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“When I am dead, my actions must speak for me,” Girard, the wealthiest U.S. citizen during his time, said.
The French sea captain immigrated to Philly in 1776 at 26 and added various other jobs titles, such as merchant, banker and farmer. His wealth assisted the City on numerous occasions as he built hospitals, purchased the national bank, helped with the yellow fever epidemic that killed thousands of residents in 1793 and loaned more than $8 million to finance the War of 1812.
While Girard resided at Water and Market streets, he owned a large parcel of land in Passyunk Township and a farmhouse, that still stands in Girard Park, 2101 Shunk St.
Upon his death from influenza and pneumonia in 1831 at the age of 81, he left much of his estate to the City in his will that required them to use the funds for a school for “poor, white, male orphan[s],” now known as North Philly’s Girard College. He also forbid the City to sell his farmhouse, so it erected rental homes and named the community Girard Estate.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
The South Philadelphia Walk of Fame 2013 inductees
/ Marian Anderson / Paul Arizin / Frankie Avalon / Joey Bishop / John Chaney /
/ James Darren / Angelo Dundee / Fabian / Larry Fine / Eddie Fisher /
/ Kenny Gamble / Frank Gasparro / Joey Giardello / Stephen Girard / Sherman Hemsley /
/ Irvin Kershner / Jack Klugman / Eddie Lang / Mario Lanza / Rob McElhenney /
/ Joe Medeiros / Earl "The Pearl" Monroe / Nathan Morris / Michelle Nader / Gene Perret /
/ Frank Rizzo / Bobby Rydell / Lisa Scottoline / Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter / Anna Verna /
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