Stephen Birch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen Birch
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| Born | March 24, 1873 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | December 29, 1950 (aged 77) New York City, U.S.
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| Education |
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| Occupation | Businessman |
| Spouse(s) |
Mary C. Rand
(m. 1916) |
Stephen Birch (1873–1950) was a very successful American businessman. He is best known for leading the Kennecott Copper Company. Under his guidance, Kennecott became one of the biggest copper producers in the world. Birch was also known for being a private person and for his generous charity work.
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Early Life and Education
Stephen Birch was born in New York City on March 24, 1873. He was one of six children. When Stephen was ten, his father passed away. A few years later, his mother moved the family from Brooklyn to Mahwah, New Jersey. They wanted to be closer to relatives there.
In Mahwah, the Birch children became friends with their neighbors, the Havemeyers. Mrs. Havemeyer was very kind to young Stephen. She helped pay for his schooling. He attended Trinity School, New York University, and the Columbia School of Mines. In 1898, he earned his engineering degree from Columbia University.
Starting a Mining Career
In 1898, the "Klondike gold rush" was happening. Many people were heading to Alaska to find gold. Stephen Birch decided he wanted to go to Alaska too. He chose this over working on the New York City Subway system.
Mrs. Havemeyer helped him again. She paid for his trip to Valdez, Alaska. Valdez was a new city and a main port for traveling into Alaska's wild interior. Stephen arrived in Valdez in the summer of 1898.
Discovering Copper
Stephen quickly became known in the mining world. He found a huge amount of copper in the Wrangell Mountains. This area later became the famous mining town of Kennecott, Alaska. He explored a very rich copper deposit near the Copper River.
In 1903, he bought 21 mining claims. He brought them together to form the Alaska Copper and Coal Company. Getting equipment and supplies to this remote area was very hard. They had to use boats and horse teams.
Leading Kennecott Copper
Birch needed more help and resources for his company. He teamed up with famous businessmen like Daniel Guggenheim and J.P. Morgan. Their new company was called Kennecott Mining Company. Its main offices were in New York City. Stephen Birch became its Managing Director.
By 1915, Stephen Birch was in charge. He became the President of the new Kennecott Copper Company. As the copper mines in Alaska started to run out, Birch looked for new sources. He helped the company find copper in other places. These included Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Chile.
Under his leadership, Kennecott Copper grew a lot. In 1915, the company had 450 employees. Its sales were $11 million.
Stephen Birch stepped down as President in 1933. But he stayed on as Chairman of the Board of Directors. He also held important roles in other companies. These included the Alaska Steamship Company and the Braden Copper Company.
When he passed away, Kennecott was huge. It had about 15 percent of the world's known copper. It was also the largest copper producer in the United States. In the year he died, the company had nearly 29,000 employees. Its sales were over $177 million.
Today, the original Kennecott Copper Company site in Alaska is a "ghost town." It is now a popular tourist spot. The old buildings and mills are still there, untouched.
Stephen Birch is remembered for his successful business work. He was inducted into the Mining Hall of Fame. He was also named one of the "20th Century American Leaders" by Harvard Business School.
Personal Life
Stephen Birch married Mary C. Rand in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their wedding was on June 24, 1916. His good friend, Henry O. Havemeyer, was his best man. Stephen and Mary had two children, a son named Stephen and a daughter named Mary.
The Havemeyer family sold their large mansion and 730 acres of land to Birch. He lived in this mansion with his family. He passed away at age 68 on December 29, 1950, in New York City. Stephen Birch is buried at Ferncliff Mausoleum in Hartsdale, New York. A beautiful stained glass window shows Alaskan mountain scenery there.
After his death, his son Stephen inherited the estate. In 1970, his son also passed away. Around that time, the founders of Ramapo College were looking for land. They decided the Birch estate would be the perfect place for their new school. The Birch mansion is now used as an administration building at Ramapo College of New Jersey.
Birch was a very private person. He did not like publicity. He rarely gave interviews or had his picture taken. However, a Swiss-American artist named Adolfo Müller-Ury painted his portrait in 1911. People who knew him said he was a kind and loyal friend. He was also seen as someone who cared deeply about the country's well-being.
Helping Others
In 1938, Stephen Birch started the Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation, Inc. This foundation helps health services, hospitals, and community groups. It gave a lot of money to build the Stephen Birch Aquarium-Museum at the University of California, San Diego.
Even many years after his death, his foundation continues to do good work. For example, it gave $10 million to Sharp HealthCare Foundation. This money helped build a new healthcare facility in San Diego. The new building is named the Stephen Birch Healthcare Center. This was the largest gift Sharp had ever received from the foundation. Overall, the foundation has given over $16 million to Sharp HealthCare.
