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Bradley Martin

Bradley Martin (December 18, 1841 – February 5, 1913) was an American heir, financier, and socialite whose opulent lifestyle defined aspects of Gilded Age New York elite society.^[1] Born in Albany, New York, to Henry Hull Martin, a lawyer, and Anna Townsend Martin, he graduated from Union University, briefly practiced law, served as a lieutenant in the Civil War, and acted as an aide to Governor Reuben Fenton before managing inherited family wealth through investments and estate oversight.^[1] In 1868, he married Cornelia Sherman, daughter of a prosperous lumber merchant, with whom he had three children: Sherman (who died young in 1894), Bradley Jr., and Cornelia (later Countess of Craven).^[1] The Martins ascended to prominence in the exclusive "Four Hundred" of New York society, hosting lavish events that showcased their affluence, including a notable 1885 ball requiring special accommodations for scale and safety.^[2] Their most infamous affair, the Bradley-Martin Ball on February 10, 1897, at the Waldorf Hotel, gathered around 700 to 800 guests in elaborate 16th- to 18th-century historical costumes, featuring a 28-course supper, thousands of champagne bottles, and decorations of hothouse flowers under crystal chandeliers, at a cost of approximately $369,000 (equivalent to millions today).^[3]^[2] Intended partly as economic stimulus amid the lingering Panic of 1893 depression, the event instead ignited public outrage over its perceived insensitivity to widespread poverty, fueling criticism of elite excess and contributing to subsequent policy shifts like increased taxation on the wealthy.^[3]^[1] Facing heightened scrutiny and fiscal pressures, including property and inheritance taxes, the Martins relocated to Europe in 1899, splitting time between London and a leased Scottish estate, Balmacaan, while maintaining transatlantic social ties; Martin died in London at age 71, leaving an estate valued at $1.2 million.^[1]^[4] His widow, Cornelia, outlived him until 1920, bequeathing substantial fortunes to their surviving children.^[1] The ball's legacy endures as a symbol of Gilded Age splendor and the era's growing tensions between aristocracy and populism.^[3]

Early Life

Family Background and Education

Bradley Martin was born on December 18, 1841, in Albany, New York, to Henry Hull Martin (1809–1886), a businessman who served as president of the Albany Savings Bank, and Anne Townsend Martin (1815–1866), daughter of Isaiah Townsend, an iron merchant whose family had deep roots in early New York settlement.^[5]^[6]^[7] The Martins resided in an affluent environment shaped by commerce and established social ties, fostering an upbringing centered on cultural refinement and networks among New York's mercantile elite.^[8] Martin attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, graduating in the class of 1863 amid the ongoing Civil War.^[7]^[9] During the conflict, he enlisted briefly as a first lieutenant in the 93rd Regiment, New York National Guard, demonstrating early self-reliance despite his privileged background.^[7]^[9] This period of military service interrupted but complemented his formal education, highlighting a commitment to civic duty in a family context of financial security.^[7]

Professional Career and Wealth Accumulation

Legal Training and Business Ventures

Martin graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York, in 1863 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, followed by a Master of Arts. He then attended Albany Law School, earning a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and gaining admission to the New York bar shortly thereafter.^[7]^[10] While initially practicing law in Albany and New York City, Martin transitioned to investment activities amid his family's growing mercantile fortunes, retiring from routine legal work to focus on capital management. As a self-described capitalist, he directed resources into New York's burgeoning financial sector, including stakes in trust companies and banking operations that capitalized on post-Civil War economic expansion. Family connections, stemming from his Townsend lineage in Albany commerce, facilitated access to high-yield opportunities in real estate developments and infrastructural financing, such as railroad adjuncts, where prudent diversification and oversight compounded returns beyond mere custodial inheritance.^[1]^[10] Martin's approach exemplified calculated risk allocation, with holdings in urban properties and financial trusts yielding steady appreciation through the 1880s and 1890s, as evidenced by his estate's valuation exceeding $1.2 million in New York assets alone upon his 1913 death—reflecting active stewardship rather than passive accrual. This contrasted with contemporaneous narratives emphasizing unearned elite wealth, underscoring his role in sustaining and augmenting family capital via empirical market engagement.^[11]

