|
James Savage (1784–1873) was one of the founding fathers of Provident Institution for Savings in the Town of Boston established in 1816 as the first chartered savings bank in the United States. James was also well known for his research as an antiquary and as author of "A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England." He was instrumental in helping his son-in-law William Barton Rogers establish MIT, as well as helping his cousin Frederic Tudor establish the ice trade in the West Indies, among many other ventures. ==Early years== James was born on Winter Street, in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 13, 1784, as the ninth child of father Habijah "Thomas" Savage Jr. (April 27, 1741 - Nov. 22, 1806) a merchant, and mother Elizabeth Tudor (March 31, 1745- February 2, 1787). He was a fifth generation of the descendant of one of the first Pilgrims, Major Thomas Savage, who came to Massachusetts from England in 1635. James was just three years old, when his mother died giving birth to their 12th child, Arthur Savage. Totally devastated by his wife's loss, his father was admitted as "insane" to Andover, MA, "without ever gaining his reason." With this, James, Elizabeth, and Arthur were sent to be raised by William Savage, a blacksmith in Taunton, MA. James obtained the Franklin metal in 1795, and attended the Washington Academy in Machias, ME, and the Derby Academy in Hingham, MA, before going to Harvard University, just as his grandfather did in 1695. After graduating Harvard in 1803, he went on to studied law at the office of Isaac Parker in Portland, ME. From November 5, 1805 to June 1806, when James and cousin Frederic Tudor were both just 21, travelled to the West Indies during the Napoleonic Wars for a venture of establishing an ice trading business.〔"Notes and Documents; The Journal of James Savage and the Beginning of Frederic Tudor's Career in the Ice Trade", by Theodore Chase and Celeste Walker〕 In 1806, Tudor bought his first brig ''Favorite'' to carry Fresh Pond ice 1,500 miles south, from Boston to Martinique.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Frederic Tudor: Ice King )〕 "Favorite" left Boston on February 10, 1806, as the following was reported in the Boston Gazette: "No joke. A vessel has cleared at the Custom House for Martinique with a cargo of ice. We hope this will not prove a slippery speculation." Tudor's business plan included sending his brother William and his cousin, James Savage, ahead to obtain a monopoly from the various governments of the islands. "We wish you to procure from the gov' of Cuba a grant exclusive in which we offer you either to take a conces' of half or procure the privilege for us & we engage to pay you one thousand dollars with reasonable charges, in obtaining it you however to determine which you will do & write to that effect as early as possible." Although a considerable amount of the ice melted during the three-week journey south, they did manage to sell much of what remained on board for a loss of $4,500 overall. However, this venture became extremely profitable in the years to come.〔 When he returned James continued in the practice of Law, and was admitted to the bar in 1807. He then served in both houses of the Massachusetts legislature. James was also a member of the executive council, and a delegate to the State constitutional convention of 1820, filled several municipal offices, and was a member of the school committee. On December 13, 1816, Massachusetts Lieutenant-Governor William Phillips, Jr. president, United States marshal James Prince treasurer, and Lawyer James Savage secretary, founded the Provident Institution for Savings in the Town of Boston as the first chartered savings bank in the United States with 961 accounts totaling $76,000.00〔One hundred years of savings bank service. 1916.〕〔George S. Hillard. (Memoir of the Hon. James Savage, LL.D. ), late president of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Boston: John Wilson and Son, 1878; p.16/〕 On the belief that; "savings banks would enable the less fortunate classes of society to better themselves in a manner which would avoid the dangers of moral corruption traditionally associated with outright charitable institutions."〔Davis and Payne. 1958; p.387.〕 176 years later, in 1992, the bank was acquired by Fleet National Bank of Massachusetts〔http://www.faqs.org/banks/The-Provident-Institution-for-Savings-in-the-Town-of-Boston-22296-Boston-Massachusetts.html#top〕 At the age of 39, James finally settled down and married 31-year-old 〔"MAJOR THOMAS SAVAGE OF BOSTON AND HIS DESCENDANTS" BY LAWRENCE PARK (1914)〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「James Savage (banker)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|