Drexel University - Spartan Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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ANTHONY J. DREXEL 'I'he Drexel name is a 1'tlll11l12l1' one not only in our own eountry but throug'hout the world. Wherever linaneial questions requiring' unseltish serriee to the people o1' to the nation are to be eonsidered aeeording to sound principles and on a basis ot' the strietest, and most serupulons probity, the name ol' Drexel is honored and revered. 1Vherever questions arise having' to do with the promotion ot' the welfare ot' mankind by bringing young' people into the atmosphere ot' things beautiful and true and useful and thus stim- ulating' them to appreeiate and emulate the best in life, the name otf Drexel, as perpetuated in the Drexel Institute, will be honored and loved. 'l'he l'amily in ,l'hiladelphia was l'ounded in the ea1'ly part ot' the nineteenth eentury by 'IVHANUIS MA l1'l'I'N Dli1'1XlCIi, the t'ather ot' the founder ot' Drexel Institute. lle was born at Dornbirn, a town in the Austrian 'l'yrol, near the Swiss border not l'ar from Lake tlonstanee, on the seventh ot' April, 1792. 1Vhen eleven years old he was sent to Milan, Italy, where he studied languages and the line arts. It immediately beeame ap- parent that he possessed a. marked natural gift for painting: 'He spent six yea1's as a student in Milan. 'From this time until 1817 he spent his lit'e in Switzerland, Paris and llerlin, eon- tinuing' his study ol' art, while painting' portraits as a means ol' livelihood. In 1817, he eame to the United States, establishing' himselt' in 'I-'hiladelphia as an artist. Here he married Miss Katherine Von Huelii. ln 1826, the year in whieh An- thony -1. Drexel was born, he made a tour ot' the prineipal South Ameriean eountries, painting portraits ol' many ot' the notable men, ineluding' tleneral Dolivar, The Liber- ator, with whom he long' maintained relations ot' intimate t'riendship. 'l'wo ol' his paint- ings now hang in the 1 aeult'y llooin ol' the Drexel Institute. In 1837, having' returned to 'l'hiladelphia, he founded the banking' house ot' Drexel and Company. 'l'his house, eondueted on sound linaneial prineiples and on the idea that. a banking' institution is a publie trust, soon beeame a l'aetor in the development otf our nation at an important period. In 1839, Anthony Joseph Drexel, the seeond son ot' 1 raneis Martin Drexel entered the banking' house ot' his father. I-Born on the thirteenth ol' September, 1826, he was at this time only thirteen years ot' age, for the remainder ot' his lil'e. a period ol' lit'ty-t'our years, he was aetively and eontinuously engaged in the development- olf this unique insti- tution of world-wide reputation. Anthony J. Drexel speedily showed that he inherited the high abilities in linanee whieh eliaraeterized his father. It was at this time, when seareely more than thirteen 3 x

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V ' rig! E ?'4':: 15,- I -'W ire:-.'-Q -- V , 'Sb . ,,.4, . , . . The Drexel Institute -'I' 79 --W9' 'N 1: -' ' Tijii.- If e' ' sl Q .F