Alexander Forbes-Leith, 1st Baron Leith of Fyvie facts for kids
Alexander John Forbes-Leith, 1st Baron Leith of Fyvie (born 1847, died 1925) was a Scottish naval officer and a very successful businessman in the American steel industry. He later became a Baron, which is a title of nobility.
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Early Life and Education
Alexander Leith was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1847. He was the youngest son of Rear-Admiral John James Leith. His mother, Margaret Forbes, came from an important Scottish family.
Alexander received his education in several countries. He studied in Berlin, Germany, and at a famous military school in France called the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr. He also attended Dr. Burney's Naval Academy in England, which prepared him for a career in the navy. Later in his life, he added the name "Forbes" to his surname.
Alexander Forbes-Leith joined the Royal Navy in 1860 as a young cadet. By 1861, he was a midshipman, a junior officer rank. He bravely fought in the New Zealand Wars between 1864 and 1865.
During his time in the navy, he was recognized for his courage. He received the Royal Humane Society Medal for saving a boy from drowning. He became a lieutenant in 1869 but decided to leave the navy in 1872.
A Career in Business
After leaving the navy, Forbes-Leith moved to the United States. In 1871, he married the daughter of a director of a large steel mill in Illinois. This connection helped him start a new career in the steel industry.
He worked his way up and eventually became the president of the Joliet Iron and Steel Company. This company later joined with others to form Illinois Steel, and then became part of the huge United States Steel Corporation. Forbes-Leith became a director of this very important company. He was also a partner in a merchant bank, which is a type of bank that helps businesses with their finances.
In 1889, Forbes-Leith used the large fortune he had made in the steel business to buy Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He paid £175,000 for the castle and spent a lot of money restoring it to its former glory. He also held important local positions, serving as a Justice of the Peace and a Deputy Lieutenant for Aberdeenshire. In 1905, he was given the title of Baron Leith of Fyvie, which made him a member of the British peerage.
Family Life
Lord Leith of Fyvie married Marie Louise January from St Louis, Missouri, in the United States. They had one son and two daughters. Sadly, their youngest daughter died as a baby. Their only son, Percy Forbes-Leith, passed away while serving in the Second Boer War.
Lord Leith of Fyvie died in November 1925 at the age of 78. Since his only son had died before him, the title of Baron Leith of Fyvie ended with him. Lady Leith of Fyvie died in June 1930.
Lord Leith's properties, including Fyvie Castle, were passed down to his surviving daughter, Ethel. She was married to Sir Charles Rosdew Burn, who was a Member of Parliament. In 1925, Sir Charles and his family took on the surname Forbes-Leith of Fyvie, as requested in Lord Leith's will.
See Also
- Forbes baronets
Images for kids
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"Fyvie", caricature by Spy in Vanity Fair, 1909.
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Portrait of Lady Forbes-Leith, painted by Francisque-Edouard Bertier.
