1st Edition
Stephen Girard Captain of American Enterprise and Philanthropy
Introduction: The Ghost of Stephen Girard, 1. An Atlantic Existence: Girard’s Formative Years, 2. Becoming a (French) Philadelphian: Girard’s Religious and Cultural Life, 3. Immigrant Millionaire: Girard’s Economic Ascent, 4. The Ship of State: Girard’s Vision for Philanthropy, 5 . A Legacy-Defining Gift: Republican Education and the Long Afterlives of Girard, Conclusion: “Mummy of Glory”: The Eternal Girard, Historical Documents, Reflection and Discussion Questions, Bibliography
Biography
Alexander Lawrence Ames is Curator & Senior Director of Collections Engagement at the Rosenbach Museum & Library in Philadelphia, USA. He holds an M.A. in American Material Culture, an M.A. in History, and a Ph.D. in History of American Civilization and Museum Studies from the University of Delaware. His publications include Grolier Club Bookplates: Past & Present, (2023, with Mark Samuels Lasner), and Portrait of a Citizen: Stephen Girard, Mariner, Merchant, Banker, and Philanthropist of the Early American Republic (2026).
"A detailed study of Girard's will, with plenty of historical and biographical context that reveals the man's - and his document's - complexities and contradictions."
Julie Randolph, Practice Professor of Law, Beasley School of Law, Temple University
