American businessman (1899–1979)
Charles Barney Harding (September 11, 1899 – October 25, 1979) was an American financier who served as chairman of the
New York Stock Exchange ,
Smith, Barney & Co. , and the
New York Botanical Gardens .
Early life
Harding was born in
Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1899 and grew up in a townhouse on
Fifth Avenue .
[1] He was the eldest of four children born to
James Horace Harding (1863–1929)
[2] and Dorothea Elizabeth Allen (
née Barney) Harding (1871–1935).
[3] His siblings were Catherine (née Harding) Tailer (wife of polo player
Lorillard Suffern Tailer),
[4] socialite and philanthropist
Laura Barney Harding (who was a close friend of
Katharine Hepburn ),
[5] and banker
William Barclay Harding .
[6]
[7] His father was a banker and financier who served as a director of the
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and the
New York Municipal Railways System .
[8]
At West Point in 1920
His maternal grandparents were
Charles D. Barney and Laura (née Cooke) Barney (a daughter of Philadelphia financier
Jay Cooke ).
[9]
[10] His grandfather, a former member of his great-grandfather's firm,
Jay Cooke & Company ,
[11] founded
Charles D. Barney & Co. in 1873 before retiring in 1907.
[12] The business continued, under the same name with his father helping to run the firm.
[12]
Harding prepared at the
Groton School in
Massachusetts before attending the
United States Military Academy at
West Point , from where he graduated in 1920. After graduation, he served two years as a
lieutenant in the field artillery. Years later, Harding joined the
U.S. Navy Reserve shortly before the U.S. entered
World War II . He went on active duty in May 1941,
[13] and was discharged four years later as a
captain .
[14]
Career
In 1922, he joined the family business,
Charles D. Barney & Co. and was made a partner in 1925.
[15] In 1937, the firm merged with
Edward B. Smith & Co. to form
Smith, Barney & Co. which began operations January 1, 1938.
[16] At his direction, the firm "recruited business school graduates, then put them through eight‐and‐a‐half months of training in what was sometimes referred to on The Street as 'Harding Tech.'" After 4+ 1 ⁄2 years in the Naval Reserve, he returned as senior partner in January 1946.
[15] In May 1964, he surrendered the office of president to
Nelson Schaenen while remaining chief executive officer.
[17] On December 31, 1964, Harding retired as chairman of Smith, Barney & Co. in favor of his brother, who had been vice chairman.
[14]
In the late 1930's, he served as a governor of the
New York Stock Exchange ,
[18] and helped revise the Exchange's constitution before serving as chairman of the Exchange from May 1940 to May 1941;
[19] he did not run for reelection because of his impending Naval service.
[20]
After his retirement from of Smith, Barney & Co., he devoted his time to the
New York Botanical Gardens , the
Arthritis Foundation , serving as chairman from 1970 to 1976, and the
Frick Collection , where he was treasurer for many years.
[14] He later relinquished his chairmanships with the botanical gardens and the Arthritis Foundation, but continued working with them and the Frick Collection until his death.
[14]
Personal life
In 1926, married Marion Choate (1905–1979), a daughter of lawyer
Joseph H. Choate Jr. and Cora Lyman (
née Oliver) Choate (a daughter of Gen.
Robert Shaw Oliver ). Her paternal grandparents were U.S. Ambassador
Joseph Hodges Choate and
Caroline Dutcher Sterling Choate
[21] Marion had her debut in 1925.
[22] Together, they lived at 110
East 71st Street ,
[23] and, later, 48
East 74th Street , and were the parents of two children, a daughter a son:
[24]
Joan Harding (1927- 2011), who married
Thomas James King (1925–1994), a son of Thomas J. King, Sr., in 1950.
[25]
[26]
Robert Shaw Oliver Harding (b. 1931),
[23] who married Nancy Joyce Dickey, daughter of Col. Joseph Kingsley Dickey, in 1958;
[27]
[28] they divorced and he married Diana Pike, a daughter of Carleton M. Pike and granddaughter of Mayor
Edwin Upton Curtis , in 1966.
[29]
[30]
The Hardings regularly spent their winters in
Barbados and their summers in
Martha's Vineyard , where they had a home. He was "an ardent sailor" who was an "enthusiastic trout fisherman" along the coasts of
New Jersey and
Cape Cod .
[14]
Harding died at his home in
Rumson, New Jersey on October 26, 1979.
[14]
References
^ Court, United States Tax (1948).
Reports of the Tax Court of the United States .
U.S. Government Printing Office . pp. 1054–1055. Retrieved July 10, 2020 .
^
"J. Horace Harding, Banker, Dies at 65; Director in Many Corporations Had Been Ill Only Since New Year's Night. Influential in Finance He Aided Plans for Beautification of Long Island--Trustee of Frick Art Collection" .
The New York Times . January 5, 1929. p. 13. Retrieved July 13, 2020 .
^
"Mrs. J. H. Harding, 63, Arts Patroness, Dies; Widow of Former Chairman of Board of American Railway Express Company" .
The New York Times . February 24, 1935. p. 29. Retrieved July 13, 2020 .
^
"Katherine Harding, Mrs. L.S. Tailer" . www.loc.gov .
Library of Congress . Retrieved July 10, 2020 .
^ Hutto, Richard Jay (2006).
Their Gilded Cage: The Jekyll Island Club Members . Indigo Custom Publishing. p. 70.
