George H. Bend

Bend was born on August 3, 1838, in New York City.[2] He was the second son of seven children born to William Bradford Bend and Catherine Ann (née Thomas) Bend.[3][4] His siblings were: William Bradford Bend (1837–1905), who married Isabella Tomes (1840–1916), Katharine Ann Bend (d. 1901),[5] who married James Kennedy Whitaker,[6] and Elizabeth Pelham Bend (ca. 1845–1933),[7][8] who married Henry Asher Robbins (1829–1914),[9] a founder of the Waltham Watch Company who owned the Asher House in Southampton.[10]

His paternal grandparents were Reverend Dr. Joseph G. Bend, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Baltimore,[11] who married a granddaughter of Mary Boudinot, sister of Elias Boudinot, president of the Continental Congress from 1779 to 1783. His daughter, Susan Boudinot, married William Bradford, the Attorney General in President Washington's second cabinet.[1]

His maternal grandparents were Philip Thomas and Frances Mary Ludlow, who married in 1807.[4][12] Thomas, a close friend of Abraham Schermerhorn, was the son of Philip Thomas and Sarah Margaret Weems, daughter of William Weems, of Calvert County, who married in 1782.[4] Frances was the daughter of James Ludlow and Elizabeth Harrison,[13] herself the daughter of architect Peter Harrison.[14] James, the tenth of twelve children born to William Ludlow, was a 1768 graduate of Columbia College and the grandson of Captain George Duncan and Gabriel Ludlow, who established the Ludlow family in America, coming to New York from England in 1694. Gabriel, a father of thirteen, became one of the most successful merchants in New York.[15] Gabriel's ancestry is traced to Edward I of England, and his wife, Margaret, daughter of Philip III, of France.[2]

In 1866, Bend became a partner in the firm "Mowry, Keys & Bend," along with Albert L. Mowry, Richard W. Keys, and Samuel B. Keys.[16][17]

In 1873, Bend was elected to a four-year term on the Governing Committee of the New York Stock Exchange along with Edward King, John R. Garland, Alfred Colvill, Edward Brandon, G. H. Watson, George W. McLean, Jacob Hays II, Donald Mackay, and John T. Denny.[18]

In January 1890, Bend and Leopold Schepp, a fellow broker, had a heated discussion over whether Schepp had offered a lot of the Sugar Trust certificates at 51, which Schepp denied and Bend claimed.[19] After Schepp told him he had misunderstood him, Bend called him a liar and Schepp then told Bend that he talked "like a food."[20] Bend then punched Schepp between the eyes. After Bends apology to Schepp, several members of the Stock Exchange continued to seek to bring the issue before the Board of Governors.[21] Ultimately, both men were suspended for ten days by the Governing Board.[20] After further deliberations, the suspensions were increased for both, with Bend being suspended for six months and Schepp being suspended for thirty days.[22]

In 1897, Bend celebrated 34 years on the Stock Exchange and the Open Board of Stock Brokers.[23]

On April 21, 1868, he married Elizabeth Austen Townsend (1846–1928),[42] the daughter of Isaac C. Townsend and Mary (née Austen) Townsend.[2] Her sisters were Mrs. Buchanan Winthrop, Mrs. Henry Sackett, and Miss Amy Townsend.[3] They lived at West 54th Street and were the parents of two daughters:

• Amy Bend (1870–1957), who married Cortlandt F. Bishop (1870–1935),[43] in 1899.[44][45][46][47]
• Beatrice Bend (1874–1941),[48] who married Henry Prather Fletcher (1873–1959),[49] a diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Chile, Mexico, Belgium, and Italy,[50] in 1917.[51]

Bend died, aged 61, at his residence, 4 East 46th Street in New York, on February 15, 1900.[41] His funeral was held at Grace Church.[52] His wife received his life insurance policy of $40,000.[53] After his death, his widow lived with their younger daughter at 563 Park Avenue.[54]