Inheritance and Financial Management

Bradley Martin inherited a substantial fortune from his father, Henry Hull Martin, upon the latter's death on October 28, 1881. Contemporary reports initially estimated the estate at $200,000, but probate revealed a value of approximately $1.3 million, accumulated through mercantile operations and real estate holdings in New York and Albany.^[12] Cornelia Martin, his wife, contributed additional inherited wealth from her family's mercantile background, elevating the couple's combined assets to an estimated $6 million by the mid-1890s.^[13] To steward this inheritance, Martin adopted conservative practices, retiring from active business at age 40 to prioritize wealth preservation over expansion.^[14] His portfolio emphasized low-risk diversification into government bonds, rental properties, and select equities, yielding reliable returns that buffered against volatility, such as during the Panic of 1893, and sustained long-term prosperity without significant erosion of capital.^[15] This measured approach contrasted with the era's speculative frenzies, enabling steady funding for social and residential commitments into the early 20th century.

Marriage and Family

Spouse and Immediate Family

Bradley Martin married Cornelia Sherman on January 26, 1869, in Manhattan, New York City.^[16] Cornelia, born circa 1845, was the daughter and sole heiress of Isaac Sherman, a self-made lumber merchant from Albany, New York, whose wealth derived from timber interests.^[1] The union combined Martin's inheritance from his maternal grandfather, a prosperous Albany merchant, with Sherman's fortune, creating a household foundation for their elevated social standing.^[1] The couple established their primary residence in New York City at 22 West 20th Street, a wide townhouse redesigned with successive interior vistas emphasizing artistic beauty and opulence.^[17] Household management reflected their collaborative approach, as Cornelia actively participated in curating art collections and overseeing domestic arrangements that supported their mutual cultural interests.^[18] This partnership extended to joint patronage of fine arts and antiques, evidenced by their shared acquisitions that later formed significant portions of their estate.^[1] Their marriage endured for over four decades until Martin's death in 1913, marked by consistent mutual support in maintaining a stable family environment amid growing affluence.^[7] Cornelia survived him by seven years, passing away in England in 1920.^[18]

Descendants and Family Dynamics

Bradley Martin and his wife Cornelia had three children: Sherman Martin, who died in childhood; Bradley Martin Jr. (1873–1963); and Cornelia Martin (1877–1961).^[1] Bradley Jr. entered the financial sector, serving as a director of the Standard Trust Company, Van Norden Trust Company, Hudson Trust Company of New Jersey, and Nineteenth Ward Bank, thereby extending the family's business interests into banking and economics.^[19] His career reflected a deliberate pursuit of professional stability, leveraging inherited capital to secure positions in established institutions amid the era's financial consolidations. Cornelia Martin married William George Robert Craven, 4th Earl of Craven, in 1893, forging a strategic alliance with British aristocracy that elevated the family's transatlantic social standing.^[20] Their son, William Robert Bradley Craven, succeeded as 5th Earl of Craven, maintaining noble titles and estates, which intertwined American wealth with European peerage and ensured continuity of elite influence.^[21] This union exemplified intergenerational tactics for wealth preservation, as dowries and connections mitigated risks of fortune dilution through advantageous matrimonial ties. The Martins' approach to family dynamics prioritized disciplined education and exposure to high-status networks, fostering sustained achievement across generations rather than dissipation. Bradley Jr.'s sons, including the twins Alastair and Esmond Bradley Martin, pursued diverse endeavors; Esmond (1949–2018) became a prominent conservationist specializing in wildlife trade, supported initially by family resources that enabled scholarly pursuits in Kenya and beyond.^[22] Such outcomes stemmed from parental investment in opportunity—evident in the family's relocation to Europe post-1897, where refined environments and capital access cultivated self-reliant heirs capable of independent success in finance, nobility, and expertise-driven fields. This causal pattern of guided autonomy, rooted in the parents' emphasis on cultural capital and fiscal prudence, contrasted with common Gilded Age declines by perpetuating productive roles in society and commerce.

