Stephen Girard

Girard, Ohio was named after a Frenchman, Stephen Girard. 1750-1831    Girard was born in Bordeaux, France.  At 14 years of age he went to sea. By 1774 he was a Sea Captain in charge of a French ship involved in American Coastal trade with the West Indies.   At the outbreak of the Revolutionary war his ship was forced into Delaware Bay by the British Blockade.  He brought it to Philadelphia.  He sold the ship and opened a small store.  The following year he married Mary Lum, daughter of a local shipbuilder.

During the Revolutionary War Girard became an American citizen and at the same time established himself a competent merchant.  His interests quickly broadened out into real estate, insurance and banking.  At the height of his career he was one of the richest men in America.

During the war of 1812, Girard financed 95% of the American war effort by purchasing war bonds. He put his fortune at risk to help his adopted country.

His humanitarianism became apparent early in his career.  It began in France during the French Revolution of 1789 when he provided valuable assistance to French refugees.  During the USA Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793, Girard helped care for the sick, but also worked to clean up the conditions that had created the epidemic in the first place.

Upon his death Girard was the wealthiest man in America. With adjustment for inflation, Girard remains the fourth wealthiest American of all time.  He is 4 behind John ‘D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and John Jacob Astor. 

The modern system of “Outsourcing” was originally a Girard idea.  He was the first to put it into practice.

 The bulk of his fortune was donated to Philadelphia in the form of a trust fund for education of poor orphans.   As a result Girard College was founded.

There are several towns in the USA with the name of Girard.  The closest to Girard, Ohio is Girard, PA.

This Bio compiled  from multi sources gathered and sent to me by Joe Concannon./ Ed