilman became noted for his contributions to banking scholarship and legislative initiatives. Between 1913 and 1918, he sponsored bills before Congress promoting a novel classification of banks based on asset size—a concept that influenced the creation of the Federal Reserve Act. He also served as long-time president of the Bible Society.
Papers
The Minnesota Historical Society preserves a collection of documents related to Winthrop Sargent Gilman, his descendants, and other relatives. This archive comprises letters, journals, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, printed publications, and family history records.