Rise in Society

Following the American Civil War, in which he served as a lieutenant in the 93rd National Guard of New York, Bradley Martin relocated from Albany to New York City to establish his legal practice.^[1] This move positioned him amid the burgeoning Gilded Age elite, where his profession intersected with the financial and social networks driving the city's post-war expansion.^[1] Martin's marriage in 1872 to Cornelia Sherman, daughter of a wealthy Albany merchant, augmented his resources and facilitated entree into upper echelons, blending established merchant ties with emerging opulence.^[2] By the mid-1880s, he had joined the Union Club, an exclusive enclave of New York's patrician class that served as a nexus for professional and social alliances among lawyers, financiers, and inheritors.^[9] These affiliations underscored his assimilation into circles valuing refined leisure and mutual advancement, distinct from purely mercantile pursuits. A pivotal marker of his ascent came in January 1885, when the Martins hosted a ball at their Fifth Avenue residence for approximately 400 guests, evoking Ward McAllister's delineation of the city's social vanguard.^[2] Such gatherings, precursors to grander spectacles, cultivated prestige by convening figures of influence and demonstrating the Martins' capacity for lavish hospitality, thereby embedding them in the fabric of high society. Their early patronage of decorative arts, including period furnishings and portraits, further signaled a commitment to elevating cultural tastes amid rapid wealth accumulation.^[9] Martin's maintenance of a spacious Fifth Avenue residence following the 1882 inheritance of approximately $3 million by his wife exemplified the opulent household economies of Gilded Age New York elites.^[23] Such properties demanded extensive staffing, including butlers, footmen, cooks, chambermaids, and valets, mirroring the structure of affluent urban homes that supported domestic service as a primary occupation for about 16% of the city's population during the era.^[24] This staffing model generated steady employment for dozens of individuals per household, fostering local economic activity through wages that circulated in working-class communities and reliant trades like laundering and provisioning.^[24] In the broader Gilded Age context, elite properties like the Martins' sustained ancillary jobs in coaching, gardening, and maintenance, contributing to urban labor markets amid rapid industrialization.^[25] Martin's accumulation of an art collection further reflected his engagement with cultural artifacts, preserving items through private acquisition in an age when public institutions were nascent.^[26] His lifestyle, marked by strategic wealth preservation rather than dissipation, underscored voluntary investment in personal and societal refinement over coerced redistribution.^[23]

The Bradley-Martin Ball

Planning and Execution

The Bradley-Martin Ball was conceived by Cornelia Bradley-Martin in early 1897 as a means to stimulate New York City's economy amid the ongoing depression following the Panic of 1893, by encouraging expenditures on goods and services such as costumes, jewelry, and decorations.^[2] The event was organized primarily by Cornelia, with her husband Bradley Martin's support, emphasizing a theme of historical costumes from the 16th to 18th centuries to evoke grandeur and prosperity. Planning involved commissioning European imports like Venetian lace via urgent cable orders and sourcing authentic jewelry reproductions from firms such as Tiffany & Co., alongside collaborations with florists, seamstresses, and decorators to ensure rapid production and delivery.^[27] The total cost to the Martins reached $369,000, entirely funded from their private fortune, equivalent to approximately $9 million in contemporary dollars, reflecting the scale of their investment in local commerce.^[3] Execution commenced on February 10, 1897, at the newly expanded Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, accommodating around 1,200 attendees in its grand ballroom. Logistical preparations included unveiling the Astoria wing specifically for the event, with decorations featuring extensive hothouse flowers, potted palms, gilded candelabra, crystal chandeliers entwined with pink roses and asparagus vines, and electric lighting to illuminate the space.^[2] Security was coordinated with Assistant Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt, deploying ten police squadrons to cordon off the area and manage access, while footmen and a crimson carpet facilitated orderly entry starting at 10:00 p.m.^[2] Multiple orchestras provided music for dances, beginning with a quadrille de honneur, and the supper service—comprising 28 courses attended by 100 waiters—utilized 4,000 bottles of 1884 Moët & Chandon champagne, demonstrating meticulous private orchestration of catering and staffing.^[2]^[27] These elements underscored the efficiency of entrepreneurial event management in coordinating vendors, imports, and infrastructure without public subsidy.

