Tilden Trust

The Tilden Trust was founded, in accordance with provisions of the will of Samuel Jones Tilden (1814-1886), to "establish and maintain a free library in the City New York." It was incorporated by an act of the New York State Legislature on March 26, 1887.

The Act of Incorporation made the executors of Tilden's will, Andrew H. Green (1820-1903), George W. Smith (1836-1921) and John Bigelow (1817-1911), permanent members of the board of trustees of the Tilden Trust, and authorized them to appoint other trustees. On April 26, 1887 they appointed Alexander E. Orr (1831-1914) and Stephen Walker (d.1893). Lewis Cass Ledyard (1851-1932), the lawyer for the executors of the will, was appointed to the board on April 23, 1893 to fill a vacancy left by the death of Walker.

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