NJ Pine Barrens Maritime-Culture-Landscape 1 1 2024

Stephen Girard was born in Bordeaux, France on
May 20, 1750, into a wealthy family in the
shipping business. Stephen himself first set out to
sea at age 14, and he continued in the shipping
business, which took him to New York in 1774.
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Private
Property
His shipping business was negatively affected by
the British blockade during the Revolutionary
War. He moved to Philadelphia in 1776 where he
married Mary Lum. When Philadelphia was
occupied by the British troops in 1777, Stephen
and Mary moved to this house in Mount Holly,
where they also operated a retail store.
During his time here, the native Frenchman
became increasingly interested in the cause of
the American Revolution going on around him. In
Philadelphia, on October 27, 1778, Girard signed
an oath of allegiance and became an American
Citizen.
In 1779, he moved back to Philadelphia,
concentrating again on his shipping business.
After the Revolutionary War, Girard's shipping
business grew dramatically, along with his
wealth.
Decades later, he became a major financier to the
United States government for the War of 1812.
Upon his death on December 26, 1831, he left a
majority of his fortune to charitable institutions
Rancocas Pathways 214