Simon Guggenheim
Encyclopedia
Simon Guggenheim was an American
business
man, politician
, and philanthropist
.
and Barbara Guggenheim
, and was the younger brother of Daniel Guggenheim
and Solomon R. Guggenheim
.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, Simon Guggenheim attended Central High School
, and the Pierce Business School before settling in Pueblo, Colorado
, where he worked as the chief ore buyer for his father's mining and smelting operation, M. Guggenheim’s Sons.
Guggenheim moved to Denver in 1892 and married Olga Hirsch on November 24, 1898, at the iconic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
in New York
. To celebrate their marriage, the Guggenheims provided a Thanksgiving dinner to 5,000 poor Manhattan children.
Simon and Olga made their residence in Denver and celebrated the birth of their first child, John Guggenheim, in 1905. To commemorate the event, Guggenheim made an $80,000 donation to the Colorado School of Mines
to build a namesake building, Guggenheim Hall. At the time, it was the largest private grant ever made to a State institution.
In 1907, Olga gave birth to their second son, George Guggenheim.
In 1909, he donated a Law Building at University of Colorado
.
In 1907, Guggenheim was elected as a Republican senator
for Colorado
from 1907 to 1913.
During his time as a senator, he served as a chairman of the Committee to Establish a University of the United States, and Committee on the Philippines.
While in Congress, one of his older brothers, Benjamin Guggenheim
, died in the RMS Titanic catastrophe. After his term expired, Guggenheim moved to New York.
He joined the board of American Smelting and Refining Company
, later becoming the chairman of the board. From 1919 to 1941 he was president of that company.
In 1922, Guggenheim's son John died of mastoiditis
just before leaving for college.
In his memory, the Mr, and Mrs. Guggenheim established the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
in 1925.
Seeded with $3 million, the foundation offered 50 fellowships in its first year for international study.
Since then, the Foundation has granted over 15,000 Guggenheim Fellowships, worth almost a quarter billion dollars.
In 1939, the Guggenheims' second son, George, committed suicide in a Manhattan hotel at the age of 32.
Simon Guggenheim died in 1941 and was interred in the Woodlawn Cemetery
in The Bronx, New York.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
man, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
.
Life
He was the son of Meyer GuggenheimMeyer Guggenheim
Meyer Guggenheim was the patriarch of what became known as the Guggenheim family. He was born in Lengnau, Aargau, Switzerland, was of German Jewish ancestry and emigrated to the United States in 1847...
and Barbara Guggenheim
Barbara Guggenheim
Barbara Guggenheim is a partner in the art consultancy, Guggenheim, Asher Associates, Inc. The company, with offices in New York and Los Angeles, has been in business for more than 25 years. Barbara and her partner, Abigail Asher, have built collections for corporations including Coca Cola and...
, and was the younger brother of Daniel Guggenheim
Daniel Guggenheim
Daniel Guggenheim was an American industrialist and philanthropist, and a son of Meyer Guggenheim.-Biography:...
and Solomon R. Guggenheim
Solomon R. Guggenheim
Solomon Robert Guggenheim was an American businessman, art collector, and philanthropist.-Biography:He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, son of Meyer Guggenheim and brother of Simon, Benjamin, Daniel and four other siblings.Following studies in Switzerland at the Concordia Institute in...
.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Simon Guggenheim attended Central High School
Central High School (Philadelphia)
Central High School is a public secondary school in the Logan section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Central, the second-oldest continuously public high school in the United States , was founded in 1836 and is a four-year university preparatory magnet school...
, and the Pierce Business School before settling in Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
, where he worked as the chief ore buyer for his father's mining and smelting operation, M. Guggenheim’s Sons.
Guggenheim moved to Denver in 1892 and married Olga Hirsch on November 24, 1898, at the iconic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
The Waldorf-Astoria is a luxury hotel in New York. It has been housed in two historic landmark buildings in New York City. The first, designed by architect Henry J. Hardenbergh, was on the Fifth Avenue site of the Empire State Building. The present building at 301 Park Avenue in Manhattan is a...
in 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...
. To celebrate their marriage, the Guggenheims provided a Thanksgiving dinner to 5,000 poor Manhattan children.
Simon and Olga made their residence in Denver and celebrated the birth of their first child, John Guggenheim, in 1905. To commemorate the event, Guggenheim made an $80,000 donation to the Colorado School of Mines
Colorado School of Mines
The Colorado School of Mines is a small public teaching and research university devoted to engineering and applied science, with special expertise in the development and stewardship of the Earth's natural resources. Located in Golden, Colorado, CSM was ranked 29th, in America among national...
to build a namesake building, Guggenheim Hall. At the time, it was the largest private grant ever made to a State institution.
In 1907, Olga gave birth to their second son, George Guggenheim.
In 1909, he donated a Law Building at University of Colorado
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
.
In 1907, Guggenheim was elected as a Republican senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
for Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
from 1907 to 1913.
During his time as a senator, he served as a chairman of the Committee to Establish a University of the United States, and Committee on the Philippines.
While in Congress, one of his older brothers, Benjamin Guggenheim
Benjamin Guggenheim
Benjamin Guggenheim was an American businessman. He died aboard when the ship sank near Cape Race, Newfoundland.-Early life:...
, died in the RMS Titanic catastrophe. After his term expired, Guggenheim moved to New York.
He joined the board of American Smelting and Refining Company
ASARCO
ASARCO LLC is a mining, smelting, and refining company based in Tucson, Arizona that mines and processes primarily copper. The company, a subsidiary of Grupo México, is currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy...
, later becoming the chairman of the board. From 1919 to 1941 he was president of that company.
In 1922, Guggenheim's son John died of mastoiditis
Mastoiditis
Mastoiditis is an infection of mastoid process, the portion of the temporal bone of the skull that is behind the ear which contains open, air-containing spaces. It is usually caused by untreated acute otitis media and used to be a leading cause of child mortality. With the development of...
just before leaving for college.
In his memory, the Mr, and Mrs. Guggenheim established the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation was founded in 1925 by Mr. and Mrs. Simon Guggenheim in memory of their son, who died April 26, 1922...
in 1925.
Seeded with $3 million, the foundation offered 50 fellowships in its first year for international study.
Since then, the Foundation has granted over 15,000 Guggenheim Fellowships, worth almost a quarter billion dollars.
In 1939, the Guggenheims' second son, George, committed suicide in a Manhattan hotel at the age of 32.
Simon Guggenheim died in 1941 and was interred in the Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx
Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City and is a designated National Historic Landmark.A rural cemetery located in the Bronx, it opened in 1863, in what was then southern Westchester County, in an area that was annexed to New York City in 1874.The cemetery covers more...
in The Bronx, New York.
See also
- Guggenheim familyGuggenheim familyThe Guggenheim family is an American family, of Swiss Jewish ancestry. Beginning with Meyer Guggenheim, who arrived in America in 1847, the family were known for their global successes in mining and smelting . During the 19th century, the family possessed one of the largest fortunes in the world...
- Meyer GuggenheimMeyer GuggenheimMeyer Guggenheim was the patriarch of what became known as the Guggenheim family. He was born in Lengnau, Aargau, Switzerland, was of German Jewish ancestry and emigrated to the United States in 1847...
- John Simon Guggenheim Memorial FoundationJohn Simon Guggenheim Memorial FoundationThe John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation was founded in 1925 by Mr. and Mrs. Simon Guggenheim in memory of their son, who died April 26, 1922...