Meyer Guggenheim
Patriarch of the Guggenheim family, who built a fortune in mining and smelting.
via Wikipedia: Meyer Guggenheim · Public domain
Meyer Guggenheim (February 1, 1828 – March 15, 1905) was the patriarch of the wealthy Guggenheim family in the United States.[1] Through mining and smelting operations, Meyer Guggenheim amassed one of the 19th century's largest fortunes, primarily in the United States.[2]
Quick Facts
- Born
- 1 February 1828
- Birthplace
- Lengnau, Aargau, Switzerland
- Died
- 15 March 1905
- Place of death
- Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
- Occupation
- Businessman
- Children
- 10, including:, Daniel Guggenheim
- Solomon R. Guggenheim
- Simon Guggenheim
- Benjamin Guggenheim
- William Guggenheim
- Family
- Guggenheim family
Facts from the source article.
Life and work
He married Barbara around 1852, and they had ten surviving children.[3][4] By 1870, Guggenheim had become a spice wholesaler, and in 1873 he started producing lye.[4] Simon Guggenheim, Meyer's father, quit his employment to tend to his ailing wife, which plunged the family into financial hardship.[4] To bring in money for his household, young Meyer went door-to-door hawking goods once his school day ended.[4]
While crossing the ocean, Meyer developed romantic feelings for Barbara Weil, the daughter of his father's new wife.[4] Smelting facilities were erected by him at numerous sites throughout the United States as well as in northern parts of Mexico.[5]
What the cited sources add
The SWI swissinfo.ch account states that at the end of the 19th century, the Guggenheims were among the three richest US families, alongside the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts.[4] The Encyclopedia Titanica obituary reports that Meyer Guggenheim acquired copper mines and even greater wealth.[6] The obituary adds that Benjamin died in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.[6]
References
- Wikipedia, "Meyer Guggenheim" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "MEYER GUGGENHEIM, SMELTER KING, DEAD; Severe Cold Terminated Fatally at Palm Beach. HAD REMARKABLE CAREER Started as Stove Polish Vendor and Finally, with His Seven Sons, Built Up Great Smelting Industry.", The New York (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Meyer Guggenheim" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Meyer Guggenheim", Encyclopædia Britannica (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Meyer Guggenheim" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Reme, "Monmouth University", Arcadia Publishing, 2002, p. 29 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Strasser, "From Aargau to New York: the story of the Guggenheim family", SWI swissinfo.ch, 2024-03-25. facts only, no text reused. swissinfo.ch
- Wikipedia, "Meyer Guggenheim" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: National Mining Hall of Fame, Meyer Guggenheim, accessed January 13, 2014 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Shenker, "Peggy Guggenheim Is Dead at 81; Known for Modern Art Collection", Encyclopedia Titanica, December 24, 1979. facts only, no text reused. encyclopedia-titanica.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Meyer Guggenheim (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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