Isaac Rich (October 24, 1801 – January 13, 1872) was a prominent Boston merchant and philanthropist.
Isaac Rich | |
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| Born | October 24, 1801 Wellfleet, Massachusetts |
| Died | January 13, 1872 (aged 70) Boston, Massachusetts |
| Spouse |
Sarah Rich (m. 1822) |
Biography
editBorn in Wellfleet, Massachusetts to a poor family his father died when he was young. At the age of 14 he went to Boston where he assisted his father selling fish.[1] Upon his fathers death he opened an oyster stall at Faneuil Hall. He was given a loan by the proprietor of the Tremont Hotel allowing him to expand his seafood business into salmon. He purchased a number of fishing vessels and expanded his business considerably in the following decades.[2]
Rich expanded into shipping, warehousing, the dry goods business, and banking. He made a considerable fortune and became a millionaire.[3] Rich died on January 13, 1872 after a period of illness lasting a few weeks.[4] Rich was buried at the Mount Auburn Cemetery.[5]
Rich joined the Methodist Episcopal Church at a young age. He was an active member of the North Bennet Street congregation.[6]
Philanthropy
editRich made significant contributions to charity. Of note was his donation of 10,000 dollars to Wesleyan University for the construction of a Rich Hall, originally a library but now the '92 theater. Rich additionally gave 100,000 dollars at the request of College Founder Wilbur Fisk[7] Rich left the majority of his estate, estimated to be worth 1.7 million dollars at the time, to Boston University. Rich Hall on the University's West Campus is named in his honor.[8] [9][10]
References
edit- ^ Wilson, James; John, Fisk (1888). Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography. New York, New York: D Appleton and Company. p. 237. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "The Late Isaac Rich". Harper's Weekly. 16 (790): 148. 17 February 1872. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Our Beginnings: Isaac Rich & the Founding of BU". Youtube. Boston University. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Haven, Gilbert (January 18, 1872). "Isaac Rich Esq". No. 49. Boston Wesleyan Association. Zion's Herold. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Trustee Records". From the Page. Mt. Auburn Cemetery. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "Locals". 5. No. 9. Wesleyan College. Wesleyan College Argus. February 14, 1782. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Prentice, George (January 1, 1890). Wilbur Fisk. Cambridge Massachusetts: houghton mifflin & Company. p. 171. ISBN 9781330474976.
- ^ "Isaac Rich". Wesleyan College Argus: 118. 31 January 1872. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Helea, C. Daryl. "From the Great Boston Fire to the Depression to Coronavirus: A Short History of BU's Biggest Campus Disruptions". BU Today. Boston University. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Price, Carl (January 1, 1932). Wesleyan's First Century. Wesleyan University. p. 414. ISBN 9781258279103.