Lenox, James, 1800-1880

American bibliophile and philanthropist.

James Lenox (1800-1880) was an American philanthropist and book collector.

In collaboration with Henry Stevens (1819-1886), an American book purchasing agent based in London, Lenox developed a fine collection of rare books, particularly Americana and early Bibles. His collection served as the basis of the Lenox Library which was organized in 1870 and later became part of the New York Public Library. His philanthropic work was primarily on behalf of the Presbyterian Church.

James Lenox was born on August 19, 1800 at 59 Broadway in New York City. His father was Robert Lenox, who was born in 1759 in Kirkcubright, Scotland. Robert Lenox had migrated to New York City in the 1770s, and married Rachel Carmer in 1783. Robert Lenox was a merchant who was heavily invested in New York City real estate.

James Lenox received an A.B. from Columbia College in 1818, and later received Masters degrees from Columbia and the College of New Jersey (now known as Princeton University). He studied law and was admitted to the New York bar on January 18, 1822. After spending time in Europe, he returned to New York City and joined his father's business as an importing merchant. From 1829 until 1840, he worked at the firm known as Robert Lenox and Son, located at 59 Broadway.

Upon the 1839 death of his father, who was by then one of the wealthiest men in New York City, Lenox inherited property that included a large farm of 300 acres in the upper part of the city. Lenox carried on the family business until 1845, when he retired to concentrate on book collecting and supporting charitable organizations. Lenox gave land to the Presbyterian Hospital and Presbyterian Home for Aged Women. He was active in the Presbyterian Church on Fifth Avenue. Lenox was a trustee of the College of New Jersey from 1833-1857, and served the Princeton Seminary as trustee (1831-1879) and director (1835-1847). During the last twelve years of his life, he gave away three million dollars to charities.

In 1845, Lenox began to collaborate with Henry Stevens, an American book purchasing agent who lived in London. Stevens assisted Lenox in the development of a fine collection of rare books, especially Americana and early Bibles. Letters, notes, lists, and invoices passed between the two by almost every steamer for fifteen years. The first copy of a Gutenberg Bible to come to the United States was a James Lenox acquisition of 1847. Lenox also bought manuscripts, engravings, maps, and paintings.

Lenox eventually decided to make his collections accessible to scholars and the public by establishing an independent library to manage them. In 1870 the Lenox Library was incorporated with a nine-member board of trustees, and plans were made for a new library building to house the materials, then in Lenox's home. The architect selected was Richard Morris Hunt (1827-1895) and the site (owned and donated to the new institution by Lenox) was Fifth Avenue between 70th and 71st streets in Manhattan.

James Lenox died at the age of 53 on February 17, 1880 at his residence at 53 Fifth Avenue. He is buried in New York City at the Marble Cemetery on Second Street. In 1895, the Lenox Library joined with the Astor Library and Tilden Trust to form The New York Public Library.