Stephen Girard House

Stephen Girard House
211 Mill St.
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This house is a private residence.
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Stephen Girard was born in Bordeaux, France on May 20, 1750, into a wealthy family in the shipping business. Stephen himself first set out to sea at age 14, and he continued in the shipping business, which took him to New York in 1774.

His shipping business was negatively affected by the British blockade during the Revolutionary War. He moved to Philadelphia in 1776 where he married Mary Lum. When Philadelphia was occupied by the British troops in 1777, Stephen and Mary moved to this house in Mount Holly, where they also operated a retail store. During his time here, the native Frenchman became increasingly interested in the cause of the American Revolution going on around him. In Philadelphia, on October 27, 1778, Girard signed an oath of allegiance and became an American Citizen. In 1779, he moved back to Philadelphia, concentrating again on his shipping business.

After the Revolutionary War, Girard's shipping business grew dramatically, along with his wealth. Decades later, he became a major financier to the United States government for the War of 1812. Upon his death on December 26, 1831, he left a majority of his fortune to charitable institutions. [5]

In 2006, Girard was ranked the fourth wealthiest person in American history, coming in ahead of Bill Gates, who was ranked fifth. [6]