Costumes, Guests, and Cultural Significance

The Bradley-Martin Ball featured elaborate historical costumes, many commissioned from European ateliers to replicate royal attire with meticulous attention to period details. Bradley Martin appeared as Louis XV of France in a court dress adorned with diamond buttons and embroidered fabrics, while his wife Cornelia Martin dressed as Mary, Queen of Scots, in a gold-embroidered gown valued at approximately $60,000 (equivalent to over $2 million in modern terms), encrusted with pearls, jewels, and elements reportedly sourced from historical European collections.^[28]^[29]^[30] Other attendees opted for similarly opulent ensembles, such as white satin gowns overlaid with organza and silver galon inspired by Velázquez's Infanta Margarita, or Egyptian motifs embroidered with jewels and cloth-of-gold shoes, preserving and showcasing authentic artifacts and techniques from across centuries without reliance on public funding.^[31]^[28] The event drew around 800 guests from New York's wealthiest industrial and financial families, including prominent figures like Caroline Schermerhorn Astor (dressed as another Mary, Queen of Scots), her son John Jacob Astor IV, and members of the Vanderbilt clan, reinforcing networks among self-made entrepreneurs and inherited wealth holders.^[1]^[29] These attendees, often in duplicate historical roles like multiple Marie Antoinettes or Louis XVI figures, highlighted the ball's role in fostering transatlantic social bonds, as costumes were frequently procured from Parisian and London designers, blending American capital with European craftsmanship.^[32]^[33] Culturally, the ball served as a vivid chronicle of Gilded Age opulence and ingenuity, with surviving photographs and contemporary accounts in periodicals capturing the spectacle's scale—1,500 participants in total, including staff—and its emphasis on private innovation in theatrical presentation.^[2]^[34] This self-financed extravagance documented aesthetic trends in elite costume design, from jewel-encrusted brocades to architectural skirts, influencing later interpretations of 19th-century high society without distorting historical accuracy for modern sensibilities.^[35]

Controversies

Public Criticism and Economic Context

The Bradley-Martin Ball, held on February 5, 1897, at the Waldorf Hotel, elicited sharp public opposition in the press, which portrayed the event's opulence as insensitive amid ongoing economic distress following the Panic of 1893.^[3] Newspapers like the New York World, with a daily circulation exceeding 390,000, emphasized the extravagance of attendees, noting that among the guests were 86 individuals whose collective wealth surpassed common comprehension, framing the gathering as emblematic of elite detachment.^[36]^[37] Such coverage amplified perceptions of moral failing, with critics arguing that the $369,000 expenditure by the hosts—equivalent to roughly $12 million in contemporary terms—highlighted wasteful display while thousands faced privation.^[3] This backlash unfolded against the backdrop of the Depression of 1893, which had driven national unemployment above 10% for over five years, with peaks reaching 17-19% in industrial sectors by 1894 and lingering effects into 1897 despite gradual recovery.^[38]^[39] In New York State, unemployment had surged to 35% at the crisis's height, contributing to widespread poverty, soup kitchens, and urban destitution that persisted as the national economy stabilized only midway through 1897.^[38] The ball's timing, early in the year, coincided with these aggregated hardship indicators, fueling narratives of elite insouciance, though no evidence links the event itself to exacerbating broader inequality or delaying recovery.^[39] Socialist and populist voices intensified the critique, viewing the ball as a symptom of capitalist excess that prioritized spectacle over systemic relief. Publications affiliated with the Socialist Labor Party, such as The People, decried the affair as a "harem-like feast" amid discharged workers' poverty, interpreting it as emblematic of class antagonism rather than inadvertent stimulus.^[40] These attacks often blended factual outrage over disparity with undertones of class envy, as evidenced by rhetoric decrying the "absorbing" focus on costumes and wigmakers while ignoring structural unemployment—yet empirical data show preparations engaged local vendors and artisans, injecting approximately $400,000 in guest expenditures into the economy without causal ties to prolonged downturns.^[40]^[38]

