Russell Sturgis (1805-1887)
Encyclopedia
Russell Sturgis was a Boston
merchant active in the China trade, and later head of Baring Brothers
, London
.
Sturgis was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1805, a grandson of the noted merchant Russell Sturgis (1750-1826)
, went to Harvard College
at twelve, and in 1828 first sailed abroad. For a time he practiced law in Boston, but in 1833 sailed for Canton
on behalf of the opium
smuggler John Perkins Cushing
. In Asia he entered succession of family firms (Russell & Sturgis of Manila; Russell, Sturgis & Co. of Canton; Russell & Co.), and in 1842 he became a full partner.
In 1844 Sturgis retired to Boston to rejoin his children, sent there to school after their mother died in 1837 in Manila. He remarried, to Julia A. Boit, but then decided to return with his family to China in 1851. The steamer on which they crossed the Atlantic arrived too late to catch the onward ship from London. In their interval there, Sturgis was asked by the senior member of Barings Bank to become a partner. He accepted, ultimately becoming head of the firm.
Sturgis never returned to the United States, and died in England in 1887.
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
merchant active in the China trade, and later head of Baring Brothers
Barings Bank
Barings Bank was the oldest merchant bank in London until its collapse in 1995 after one of the bank's employees, Nick Leeson, lost £827 million due to speculative investing, primarily in futures contracts, at the bank's Singapore office.-History:-1762–1890:Barings Bank was founded in 1762 as the...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Sturgis was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1805, a grandson of the noted merchant Russell Sturgis (1750-1826)
Russell Sturgis (1750-1826)
Russell Sturgis was a noted Boston merchant in the China trade.Sturgis was the second son of Thomas Sturgis, Jr. , and Sarah Paine, of Barnstable, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth Perkins , daughter of James Perkins , on November 11, 1773...
, went to Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
at twelve, and in 1828 first sailed abroad. For a time he practiced law in Boston, but in 1833 sailed for Canton
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
on behalf of the opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
smuggler John Perkins Cushing
John Perkins Cushing
John Perkins Cushing , called "Ku-Shing" by the Chinese, was a wealthy Boston sea merchant, opium smuggler, and philanthropist...
. In Asia he entered succession of family firms (Russell & Sturgis of Manila; Russell, Sturgis & Co. of Canton; Russell & Co.), and in 1842 he became a full partner.
In 1844 Sturgis retired to Boston to rejoin his children, sent there to school after their mother died in 1837 in Manila. He remarried, to Julia A. Boit, but then decided to return with his family to China in 1851. The steamer on which they crossed the Atlantic arrived too late to catch the onward ship from London. In their interval there, Sturgis was asked by the senior member of Barings Bank to become a partner. He accepted, ultimately becoming head of the firm.
Sturgis never returned to the United States, and died in England in 1887.
See also
- Russell Sturgis (1750-1826)Russell Sturgis (1750-1826)Russell Sturgis was a noted Boston merchant in the China trade.Sturgis was the second son of Thomas Sturgis, Jr. , and Sarah Paine, of Barnstable, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth Perkins , daughter of James Perkins , on November 11, 1773...
, his grandfather - John Hubbard SturgisJohn Hubbard SturgisJohn Hubbard Sturgis was an American architect active in the Boston area.Sturgis was born in Macau, China, the son of Russell Sturgis , a wealthy Boston merchant active in the China trade. After attending Boston Latin School, he travelled extensively in Europe when his father became a partner in...
, his son