Stephen Girard: The Life and Times of America's First Tycoon

Stephen Girard (1750-1831), a French sea captain fleeing creditors, arrived in the U.S. in 1776 and settled in Philadelphia. After the Revolutionary War, he founded a trading fleet that prospered and made him the country's first millionaire by 1807. His extraordinary financial success is documented in detail by Wilson (Yesterday's Philadelphia), a former columnist with the Philadelphia Inquirer who had access to all Girard's papers. Clearly an admirer of his subject, Wilson presents Girard in a highly positive light and occasionally veers into hyperbole. Girard, however, did have a strong humanitarian side, exemplified by his bequests to charitable institutions. During the War of 1812, he bought out the U.S. bank and helped finance the insolvent U.S. government. Although his personal life was darkened when his wife was institutionalized for insanity, he later found happiness with several mistresses. Photos not seen by PW. (Jan.)