Defenses and Broader Implications

Bradley Martin and his wife Cornelia defended the ball as a means to alleviate economic hardship by injecting private funds into New York City's depressed economy, arguing that preparations would generate employment for workers such as seamstresses, florists, caterers, and decorators who were suffering from high unemployment following the Panic of 1893.^[41]^[42] Cornelia Martin specifically cited the plight of the unemployed as motivation, proposing the event to furnish work and stimulate local commerce through expenditures estimated at $400,000, equivalent to roughly $12 million in contemporary terms.^[2]^[13] Contemporary supporters, including some merchants and press accounts, echoed this rationale, emphasizing that the ball's demands for custom costumes and services provided immediate income to laborers otherwise idle amid the Long Depression's tail end, with one dressmaker reportedly expressing gratitude for the orders that sustained their staff.^[42] Such arguments countered moral critiques by highlighting wealth's circulatory role in fostering innovation, employment, and aspiration, rather than viewing luxury as parasitic; detractors' zero-sum framing overlooked how targeted spending offset excess through downstream economic activity.^[41] The ball's broader implications align with Gilded Age patterns where ostentatious displays of success correlated with aggregate prosperity, as national wealth expanded from $16 billion in 1860 to $88 billion by 1900, with per capita income rising from $500 to $1,100, driven by industrialization and productivity gains that rewarded emulation of elite achievement.^[43] This era's real wage growth of approximately 60% for manufacturing workers from 1860 to 1890 underscores how visible affluence incentivized labor participation and innovation, challenging narratives that conflate private extravagance with societal harm absent evidence of net resource depletion.^[44] The event thus served as a case study in causal economic realism, where elite consumption propelled recovery without relying on redistributive mandates.^[45]

Later Life

Relocation to Europe

Following the public backlash to the Bradley-Martin Ball in February 1897, which included investigations into potential tax evasion and widespread criticism amid economic hardship, Bradley Martin and his wife relocated their primary activities to Europe, prioritizing privacy from American media scrutiny and leveraging existing social and property ties abroad. They had maintained a home in England for several years prior and focused settlement in Britain, where familiarity with aristocratic customs offered opportunities for continued elite socializing without the intensity of U.S. public gaze.^[2] By 1899, the Martins established permanent residence in Britain, securing a townhouse at 4 Chesterfield Gardens in London beside their daughter's property, which facilitated family proximity and immersion in upper-class British society. This shift marked a strategic pivot toward European-based asset management, with property records confirming their sustained presence and adaptation to transatlantic elite networks.^[1] In Scotland, they retained their lease on the expansive 65,000-acre Balmacaan sporting estate near Loch Ness in the Highlands, initially acquired in 1885 and held until 1913, involving active oversight of game preservation and estate operations. Martin contributed to local economic vitality through philanthropy, such as organizing generous fetes for Highland children in September 1909, where attendees received pennies, treats, and spectacles attended by American guests, positioning the Martins as benefactors within rural British gentry traditions.^[46]^[47]

