Yesterday's Architect · c. 1795–1873
Stephen Smith
Born into slavery in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, he bought his release in 1816, built a lumber and coal firm in Columbia with William Whipper, became a director of the Columbia Bank, and moved his capital into Philadelphia real estate and securities. R.G. Dun & Co. rated his net worth at $500,000 in 1857.
Related architects
- Elizabeth A. Gloucester
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- Isaiah T. Montgomery
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- Henry Boyd
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- Cyrus Bustill
Linked through John Brown and Sarah Mapps Douglass
- Biddy Mason
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- Clara Brown
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- Jane Johnson Endsley
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- Sally Seymour
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- Wilson Ruffin Abbott
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- Charity “Duchess” Quamino
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- Edith Cumbo
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- Eliza Allen
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- Jeremiah G. Hamilton
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- Jordan C. Jackson Jr.
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- Mary Ellen Pleasant
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- Mont Howell
Same theme: Institution building
People
- worked for · 1801–1816Thomas Boudeindentured as a child; later managed his entire lumber businessBEJ profile · cites Wikipedia; PHMC
- documented by · 1852Martin Delanypublished Smith's business figuresBEJ profile · cites Juliet E.K. Walker
- hosted · 1858John Brownfor a weekBEJ profile · cites Wikipedia
- business partner ofWilliam WhipperSmith & Whipper; also connected by Whipper's 1836 marriage to Harriet SmithBEJ profile · cites PHMC
Institutions and enterprises
- partner in · 1822Smith & Whipperopened his own lumber business in 1822BEJ profile · cites Pennsylvania Civil War Trails
- principal benefactor of · 1869–1871Home for Aged and Infirm Colored Personsabout an acre of land and $28,000 of ground rentsBEJ profile · cites Philadelphia Historical Commission
- director ofColumbia Bankpossibly its largest stockholder; barred from the presidencyBEJ profile · cites Wikipedia
- largest stakeholder inColumbia–Wrightsville Bridge Company$9,000 stake, lost when the bridge was burned in 1863BEJ profile · cites Pennsylvania Civil War Trails
Places
- worked in · 1842Philadelphiaexpanded to Philadelphia; real estate and securitiesBEJ profile · cites PHMC
- held property in · 1846Cape May, New Jerseysummer house built from his own lumberBEJ profile · cites Stephen Smith House, Cape May
- rescued · 1857Olive Cemeterysaved it from a sheriff's saleBEJ profile · cites Philadelphia Historical Commission
- buried at · 1873Olive CemeteryBEJ profile
- died in · 1873PhiladelphiaBEJ profile
- born in · c. 1795Dauphin County, PennsylvaniaBEJ profile · cites Lykens Valley History
Events
- lived through · 1834Columbia race riots of 1834his Front Street office was destroyed in October 1834BEJ profile · cites Columbia Spy; Wikipedia
Themes
Only relationships stated in a BEJ profile or a cited record are shown, each with its source.