ISBN
978-0-9770912-2-5 . Retrieved July 8, 2020 .
^
"Constance Fox Wed to W.B. Harding; Ceremony in Italian Garden of the Ambassador Arranged to Represent a Chapel. Mgr. Lavelle Officiates Bridal Procession Passes Through Floral Lane--Choir of St. Patrick's Cathedral Sings. Father Escorts the Bride The Bridal Attendants. Reception in Ballroom" .
The New York Times . May 31, 1929. Retrieved July 10, 2020 .
^
"William Barclay Harding Dead; Chairman of Smith, Barney, 60; He Helped Realign Structure of Many Corporations Interested in Aviation" .
The New York Times . July 1, 1967. p. 23. Retrieved July 10, 2020 .
^ Hart, Thomas (1920).
A Record of the Hart Family of Philadelphia: with a genealogy of the family, from its first settlement in America ; augmented by notes of the Collateral Branches, 1735-1920 . p. 122. Retrieved July 8, 2020 .
^ Preston, Eugene Dimon (1990).
Genealogy of the Barney family in America . Barney Family Historical Association. p. 112. Retrieved July 8, 2020 .
^ TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (October 25, 1945).
"CHARLES D. BARNEY, EX-BROKER, DIES, 101; Civil War Veteran, Son-in-Law of Jay Cooke and Founder of Investment House Married Jay Cooke's Daughter A Director of Many Firms" .
The New York Times . p. 21. Retrieved July 9, 2020 .
^ Barnes, Andrew Wallace (1911).
History of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Banks and Banking Interests . Cornelius Baker. p. 79. Retrieved July 8, 2020 .
^
a
b
"Broker Charles D. Barney to Retire" .
The New York Times . June 18, 1907. p. 11. Retrieved December 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^
"Goes From Exchange Post To Duty With the Navy" .
The New York Times . May 16, 1941. p. 33 – Financial. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
a
b
c
d
e
f Treaster, Joseph B. (November 3, 1979).
"Charles Barney Harding, a Financier, Is Dead at 80; A Distinguished Family Chairman in '40 and '41" .
The New York Times . p. 26. Retrieved December 12, 2022 .
^
a
b
"Returns to Smith, Barney After Serving in Navy" .
The New York Times . January 8, 1946. p. 31 – Business & Finance. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
"TWO WALL ST. FIRMS TO BE MERGED SOON; Edward B. Smith & Co. and Chas. D. Barney & Co. Will Join Forces About Jan. 1 BOTH BIG UNDERWRITERS Consolidated Concern Will Be Called Smith, Barney & Co.Organized in Philadelphia Purpose of Merger Founded in Philadeiphia" .
The New York Times . December 10, 1937. p. 39. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
"Smith, Barney & Co. Promotes Two High‐Ranking Executives" .
The New York Times . May 26, 1964. p. 53. Retrieved December 12, 2022 .
^
"EXCHANGE REVISES COMMITTEE LISTS; Annual Changes in the Seven Standing Bodies Are Made by Governors of Market C.B. HARDING RE-ELECTED Vice Chairman of Board Will Continue--Paul V. Shields in Executive Group" .
The New York Times . May 16, 1939. p. B38. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
"FIGHT IS BREWING ON EXCHANGE SLATE; Some Brokers Indicate They Will Name an Independent Candidate for Chairman HARDING HEADS THE TICKET Partner in Smith, Barney & Co. Picked to Succeed Bartlett by Nominating Committee" .
The New York Times . April 9, 1940. p. 38 - Business & Finance. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
"EXCHANGE TO LOSE BOARD CHAIRMAN; Charles B. Harding Declares He Will Not Be Candidate for Re-election in May NAVAL SERVICE FORESEEN Holder of a Commission in Reserve Tells of Report to Nominating Group" .
The New York Times . March 5, 1941. p. 31 - Financial. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^ Gabrielan, Randall (2003).
Rumson: Shaping a Superlative Suburb . Arcadia Publishing.
ISBN
978-0-7385-2398-9 . Retrieved July 13, 2020 .
^
"MISS HELEN CHOATE MAKES HER DEBUT; Introduced at a Dance at Home of Her Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Choate Jr. LUNCHEON FOR DEBUTANTES Misses Elizabeth and Sophie Gay Entertained at Pierre's -- Miss Susan D. Tilton Presented" .
The New York Times . December 12, 1925. p. 15 - Amusements. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
a
b
"A Son to Mrs. Charles B. Harding" .
The New York Times . January 24, 1931. p. S18. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
"Descendants of Jay Cooke – Reunion Edition" (PDF) . jaycookefamily.com . Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
"MISS JOAN HARDING ENGAGED TO MARRY; Descendant of Joseph Choate Will Be Wed to Thomas J. King, Princeton Alumnus" .
The New York Times . February 25, 1950. p. 9. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^ Studio, The New York Times (June 18, 1950).
"MISS JOAN HARDING, THOMAS KING WED; MARRIED IN CHURCH CEREMONY HERE" .
The New York Times . p. 70. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
"Dickey--Harding" .
The Tampa Tribune . November 23, 1958. p. 108. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
"Miss Nancy Dickey" .
The New York Times . November 10, 1958. p. 34. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
"Diana Pike Engaged To Robert Harding" .
The New York Times . October 15, 1966. p. R17. Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
^
"The Shaw Memorial" (PDF) . npshistory.com .
National Park Service . Retrieved March 24, 2022 .
External links