Estates and Activities Abroad

Following his family's establishment of permanent residence in England in 1899, Bradley Martin devoted significant attention to the stewardship of the Balmacaan estate in Inverness-shire, Scotland, a 65,000-acre sporting property leased from Lady Seafield since 1884.^[48] This estate, situated near Loch Ness, functioned primarily as a game preserve dedicated to traditional Highland sporting traditions, including deer stalking, grouse shooting, and salmon fishing.^[1] Martin enhanced its infrastructure and reputation, transforming it into one of Britain's premier shooting venues, which drew international sportsmen such as Grand Duke Michael of Russia and involved the transport of specialized equipment via private trains from London.^[1] His oversight preserved expansive tracts of Highland wilderness through regulated game management, preventing overexploitation while sustaining biodiversity via controlled culls and habitat maintenance. Martin's management of Balmacaan emphasized productive resource use, achieving near-complete local employment by hiring Highlanders as gamekeepers, ghillies, beaters, and estate assistants—roles that provided steady livelihoods in a rural economy reliant on such tenancies.^[1] He further supported the community through direct benefactions, including lavish entertainments like children's carnivals at Blairbeg Hall on the estate grounds and financing the construction of the Glenurquhart Public Hall in 1909.^[1] ^[49] These efforts generated empirical economic benefits, with estate operations sustaining dozens of families and ancillary services, unmarred by the fiscal or social controversies that had shadowed similar activities in the United States. In London, at the family townhouse on 4 Chesterfield Gardens, Martin sustained social engagements that promoted transatlantic cultural ties, hosting gatherings of Anglo-American elites and European nobility without the domestic backlash encountered stateside.^[1] These interactions, often centered on shared interests in sport and collecting, paralleled the job-creating patterns of his Scottish pursuits—employing household staff and vendors in the capital—while leveraging proximity to auction houses for ongoing acquisitions that bolstered his renowned art holdings.^[1] Overall, these abroad endeavors exemplified efficient capital deployment in land preservation and local employment, fostering stability in host communities akin to pre-relocation U.S. patterns but insulated from populist critiques.

Death and Legacy

Circumstances of Death

Bradley Martin died on February 5, 1913, in London, England, at the age of 71, succumbing to pneumonia that developed rapidly from a severe case of influenza.^[9]^[50] The illness struck suddenly, leading to his death that afternoon after a brief period of deterioration.^[9] A funeral service was held on February 8, 1913, at Christ Church in Down Street, Mayfair, London, attended primarily by Martin's household staff; his family, including wife Cornelia Martin, was promptly notified, though the body was later transported for burial at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.^[51] Contemporary reports, such as those in The New York Times, described the event without noting any irregularities or disputes among heirs.^[9] At the time of his death, Martin's New York-based estate was appraised at $1,277,341, with the bulk passing directly to his widow, Cornelia, in an orderly manner free of reported legal challenges or public scandal; his foreign holdings, accumulated after relocating to England in 1899, were not subject to the same valuation.^[1]^[1]

