Frederick Dobbs Tappen (January 29, 1829 – February 28, 1902) was an American banker who was president of the Gallatin National Bank.

Early life

Tappen was born in New York City on January 29, 1829. He was one of eleven children of Col. Charles Barclay Tappen (1796–1893), a veteran of the War of 1812 who was "a famous architect in his day" and was

Commissioner of Public Works The Walsh Act is a legislation in the U.S. state of New Jersey that permits municipalities to adopt a non-partisan commission form of government. The legislation was signed by Governor of New Jersey Woodrow Wilson on April 25, 1911. The commissi ...

in New York City from 1835 to 1838. Reportedly, "the family was of old Holland stock that fled to England to escape the Spanish persecutions in the Netherlands, while the first American ancestor" came to the United States "in 1630 and settled at Fort Orange, now Albany". He prepared for college at the Columbia College Grammar School and then entered New York University from where he graduated in 1849.

Career

Tappen began working for the National Bank in the City of New York as specie clerk on November 12, 1850. He steadily advanced, becoming bookkeeper, receiving teller, paying teller, assistant cashier, and cashier in October 1857. In 1865, the name of the bank was changed to the Gallatin National Bank to honor its first president, former

U.S. Treasury Secretary The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...

Albert Gallatin. Following the retirement of Gallatin's son

James Gallatin James Gallatin (December 18, 1796 – May 29, 1876) was an American banker who was the son of Albert Gallatin. Early life He was the eldest of two sons and four daughters born to Hannah ( Nicholson) Gallatin and Albert Gallatin, the 4th U.S. Secr ...

as president in 1868, Tappen assumed the presidency of the Gallatin National Bank, a role he served until his death in 1902. In 1899, he was elected a trustee of the Fifth Avenue Trust Company. He served as chairman of the Loan Committee of the New York Clearing House during the panic of 1873,

1884 Events January–March * January 4 – The Fabian Society is founded in London. * January 5 – Gilbert and Sullivan's ''Princess Ida'' premières at the Savoy Theatre, London. * January 18 – Dr. William Price atte ...

1890 Events January–March * January 1 ** The Kingdom of Italy establishes Eritrea as its colony, in the Horn of Africa. ** In Michigan, the wooden steamer ''Mackinaw'' burns in a fire on the Black River. * January 2 ** The steamship ...

and

1893 Events January–March * January 2 – Webb C. Ball introduces railroad chronometers, which become the general railroad timepiece standards in North America. * Mark Twain started writing Puddn'head Wilson. * January 6 – Th ...

. For his services on the Committee, he was awarded a silver tankard in 1893 that had been originally presented to Sir John Houblon, first Governor of the Bank of England. In 1892, he was elected a trustee and made treasurer of the Grant Monument Association, which constructed

Grant's Tomb Grant's Tomb, officially the General Grant National Memorial, is the final resting place of Ulysses S. Grant, 18th president of the United States, and his wife, Julia Grant. It is a classical domed mausoleum in the Morningside Heights neighborho ...

Personal life

In 1851, Tappen was married to Sarah Ann Brown Littell (1830–1912), a daughter of Caleb Maxwell Littell and Mary Ross ( Clark) Littell. Together, they lived at 49 East 68th Street, and were the parents of several children, including: * Josephine Hilyard Tappen (1852–1889), who married Clarence Brooks, a son of Elisha Brooks, in 1876. * Albert Howe Tappen (1855–1881), who died unmarried at age 25. * Grace Tappen (b. ), who married George Ingraham Seney Jr. (1860–1916), son of

George I. Seney George Ingraham Seney (May 12, 1826 – April 7, 1893) was a New York City banker, art collector, and benefactor. He was the father of symphonic music executive Mary Seney Sheldon. He is best remembered for amassing a substantial collection of pre ...

, in 1883. * Ellen Stuart Tappen (b. ), who married Isaac E. Adams in 1886. She later married Adrien B. Herzog. After a brief illness, Tappen died at Lakewood, New Jersey on February 28, 1902. After a funeral at the All Souls Episcopal Church on

Madison Avenue Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States, that carries northbound one-way traffic. It runs from Madison Square (at 23rd Street) to meet the southbound Harlem River Drive at 142nd Stre ...

, he was interred at Trinity Church Cemetery at 152nd Street in Manhattan.

References

;Notes ;Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tappen, Frederick D. 1829 births 1902 deaths American bankers