|
Nicholas Biddle (January 8, 1786 – February 27, 1844) was an American financier who served as the third and last president of the Second Bank of the United States (chartered 1816–1836). ==Ancestry and early life== Nicholas Biddle was born in the City of Philadelphia, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Ancestors of the Biddle family immigrated to Pennsylvania when the proprietor, William Penn (of the Religious Society of Friends, or "Quakers") visited, and fought in the pre-Revolutionary colonial struggles. His father, Charles, was prominent in his devotion to the cause of American independence and served as Vice-President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, alongside Council President, the famous Benjamin Franklin (1705/06–1790). An uncle with the same name, Nicholas Biddle (1750–1778), whose residence was also in Philadelphia, was an early colonial and American Revolutionary War naval hero, who died during the rebellion. Another uncle, Edward Biddle, was also a member of the First Continental Congress of 1774. Young Nicholas was bright and well educated. He was enrolled at a prestigious academy in Pennsylvania at a very early age. Due to his rapid educational progress, he entered the University of Pennsylvania (formerly the "Academy", then the "College of Philadelphia" until 1791) at the age of 10. When the university refused to award the teenager a degree, he transferred to Princeton (formerly the College of New Jersey) and graduated in 1801, at 15, the class valedictorian. His older brother Thomas Biddle, a War of 1812 hero who died in a duel, should not be confused with his cousin by the same name, who became a leading exchange broker in Philadelphia. Biddle was offered an official position before he had even finished his law studies. As secretary to John Armstrong (a Revolutionary War officer, delegate to the Continental Congress, later a U.S. Senator, United States minister to France, and Secretary of War under fourth President James Madison during the War of 1812), he went abroad in 1804 and was in Paris in the new French Empire at the time of Napoleon Bonaparte's coronation. Afterward he participated in an audit related to the "Louisiana Purchase" by the United States of the territory west of the Mississippi River, acquiring his first experience in financial affairs. Biddle traveled extensively through Europe, returning to England to serve as secretary for James Monroe, then United States minister to the Court of St. James's (Kingdom of Great Britain). At Cambridge University, Biddle took part in a conversation with Cambridge professors involving comparison between modern Greek dialect and that of Homer; the incident captured Monroe's attention. In 1807, Biddle returned home to Philadelphia. He practiced law and wrote, contributing papers to different publications on various subjects, but chiefly in the fine arts. He became associate editor of a magazine called ''Port-Folio'', which was published from 1806-23. In 1811 he married Jane Margaret Craig (born 1792); the couple had six children.〔(University of Delaware: Biddle family papers )〕 When editor Joseph Dennie died in 1812, Biddle took over the magazine and lived on 7th Street, near Spruce Street. 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「Nicholas Biddle (banker)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|