Lord Family

Eleazar Lord was born in Connecticut in 1788, and, after studying for a career in the ministry, became a notable businessman, founding the Manhattan Fire Insurance Company (1821), the New York Sunday School Society (1815), the University of the City of New York and Auburn Theological Seminary (1820), in addition to becoming the first president of the New York & Erie Railroad (1833) and writing several books. During the 1857 panic, Eleazar Lord mortgaged heavily and borrowed money from relations, leaving him strapped for money and dependent on others during the Civil War years. He anticipated being a beneficiary of his multi-millionaire, bachelor brother Rufus Lord (1782-1869), but was ultimately disappointed when he inherited very little, the majority going to Rufus's other brothers and executors, Thomas Lord and David Lord. Eleazar Lord's son-in-law, William H. Whiton (1823-1908), who was supporting Eleazar Lord and his wife, retained the services of lawyer Christopher Columbus Langdell in an attempt to contest Rufus's will and the questionable behavior of the executors. Ultimately, this suit failed. Eleazar Lord was married twice -- to Elizabeth Pierson from 1824 until her death in 1833, then to Ruth Thompson, from 1835 until his death in 1871 -- and had a total of 8 children, including Sarah Pierson Lord (1823-1903), the wife of William H. Whiton. Sarah and William Whiton had several children, among them Elizabeth Pierson (Whiton) Stillson (1847-1875), Edward Nathan Whiton (1848-1907), Julia Caroline (Whiton) Gunkel (1853-1927) and Sallie Craig (Whiton) Harris, all of whom are represented in this collection. For more information regarding Eleazar Lord and his descendants, please see the Lord family genealogy, Certain Members of the Lord Family , by Kenneth Lord, located in Box 3 .

From the guide to the Papers, 1807-1961, (Harvard Law School Library, Harvard University)