Stephen Girard has been one of the richest men in America since the late 1700’s. Today he is still posted at the 6th spot of the wealthiest Americans of all time.

He was a French native who went out to see at the young age of 13. Thirteen years later his ship was forced to dock in Philadelphia because of the 1776 British blockade.

This would mark a new part of his life, the part that would make him exceedingly rich.

In Philadelphia he found great success as a shipping tycoon. His business sense and his strong ambition pushed him to great heights in the shipping industry.

He also opened a bank, The Girard Bank, and continued to build his immense fortune there. His bank actually underwrote the costs of the war in 1812, a huge sum to say the least.

Throughout his lifetime he amassed a fortune of over $95.6 Billion dollars. By the time of his death in 1831 he had willed away the better portion of his huge fortune to charities. In fact, he nearly gave all of his wealth away to others.




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