Barlow, Samuel L. M. (Samuel Latham Mitchill), 1826-1889

Samuel Latham Mitchill Barlow, prominent corporation lawyer and backstage Democrat. Co-founder of the law firm of Bowdoin, Larocque, and Barlow in 1852, he specialized in corporate law and management, particularly in railroads, mining, land, and utilities, and was a part owner of the New York World. Barlow represented the English Shareholders Association in a successful attack on the corrupt management of the Erie Railroad in 1872 and was directly responsible for the ouster of Jay Gould from the board of directors of that company. A lifelong Democrat despite his increasing disaffection after 1870, Barlow played a pivotal role in the nomination and presidential campaign of James Buchanan, served as advisor to Buchanan's administration, worked unsuccessfully to restore party's unity at the Charleston Convention of 1860, and engineered the 1864 presidential candidacy of General George McClellan, a close personal friend. A notable collector of early Americana and early printed editions of European Renaissance literature, Barlow also played an active role in the social and cultural life of New York. He entertained lavishly at his Madison Avenue home and his Long Island estate, and was co-founder of the Manhattan Club and patron of museums and historical societies.

From the description of Papers of Samuel L. M. Barlow, 1776-1905 (bulk 1885-1889). (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 122545639

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