Nicholas Frederic Brady
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Frederic Brady (October 27, 1878 – March 27, 1930) was a New York City
businessman and philanthropist
who was the first American to receive the Roman Catholic Church
honor, the Ordine Supremo del Christo. He was the holder of several papal honors including being a papal duke.
Born in Albany, New York
, the son of industrialist Anthony N. Brady
, he graduated from Yale University
in 1899. He was raised an Episcopalian
but converted to Catholicism.
Nicholas Brady and his brother James Cox Brady oversaw a vast business empire built by their father. James Brady died in 1927 and Nicholas continued running the businesses. He was Chairman of the Board of Directors
of New York Edison Co.
and a director of Anaconda Copper Mining Co.
, Westinghouse Electric
, National City Bank
, Union Carbide
, plus numerous other companies in the United States and Japan
whose activities were primarily in utilities. The Brady brothers provided substantial funds to enable Walter Chrysler
to take over the ailing Maxwell Motor Company and to acquire Chrysler Corporation. Nicholas Brady would be a lifelong member of Chrysler's Board of Directors.
Nicholas Frederic Brady married Genevieve Garvan, sister of Francis Patrick Garvan. The couple had no children. A devout Roman Catholic, she was a Dame of the Holy Sepulchre
, holder of the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
, founder of the Carroll Club ("for Catholic business girls"), 1933 recipient of the University of Notre Dame
's Laetare Medal
as the most notable lay Catholic in America, Board Chairman of the Girls Scouts of America and a Vice-President of the Welfare Council of New York. Nicholas Brady was a lay adviser to the Roman Catholic Church and was the second American to be named Papal Chamberlain
. In 1926 he was made a Papal Duke. His wife was created a papal duchess in her own right.
The papal duke and duchess lived at 910 Fifth Avenue in New York City but also built a large Tudor Elizabethan mansion on an estate on the North Shore of Long Island
, New York
that was completed by 1920 and known as "Inisfada" (Gaelic for "Long Island"). Following Nicholas Brady's death in 1930, his widow gifted the Estate to the Society of Jesus
.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,930896,00.html. The Inisfada mansion is now used as a retreat house.http://www.inisfada.net/
Nicholas Frederic Brady is buried in a crypt beneath an altar in the main chapel at the Jesuit Novitiate at Wernersville, Pennsylvania
, an institution to which he had gifted more than 2 million dollars. Genevieve Brady remarried to the Irish Free State
Minister to the Vatican, William J. Babington Macaulay. The papal duchess died in 1938 and was buried beside Nicholas.http://www.stignatiusloyola.org/pdf/nursery/nursery_history.pdf
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
businessman and 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...
who was the first American to receive the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
honor, the Ordine Supremo del Christo. He was the holder of several papal honors including being a papal duke.
Born in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, the son of industrialist Anthony N. Brady
Anthony N. Brady
Anthony Nicholas Brady was an American businessman born in Lille, France who emigrated to Troy, New York in 1857. Settling in Albany, New York he was first employed by a local barber and at age 19 went into business for himself, opening a tea store that he soon expanded with other outlets...
, he graduated from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1899. He was raised an Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
but converted to Catholicism.
Nicholas Brady and his brother James Cox Brady oversaw a vast business empire built by their father. James Brady died in 1927 and Nicholas continued running the businesses. He was Chairman of the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of New York Edison Co.
Consolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison, Inc. is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States, with approximately $14 billion in annual revenues and $36 billion in assets...
and a director of Anaconda Copper Mining Co.
Anaconda Copper
Anaconda Copper Mining Company was one of the largest trusts of the early 20th century. The Anaconda was purchased by Atlantic Richfield Company on January 12, 1977...
, Westinghouse Electric
Westinghouse Electric (1886)
Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
, National City Bank
Citibank
Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
, Union Carbide
Union Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
, plus numerous other companies in the United States and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
whose activities were primarily in utilities. The Brady brothers provided substantial funds to enable Walter Chrysler
Walter Chrysler
Walter Percy Chrysler was an American machinist, railroad mechanic and manager, automotive industry executive, Freemason, and founder of the Chrysler Corporation.- Railroad career :...
to take over the ailing Maxwell Motor Company and to acquire Chrysler Corporation. Nicholas Brady would be a lifelong member of Chrysler's Board of Directors.
Nicholas Frederic Brady married Genevieve Garvan, sister of Francis Patrick Garvan. The couple had no children. A devout Roman Catholic, she was a Dame of the Holy Sepulchre
Dames of Malta
Dames of Malta are female members of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes, and of Malta. Their male counterparts are the Knights of Malta.Prominent living Dames of Malta include:*Dr Evelyn Billings*Anne Burke...
, holder of the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal is an award of the Roman Catholic Church. It is also known as the "Cross of Honour". The medal was established by Leo XIII on July 17, 1888, to commemorate his golden sacerdotal jubilee and was originally bestowed on those women and men who had aided and...
, founder of the Carroll Club ("for Catholic business girls"), 1933 recipient of the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
's Laetare Medal
Laetare Medal
The Laetare Medal is an annual award given by the University of Notre Dame in recognition of outstanding service to the Roman Catholic church and society...
as the most notable lay Catholic in America, Board Chairman of the Girls Scouts of America and a Vice-President of the Welfare Council of New York. Nicholas Brady was a lay adviser to the Roman Catholic Church and was the second American to be named Papal Chamberlain
Papal Gentlemen
The Papal Gentlemen, also called the Gentlemen of His Holiness, are the lay attendants of the pope and his papal household in Vatican City. They serve in the Apostolic Palace near St. Peter's Basilica...
. In 1926 he was made a Papal Duke. His wife was created a papal duchess in her own right.
The papal duke and duchess lived at 910 Fifth Avenue in New York City but also built a large Tudor Elizabethan mansion on an estate on the North Shore of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
that was completed by 1920 and known as "Inisfada" (Gaelic for "Long Island"). Following Nicholas Brady's death in 1930, his widow gifted the Estate to the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,930896,00.html. The Inisfada mansion is now used as a retreat house.http://www.inisfada.net/
Nicholas Frederic Brady is buried in a crypt beneath an altar in the main chapel at the Jesuit Novitiate at Wernersville, Pennsylvania
Wernersville, Pennsylvania
Wernersville is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,494 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Wernersville is located at .-History:...
, an institution to which he had gifted more than 2 million dollars. Genevieve Brady remarried to the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
Minister to the Vatican, William J. Babington Macaulay. The papal duchess died in 1938 and was buried beside Nicholas.http://www.stignatiusloyola.org/pdf/nursery/nursery_history.pdf