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Charles Bathgate Beck

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Charles Bathgate Beck (1853–1893) was a wealthy lawyer who lived in what is now the West Farms section of the Bronx.

He left in his will $300,000 (equivalent to $10,200,000 in 2023) to Columbia University to endow the law school's Charles Bathgate Beck prize.[1][2] He also left $100,000 (equivalent to $150,000,000 in 2021) to The First Presbyterian Church of West Farms for the construction of a new building.[3][4] Bathgate, a trustee of the church, left the money in memory of his mother.[5]

Charles had inherited his estate from his uncle, Alexander Bathgate. Alexander was not known to have any legitimate children until after his death when his housekeeper, Delia Malloy, claimed to be his wife and the mother of his two children. The children contested the will.[6]

In 1904, 391 lots which had been part of the Beck estate were sold by J. Clarence Davies to Henry Morgenthau.[Note 1] During the title search, it was discovered that title to the lots, worth $240,000 (equivalent to $7,800,000 in 2023) had previously been transferred by one of the last three Bathgate heirs to his daughter, Miss Margaret Bathgate during a period of financial trouble. It had subsequently been intended that the title be transferred back, but this second transfer had never been properly filed.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Academic Recognition and Prizes". www.law.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  2. ^ Chamberlain, Joshua Lawrence (1899). Universities and Their Sons: History, Influence and Characteristics of American Universities, with Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Alumni and Recipients of Honorary Degrees. R. Herndon Company. p. 309.
  3. ^ Jenkins, Stephen (1912). The Story of The Bronx 1639-1912 (PDF). New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons / The Knickerbocker Press. p. 281.
  4. ^ "Millions Given to Charity; Charles Bathgate Beck's Fortune Left for the Public Benefit". The New York Times. 1893-10-21. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  5. ^ "Beck Memorial Presbyterian Church - Historic Districts Council's Six to Celebrate". 6tocelebrate.org. 2014-01-04. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  6. ^ "Charles Bathgate Beck's Millions; Suit Brought to Have the Court Declare His Will Valid". The New York Times. 1894-10-08. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  7. ^ "Forgotten Deed Makes Her Rich". The Minneapolis Journal. December 15, 1904. p. 13. Retrieved April 5, 2023 – via Library of Congress: Chronicling America.

Notes

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  1. ^ The source gives the last name as "Morgenthal"; this is probably a typo.