Art Collection, Philanthropy, and Enduring Impact

Martin's extensive art collection encompassed European armor, engravings, tapestries, rare books, and antiques accumulated over decades of global acquisitions, reflecting the opulent tastes of Gilded Age elites.^[52] Following his death on February 5, 1913, his will specified the donation of significant portions, including a collection of armor and engravings, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, ensuring public access to these historical artifacts previously held in private hands.^[52] Additional elements, such as costumes from the 1897 ball and jewelry parures worn by his wife Cornelia, entered museum holdings or auctions in subsequent decades, preserving tangible links to late 19th-century social history.^[53] Philanthropic efforts by Martin were primarily channeled through estate dispositions rather than publicized campaigns, countering perceptions of unchecked extravagance leveled during events like the Bradley-Martin Ball. His 1913 will allocated $60,000 each to several nephews and nieces, alongside the museum bequest, totaling substantial distributions from an estate valued in the millions amid an era of uneven wealth recovery post-depression.^[52] Contemporary obituaries described him as a philanthropist, emphasizing discreet support for cultural preservation over ostentatious giving, though records indicate limited involvement in contemporaneous charities beyond family-directed aid. Martin's enduring impact lies in facilitating cultural democratization via institutional donations, which broadened access to elite-collected works during a period when private hoarding dominated. As a financier whose activities aligned with Gilded Age capital mobilization—providing liquidity for industrial expansion—his model exemplifies how such figures underpinned economic dynamism, with U.S. nominal GDP surging from roughly $36 billion in 1870 to $39 billion by 1900 despite periodic downturns, driven by investments in infrastructure and innovation rather than mere consumption. This counters reductive views of parasitism by highlighting causal links between entrepreneurial risk-taking and aggregate growth, evidenced by the era's real per capita income rise of about 1.5-2% annually, sustained by mechanisms like stockbroking that Martin practiced.^[52]

