Joseph Battell (April 17, 1806July 8, 1874) was a businessman and benefactor of Yale University. Battell was born to Joseph Battell (1774–1841) and Sarah Robbins. He graduated from

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...

in 1824 before moving to New York City. Battell's sister, Irene Battell, married Yale professor

William Augustus Larned William Augustus Larned (December 30, 1872 – December 16, 1926) was an American tennis player who was active at the beginning of the 20th century. He won seven singles titles at the U.S. National Championships. Biography Larned was born ...

. Battell was an enthusiast of sacred music and established a fund at Yale for it in 1854. This gift was the first towards an eventual

School of Music A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger ins ...

, officially founded in 1890. He later gave $30,000 to fund the construction of

Battell Chapel Battell Chapel is the largest chapel of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Built in 1874–76, it was funded primarily with gifts from Joseph Battell and others of his family. Succeeding two previous chapel buildings on Yale's Old Campus, ...

, completed in 1876, and willed Yale an additional $50,000 to ensure its completion. Battell died in Brooklyn, New York on July 8, 1874.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battell, Joseph 1806 births 1876 deaths Middlebury College alumni People from Norfolk, Connecticut Yale University people 19th-century American businesspeople