Anthony Joseph Drexel Jr.

Drexel was born on September 9, 1864, in Philadelphia to Anthony Joseph Drexel (1826–1893) and Ellen Rozet (1832–1891). He was one of nine children, including: Emilie Taylor Drexel,[2][3] Frances Katherine Drexel, Mae E. Drexel, Sarah Rozet "Sallie" Drexel (the wife of Alexander Van Rensselaer),[4] John Rozet Drexel, and George William Childs Drexel.[5]

His father was the founder of Drexel, Morgan & Co with John Pierpont Morgan in 1871 as his junior partner, who also founded Drexel University in 1891.[6] His maternal grandparents were John Roset and Mary Ann Laning. His paternal grandparents were Austrian-born American banker Francis Martin Drexel and Katherine Hookey.[7][8]

In 1878, Drexel began working for his father's firm, Drexel & Co. in Philadelphia, and was made a partner on January 1, 1890.[9] He was a partner at Drexel until October 21, 1893, when he resigned at age 29 after 16 years of working and just four months after his father's death, from Drexel & Co. of Philadelphia, Drexel, Morgan & Co. of New York, and Drexel, Harjes & Co. of Paris.[10]

At the time, a close friend of his exclaimed to The New York Times, "He does not care to assume the cares and responsibilities which are attached to the business. He is a young man who is very fond of life in the society. His pleasures would have to be curtailed immeasurably were he to continue closely identified with the business his father established, and he does not care for the confinement and close application to which he would be subjected. He prefers to be free footed, and will withdraw. That is all there is to his action. It is said it has no significant whatsoever."[10]

Shortly thereafter, he bought one of the most valuable residences in Philadelphia, the Wilstach mansion at the northeast corner of 18th and Walnut Streets, for $175,000.[11] In November of the same year, he also bought the steamer Avenel from W. P. Whitlock.[12]

Photograph of Drexel's wife, Rita Armstrong Drexel, by Lallie Charles

On September 14, 1886, he married Margarita "Rita" Armstrong (1867–1948),[15] a daughter of John Armstrong (1823–1884), of the Baltimore Armstrongs,[16] and Margaretta Armstrong (1833–1900, née McKee, daughter of US Army Col. William R. McKee), and only sibling of Anne "Annie" Armstrong Stewart (1864–1925, mother of the New York socialite Princess Anita of Braganza). Together, they had:

• Anthony Joseph Drexel III (1887–1946),[17] who married Marjorie Gould (1891–1955), a daughter of Edith Kingdon and George Jay Gould.[18]
• Margaretta Armstrong Drexel (1889–1952)[19] who married Guy Finch-Hatton, 14th Earl of Winchilsea (1885–1939),[20] in 1910[21] and was the mother of Christopher Finch-Hatton, 15th Earl of Winchilsea.[22]
• John Armstrong Drexel (1891–1958), an aviation pioneer.[23][24]
• Louis Clapier Norris Drexel (1896–1962)

On May 25, 1917,[13] Anthony and Margarita divorced after several years of separation and a bitterly contested trial.[25] In January 1918, Margarita married secondly Lt.-Col. Brinsley FitzGerald,[26] son of Sir Peter FitzGerald, 1st Bt. and 19th Knight of Kerry.

Drexel died of uremic poisoning in 1934, aged 70, while staying in New York at the Hotel Ambassador.[1]

• Rottenberg, Dan (2001). The Man Who Made Wall Street: Anthony J. Drexel and the Rise of Modern Finance (1st ed.). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-3626-2. OCLC 878526769.
• Papadakis, Constantine (2001). Drexel University, a University with a Difference: The Unique Vision of Anthony J. Drexel. New York: Newcomen Society of the United States.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anthony Joseph Drexel Jr..

• "Anthony Joseph Drexel". Find a Grave. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
• Bibliography of sources about Drexel family