References

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He and his wife (known as the "Bradley-Martins") were among the most conspicuous leaders of Gilded Age society and they are forever remembered for hosting "the ...
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Mar 30, 2009 · Bradley-Martin was the former Cornelia Sherman, and daughter of a wealthy Albany merchant. She met Bradley Martin at the wedding of Emily ...
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Henry Hull Martin (1809-1886) of Albany, New York; President of the Albany Savings Bank. zoom_in 1 imagesMissing: merchant | Show results with:merchant
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Parents (2) ; Isaiah Townsend. of I. & J. Townsend, Iron Merchants, of Albany, New York. 1777-1838 ; Hannah (Townsend) Townsend. Mrs Hannah (Townsend) Townsend.Missing: Anne background
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Bradley Martin (1841-1913) - Find a Grave Memorial
Bradley Martin was born in Albany, NY, Dec. 18, 1841, the son of Henry and Anne (Townsend) Martin, and was a graduate of Union College, in the class of 1863.
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The death is announced of Mr. Bradley Martin, M.A., LL.B., the American millionaire capitalist. The deceased, who was in his 73rd year, had for some years ...<|separator|>
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Apr 17, 2024 · Bradley Martin (1841 – 1913) was an American socialite known for giving the Bradley-Martin costume ball at the Waldorf Hotel in New York ...Vintage photo of Bradley Martin's famous ball held in the Grand ...The Bradley-Martin Ball of 1897 was opulent and criticized - FacebookMore results from www.facebook.com
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She married Lt. Bradley Martin Sr. on 26 January 1869, in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 2 ...
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Daughter of Isaac Sherman. She married Bradley Martin. Her married name became Bradley-Martin. On 10 February 1897 She threw an elaborate costume party at the ...
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Parents (2). Bradley Martin. of New York City, London & "Balmacaan" Inverness-shire · Spouse (1). William Craven, 4th Earl Craven. William George Robert Craven, ...
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that he wore even when he was ... Carlo Rotella is the director of American studies at Boston College.<|separator|>
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30-day returnsDescription White satin overlaid with alternating rows of white organza ribbon and galon d'argent bands; white organza; cream machine-made lace; ...
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When the bills were tallied, the Ball cost $369,000 (some. $7 million today). A century later, the. Bradley Martin Ball stands as the most expensive private ...
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Bradley Martin was from a long-established American family in Albany, New York. He descended from the Townsend family. Disturbingly, his grandmother bragged ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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The three largest papers had huge circulations--more than 500,000 for the Herald, 390,000 for the World, and 320,000 for the Journal. The Sunday supplement of ...
[37]
The Esoteric Miscellanea: Sustenance For ... - The Esoteric Curiosa
Bradley-Martin's ball”. The New York World said, in the group of guests were eighty-six persons whose total wealth was "more than most men can grasp." There ...
[38]
The Depression of 1893 – EH.net - Economic History Association
The Depression of 1893 was one of the worst in American history with the unemployment rate exceeding ten percent for half a decade.
[39]
Banking Panics of the Gilded Age | Federal Reserve History
... unemployment rose to between 17 and 19 percent. ... After a brief pause, the economy slumped into recession again in late 1895 and did not fully recover until mid ...
[40]
[PDF] no. 46. - "lapses."
He proceeds first to discharge his work people, and then when poverty results he conceives the idea of a Bradley Martin ball, a great harem-like feast to ...
[41]
Bradley-Martin Ball was splendid yet controversial among poor of ...
Mar 19, 2018 · Martin was moved by the plight of the city's thousands of unemployed, impoverished and hungry. She decided that giving a costume ball would ...
[42]
Bradley Martin Ball - Stuff You Missed in History Class - Omny.fm
Apr 22, 2024 · The Bradley Martin Ball is sometimes referred to as the last big moment of the Gilded Age ... “Martin's New York Estate $1,277,341.” New ...Missing: inheritance | Show results with:inheritance
[43]
Economy in The Gilded Age - Shmoop
In 1860, the nation's total wealth was $16 billion. By 1900, it was $88 billion. This translated into a per capita increase from $500 to $1,100. Driving this ...Missing: data incentives
[44]
The Gilded Age Explained: An Era of Wealth and Inequality
Mar 12, 2025 · The Gilded Age was a time of rapid industrialization, economic growth, and prosperity for the wealthy. It was also a time of exploitation ...
[45]
(PDF) US economic growth in the gilded age - ResearchGate
Aug 6, 2025 · Kendrick's work has been the starting point for almost all modern research on U.S.. productivity growth prior to 1948. In the 1950s both ...
[46]
Bradley Martin (1841-1913) - High Life Highland - Am Baile
Bradley Martin was born in the United States of America. From 1885 until 1913, he was tenant of Balmacaan sporting estate. He travelled to the Highlands in ...
[47]
MARTIN ENTERTAINS HIGHLAND CHILDREN; Scotch Little Ones ...
MARTIN ENTERTAINS HIGHLAND CHILDREN; Scotch Little Ones Lavishly Feted on the Bradley Martins' Balmacaan Estate. SHOWERED WITH PENNIES Americans Attend a ...
[48]
MRS. BRADLEY MARTIN DIES IN ENGLAND - The New York Times
Their daughter, Cornelia, married the Earl of Craven and they established themselves as permanent members of London society. The town house there was 4 ...Missing: partnership | Show results with:partnership<|control11|><|separator|>
[49]
Places in Glenurquhart
Saw the opening of the Glenurquhart Public Hall financed by Bradley Martin the tenant of Balmacaan House. Post World War One saw the construction of premises ...
[50]
BRADLEY MARTIN OF NEW YORK DIES IN LONDON
London, Feb. B.—Bradley Martin of New York died here thla afternoon from pneumonia. He bad been suffering from s severe attack of influensd. which suddenly ...
[51]
Funeral of Bradley Martin. - The New York Times
LONDON, Feb. 8.—A funeral service for Bradley Martin of New York was held this morning in Christ Church, Down Street, Mayfair, and was attended by the staff of ...
[52]
MARTIN COLLECTION FOR METROPOLITAN; Society Leader ...
MARTIN COLLECTION FOR METROPOLITAN; Society Leader Leaves Armor and Engravings to Art Museum Here. Credit...The New York Times Archives.
[53]
MID-19TH CENTURY RUBY AND DIAMOND NECKLACE - Christie's
Free deliveryMrs Bradley-Martin herself chose to dress as Mary Queen of Scots, wearing a fabulous ruby and diamond necklace, rumoured to have been the one that previously ...
[54]
Bradley-Martin Ball - Wikipedia
The Bradley-Martin Ball was a lavish costume ball at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City on the night of February 10, 1897.Missing: biography | Show results with:biography