Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1918-03-16
JAMES ST|LLMAN IS DEAD,
WAS SBORN IN BROWNSVILLE

NEW YORK, March 16.-James Still
man. the banker. died at his home here late
Friday Of heart failure He was 6S years
home and was reported to have succumbed
quickly. No information was obtainable
al the Stillman residence. other than an ad
mission that the banker had died.
Mr.. Stllman had not been i'm good health
since 1907, when he visited France to be
treated for malad. described by his doe
tors a grippe of the intestines." Never
theless, he made determined effort TO
conquer his ailment and his friends had no
suspicion that he was near his end.
James Stillman was leading figare
nsfhe banking world. not only of New
York. but of the country ut large, for
more than a quarter of n century. lie
was born in Brownsville. Texas. in 1880.
lie spent his youth at Hartford, Conn.
and was educated there and in pri
vate school at Ossiping. y. Y.
From 1871 until 1873 he was a part
ner Of the firm of Smith. Woodward and
Stillman and since 1873. up tn his death,
was n member of the Woodward and Still
man cotton commission merchants.
lie was president Of the National City
Bank from 1891 to 1909. and chairman
of the board of directors of that in~t-
recter of the Western Union Telegraph
Co. and many railways and financial
institutions.
One Of Mr. Stillman'> earliest achieve
ments was building of the Houston < Tex
aS Central railway in which he was helped
by Moses TAYLOR. the banker and merchant
with whom he had formed Il close friend
ship.
Mr.. Stilman became pr 'S'dcnt Of the
National City bank in November. 1891. Mr..
Stilman'S success and Importance a. a
banker grew steadily. The bank. under his
guidance. became national institution.
and Mr.. Stillman was frequently called To
for consultation by President
Cleveland and Secretary of the Treasury
Carlisle in connection with national financ
ing. He became a director trustee in
many important financial and public ser
vice institutions. including the Standard
Oil Company. IIi> financial power and
prestige gained still further when the Ma
tional City Bank brought into it, financial
family representatives Of the Chicago pack
ing houses and the Morgan interests.
Mr.. Stllmans social anil charitable ac-
tivities were large. although of the later he
never made parade. He gave way large
sums of money anonymously. He was
tor of the First Baptist ''hurch IN this city
and of several country clubs.
Although since his boyhood the famous
banker has not lived in Brownvile. the city
of his birth. has always held warm spot
in his affections. When funds for local
church or charity have been solicited of
him he has been more than generous in his
response. A recent evidence Of this gen.
eroSity was his gift Ia the Sacred Heart
church of a wonderful pipe organ.
The Sti'lman holdings in Brownsville and
vicinity are among the largest of any in
dividual person or concern. The affairs
of the estate have been conducted under 4
holding company known n the New York
and Brownsville Development Company
and are administered by Judge +. c. Forto.
a life long friend and trusted co-worker Of
Mr.. StllmanS.
OF his many interests. reaching to a.
most the four corners Of the globe. perhaps
one of the most unique and certainly one
of oldest of h~ holdings was the Browns
Vile Matamoros Ferry Lines. Holding u
conces~ on for this privilege from the
Mexican government the Stillman estate
for wears furnished the only communlca-
ting line between Brownsville and Mata-
moroS Prior Ia the erection of the Inter
national bridge the company operated
bar.cs over which mi lions Of dollars of
export and import were passed
ccrC ruApl AIAc c0MM1CCl0M