The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-04-30
Jesse SELIGMAN.
The Career OF a busy Man who Did a
Great Amount OF Good.

Great Amount OF Good.
THK ISDErKHDKsr contained the other
day notice Of the death Of Jesse Sellg-
man, Of New York. father OF A. ). Helig-
man. OF this city, ~ Coronado Bsseh. Cal.
The following sketch Of the life Of the dead
banker will DO read with interest;
Mr.. selisman was born ia tho little vii
lags Of htadt BaysrsdoTf. Bavaria. In 1921.
lie was tho fourth Of eight brothers. all Of
whom ultimately engaged In banking.
either Ia this country or abroad. His elder
brother. Joseph nov dead), came 10 this
country in 1897. while Jesse waa At the gym
nAsium 40 ErlHngsu. After being private
secretary 10 Judgo Asa Packer. Joseph
SeliRman became cashier nj the bank at
Nesquehsning. Pa. lie prosperod 90 we'll
that he sent for his brothers William and
James and paid their passage across the
Atlantic They. too prepared and the
glowing accounts they W Oto home Of the
potentialities OF wealth ia the new world
determined Jesse Seliam Al, then a. 20 give
up his intended university education aud
Join them
He arrived In New York on July 4. 1871
After getting more than a smattoring Of
English In Lancaster. Pa, where two Of his
brothers we're. be went To Mabile with them
In schoone. After getting enough capi-
tsl BY psddling the tlree brothers opened
a store oaoh in as many different places.
They all made money. but cone. uding that
they did not make ~ fat enough sold out
their business and returned 10 tie north.
with his brother Henry, Jesse SsliRman
opened dry goods sto IN WATERFOWL,
\. Y. This was In 1913. Two years
later. attracted By the California gold dis
coveries, Jesse Ssligman went 90 San Fran
oiaoo, BY way OF the isthnua Of Panama.
Tie carried With him q stock Of goods.
principally rsAdy-mAds clothing. which be
sold 30 advantage. Ho rsplenished his
AZ NJ nj IN
the course Of few years found himself on
the road 90 wealth. While ia San Fran
cisco Mr.. seliRman performed all the
duties of . gooJ citizen ia California
Ia those days. He was member OF fire
com pany. and did good service. Fire weTo
numsfous, a. San Francisco WAS almost en-
tirsly built o: wood. IL was owing 20 his
occupying the only brick building In ths
town that n seligmAn preserved his stock
OF clothing from ere which destroyed the
adjacent 60 uetures. AIR. Sslieman was a
member Of the vigilance committee and
subsequently, of the committee OF forty
which rescued san Francisco from political
IeebooterG as she first had from more vul-
gar thieves.
Although still doing a good business. MI
ssli2man sold out his San anciseo store
in 1857 AMI returned east. thinking he
could do bettof In wider fed. lie joined
his brothers Joseph and James, who we're
in she Wholesale clothing business in this
CITY. Although the times we're not then
prooitiouE Joseph SeligmAn had already
aspirations as hnanoeer. AMI the firm OF
clothing merchants was soon destined TO be
Que Of the greatest banking houses in she
world.
IL Was the civil war which gave the { elie-
maRs their opportunity. They got con-
tracts from she federal government on
which they made large profits. Through
their banking house. which they founded
In 1852, they placed Cove nment bonds
abroad. Their united clothing and bank
ing business soon ppt them ia a position to
uphold the goVsrnIdenps credit as few other
houses could. The close of the war found
them enormously wealthy for ia 30 daYs
anu the establishment Of their branch
banking houses In London. Paris, Frank
fort Amsterdam. san Francisco and New
Orleans followed in due course A. a result.
The foreign houses are conducted with the
hell Of the four brothers who did NOS come
30 this county. at any rate. TO remain.
William Seligman is she head Of the Paris
house. and Henry that of Frsnkfo l. Isaac
and Leopold SeliRnRu are in London.
James Seligman is with the Broad street
house. Joseph bsligman died IN New Or
leans while conducting the branch there.
A bTaham Is also dead.
he Sslipmsns have continued to deal in
securities since the civil war,
nd under republican administrator
Nulcu means al Dut n lew years OF hne IN
.erval, have been the recognized govern
nent bankers abroad. AZ this i'm plies
Jesse Selignan WAS republican, and his
esignatiOn from the Union League club
} year ago with she reason for 10 WAS the
occasion for political as we'll as social gos-
ZIP. lie had beer member for twenty
Fsars, having served a. a Weep esidsnt for
'ouTteen years, when his son, Theodore
was nominated for membership.
Theodore was blsckballed solely because be
las Hebrew. ~ a meeting held on April
3 OF last year. Jesse Seligman at once re-
IiRnsd 40 = member OF she club but his
ssignatiOn has net ret been acted upon, 90
hat he was still technically a member.
Mr.. SeligmAn Was renowned for his ben
vol nee. He had been president for
wsntI years Of the Hebrew orphan Hsy luIn.
shich opened with fourteen inmates aud |
nd now contains 600. and he contributed
aIgely to its support He was a memba
Il tne New York association for improving
he condition OF the poor. Of the Metro
lolitan museHm of ART. and Of the museum
4 natural history. de live-l a. ? East
street.
His personal wealth 10 estimated at 80
OO. COO That of the combined banking
houses Is probably have dozen times ns
RrRe. The American house has dealt dur
NO the last few yoars with railways on a
Ieale which only large capital could COM
nand.
M. Seligman left three soma aud three
daughters. The sons ere Theodore, a law
TsT; Henry, who Is associated in the Broad
trset house. and Albert. who 10 engaged in
nining IN Montana. One OF the daughters
= Mrs. Emma Wassermann. lac other