Borie family.

John Joseph (J. J.) Borie, son of John and Elizabeth (Chambert) Borie, immigrated to the United States from his home in Villenea, France, in the early 1800s and pursued a mercantile career in the trade house of Laborde Millet. When his business brought him to Philadelphia, J. J. boarded at a popular lodge owned by Elizabeth Beauveau, who, in 1802, had escaped the atrocities of the Haitian Revolution with her five daughters. J. J. married one of Elizabeth's daughters, Sophie in 1808, and the two established a permanent residence in Philadelphia, near 4th and Spruce Streets. J. J. also opened his own self-named importing and shipping business, and a cotton mill in Manayunk with his brother-in-law Peter Laguerenne, which was known as Borie & Laguerenne. J. J. and Sophie had twelve children together, the most notable of whom was their eldest son Adolph, who followed his father into mercantilism. Adolph also held several noteworthy appointments including president of the Bank of Commerce in 1848, director of the Pennsylvania Company for Insurance on Lives and Granting Annuities, and Secretary of the Navy in the cabinet of Ulysses S. Grant. He served in this latter appointment for only four months, but remained close friends with the Grants and even briefly joined them on their European excursion from 1878 to 1879. Adolph died shortly after his return home from that trip in 1880. He was survived by his wife Elizabeth (nee McKean), and his estate was managed by his brother, Charles.

From the description of Borie family papers, 1791-1888. (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). WorldCat record id: 122625191