Samuel Mather
Encyclopedia
Samuel Mather was born in Cleveland
, Ohio
and for many years was that city's richest citizen and a major philanthropist
, particularly favoring Kenyon College
. In 1847 his father had founded the Cleveland Iron Mining Company, and Mather was destined to follow him in the management of this company. Following Mather's graduation from the St. Mark's School
of Southborough
, Massachusetts
in 1869, he suffered a serious injury working in one of the company’s facilities. He spent the next two years in convalescence, and accordingly, never attended Harvard University
as he had previously planned.
Following two years of travel and convalescence, Mather married Flora Stone in 1881; the couple's combined fortunes made them the richest family in Ohio. Two years later, Mather was a founding principal in the Pickands, Mather and Company. Pickands, Mather and Co. became one of the four major iron ore companies in the United States
through the operation of extensive mines
in the Lake Superior
region. By providing ample access to iron ore, steel
, and shipping, Mather became increasingly wealthy through the profits reaped by the company and through the inheritance
left to him from his father.
Mather gave generously to educational and health institutions. At Kenyon College
, Mather was known for decades for his generous financial gifts and management of the college’s financial affairs. Mather was a trustee to Kenyon for forty-three years; before his death, Mather was the oldest living member of Kenyon's Board of Trustees.
According to Kenyon College, Mather donated over a half-million dollars to the school while he served as a trustee there. His largest single financial gift to the school was $100,000 in 1922 for the building of Leonard Hall. (He made this contribution anonymously.) The Samuel Mather Science Hall was built in Mather's name at the request of his business associate, Henry G. Dalton, who gave money to Kenyon for the construction of the building.
On October 17, 1931, Samuel Mather died of a heart attack. In his will
, Mather left almost $3 million to various educational institutes and health establishments. He left $100,000 in his will for Kenyon College. Seven Great Lakes merchant ships
have been named in his honor.
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and for many years was that city's richest citizen and a major philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, particularly favoring Kenyon College
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...
. In 1847 his father had founded the Cleveland Iron Mining Company, and Mather was destined to follow him in the management of this company. Following Mather's graduation from the St. Mark's School
St. Mark's School (Massachusetts)
St. Mark’s School is a coeducational, Episcopal, preparatory school, situated on in Southborough, Massachusetts, from Boston. It was founded in 1865 as an all-boys' school by Joseph Burnett, a wealthy native of Southborough who developed and marketed the world-famous Burnett Vanilla Extract . ...
of Southborough
Southborough, Massachusetts
Southborough is an affluent town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It incorporates the smaller villages of Cordaville, Fayville, and Southville. Its name is often informally shortened to Southboro, a usage seen on many area signs and maps. Its population was 9,767 at the 2010...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in 1869, he suffered a serious injury working in one of the company’s facilities. He spent the next two years in convalescence, and accordingly, never attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
as he had previously planned.
Following two years of travel and convalescence, Mather married Flora Stone in 1881; the couple's combined fortunes made them the richest family in Ohio. Two years later, Mather was a founding principal in the Pickands, Mather and Company. Pickands, Mather and Co. became one of the four major iron ore companies in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
through the operation of extensive mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
in the Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
region. By providing ample access to iron ore, steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
, and shipping, Mather became increasingly wealthy through the profits reaped by the company and through the inheritance
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
left to him from his father.
Mather gave generously to educational and health institutions. At Kenyon College
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...
, Mather was known for decades for his generous financial gifts and management of the college’s financial affairs. Mather was a trustee to Kenyon for forty-three years; before his death, Mather was the oldest living member of Kenyon's Board of Trustees.
According to Kenyon College, Mather donated over a half-million dollars to the school while he served as a trustee there. His largest single financial gift to the school was $100,000 in 1922 for the building of Leonard Hall. (He made this contribution anonymously.) The Samuel Mather Science Hall was built in Mather's name at the request of his business associate, Henry G. Dalton, who gave money to Kenyon for the construction of the building.
On October 17, 1931, Samuel Mather died of a heart attack. In his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, Mather left almost $3 million to various educational institutes and health establishments. He left $100,000 in his will for Kenyon College. Seven Great Lakes merchant ships
SS Samuel Mather (disambiguation)
Seven merchant ships have been named SS Samuel Mather.**SS Samuel Mather , U.S. propeller, bulk freighter, Official No. 116142.*SS Samuel Mather , U.S. propeller-whaleback, Official No. 116484....
have been named in his honor.