Norman Wait Harris
Encyclopedia
Norman Wait Harris was an American banker. He founded Chicago-based N.W. Harris & Co., the predecessor of Harris Bank
as well as its affiliate Harris, Forbes & Co.
and later Harris, Hall & Co.
in 1846, son of Nathan Wait Harris and C. Emeline Wadsworth Harris. Harris was educated at Westfield Academy, graduating at age 17 to pursue a career in business. In 1867, at age 21, Harris joined the Union Central Life Insurance Company
of Cincinnati, which he helped to found, as secretary.
In 1882, Harris founded the banking firm that would bear his name, N.W. Harris & Co. The firm was initially based in Chicago and would open offices in New York City and Boston. In 1907, Harris reorganized his banking business, founding the Harris Trust and Savings Bank, based in Chicago and Harris, Forbes & Co.
based in New York.
Harris was also a director of AT&T
.
Harris died at his summer home at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
in 1916. Harris had been travelling on a tour of Asia when he suffered a heart attack in Japan. He arrived in Seattle in May 1916, where he remained briefly before returning home. Harris died just two months later in July 1916.
, which in 1924 endowed an "Institute of Politics"; the Field Museum, where a $250,000 gift was used to fund a public school expansion; and the YMCA
. In 1913, Harris gave $250,000 to Northwestern University
construct the Harris Hall of Political Science and History (today known as Harris Hall).
Harris also gave a substantial gift to the Chicago Training School for Home and Foreign Missions, the largest training school of its kind for Methodist missionaries. Harris, who was actively involved with the Methodist Episcopal Church
, donated the land for the construction of its main campus and chapel.
Harris Bank
BMO Harris Bank is a subsidiary of Montreal-based Canadian bank Bank of Montreal. Today the bank holding company is formally named BMO Bankcorp, Inc....
as well as its affiliate Harris, Forbes & Co.
Harris, Forbes & Co.
Harris, Forbes & Co. was an investment banking affiliate of Harris Bank incorporated in 1911. Harris, Forbes firm was acquired by Chase Manhattan Bank in 1930 to form Chase Harris, Forbes. Just two years later, in 1932, the firm was dissolved after the passage of the Glass–Steagall Act in 1932...
and later Harris, Hall & Co.
Harris, Hall & Co.
Harris, Hall & Co. was midwestern investment banking firm headquartered in Chicago. The firm was spun out from Harris Bank and would leater merge with Dean Witter & Co. in 1953....
Biography
Harris was born in Berkshire County, MassachusettsBerkshire County, Massachusetts
Berkshire County is a non-governmental county located on the western edge of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of the 2010 census, the population was 131,219. Its largest city and traditional county seat is Pittsfield...
in 1846, son of Nathan Wait Harris and C. Emeline Wadsworth Harris. Harris was educated at Westfield Academy, graduating at age 17 to pursue a career in business. In 1867, at age 21, Harris joined the Union Central Life Insurance Company
Union Central Life Insurance Company
Union Central Life Insurance Company was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1867. It was established as a mutual insurance company.Among its founders were Norman Wait Harris, founder of Harris Bank....
of Cincinnati, which he helped to found, as secretary.
In 1882, Harris founded the banking firm that would bear his name, N.W. Harris & Co. The firm was initially based in Chicago and would open offices in New York City and Boston. In 1907, Harris reorganized his banking business, founding the Harris Trust and Savings Bank, based in Chicago and Harris, Forbes & Co.
Harris, Forbes & Co.
Harris, Forbes & Co. was an investment banking affiliate of Harris Bank incorporated in 1911. Harris, Forbes firm was acquired by Chase Manhattan Bank in 1930 to form Chase Harris, Forbes. Just two years later, in 1932, the firm was dissolved after the passage of the Glass–Steagall Act in 1932...
based in New York.
Harris was also a director of AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
.
Harris died at his summer home at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,148 at the 2000 census. A resort city located on Geneva Lake, it is southwest of Milwaukee and popular with tourists from metropolitan Chicago and Milwaukee.-History:...
in 1916. Harris had been travelling on a tour of Asia when he suffered a heart attack in Japan. He arrived in Seattle in May 1916, where he remained briefly before returning home. Harris died just two months later in July 1916.
Philanthropy
In his later years, Harris was a philanthropist supporting a wide range of institutions, particularly in Chicago. Harris made substaintial gifts to the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, which in 1924 endowed an "Institute of Politics"; the Field Museum, where a $250,000 gift was used to fund a public school expansion; and the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. In 1913, Harris gave $250,000 to Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
construct the Harris Hall of Political Science and History (today known as Harris Hall).
Harris also gave a substantial gift to the Chicago Training School for Home and Foreign Missions, the largest training school of its kind for Methodist missionaries. Harris, who was actively involved with the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
, donated the land for the construction of its main campus and chapel.
External links
- Harris-Maclean Family Papers at the Newberry Library