Nov. 11, 1839 - c. 1905
Friend of Bartholdi
Treaurer of The American Committee for the Statue of Liberty
 "Villa Marguerite" Summer residence of Henry A. Spaulding at Maisons-Laffitte near Paris Photograph taken during summer of 1887 Pictured in photo: Back Row (porch)from left: Mrs. Geo. St. Amand, Mrs. Walter Gibb Standing from left: George St. Amand; St. Amand Governess; Madame Rousseau; Edward Holbrook, Pres., Gorham Mfg. Co.; F. Bartholdi, Sculptor (Statue of Liberty); Robert Lincoln (Son of Abraham Lincoln); Mr. Charles Coudert (International Lawyer) Seated from left: Henry A. Spaulding, U.S. Consul General Rathbone, Gretchen St. Amand, Mrs. Ed Holbrook, Georgie St. Amand, Miss lincoln, Marguerite Spaulding, Minnie Gibb, Russell Spaulding, Mrs. Chas. Coudert, Robert Milligan McLane (US Amabssador to France), Mrs. H.A. Spaulding 
From "Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly"THE STATUE OF "LIBERTY" By JAMES B. TOWNSEND August 1885 ... preparatory steps to receive the statue and prepare for it a suitable pedestal had been taken in this country. Upon the call of Messrs. William M. Evarts, S. D. Babcock, William H. Appleton, John Jay, W. H. Wickham and Richard Butler, a meeting was held at the Century Club, in New York, early in 1876, and a permanent committee, consisting of Messrs. William M. Evarts, Chairman, Henry A. Spaulding, Treasurer, J. V. Mumford Moore, Joseph W. Drexel, Parke Godwin, J. W. Pinchot, Frederick Potts, and Richard Butler, Secretary, was formed. It was decided that it should be called "The American Committee of the Statue of Liberty". From "STATUE OF LIBERTY ENLIGHTENING THE WORLD" By Rodman Gilder THE NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1943, BY THE NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY William M. Evarts, William H. Appleton, Samuel D. Babcock, John Jay, and William H. Wickham called a meeting at the Century Club to organize an American Committee for the Statue of Liberty. On January 2, 1877, Richard Butler, Joseph H. Choate, Frederic Coudert, James F. Dwight, George Jones (one of the co- founders of The New York Times), Edward Moran, James W. Pinchot, Theodore Roosevelt (father of the future President Theodore Roosevelt), H. A. Spaulding, Anson Phelps Stokes and other substantial citizens attended. Evarts was elected chairman, Spaulding treasurer, and Butler secretary. The original committee of 114 was later enlarged to more than 400. The Executive Committee consisted of Joseph W. Drexel, Parke Godwin, V. Mumford Moore, James W. Pinchot, and Frederick A. Potts. Louis de Bebian, Henry Hentz, Edward Kemp, Charles Lanier, Henry G. Marquand, William L. Strong, and S. V. White formed the Finance Committee, whose duty was to raise $125,000, the amount then deemed necessary. Career of Henry A. Spaulding The funeral of Henry A. Sapulding, for years a widely known jewleler, whose death was noted in the last issue of The Circular-Weekly, occurred Thursday, at 11 A.M., in the Presbyterian Church, at Pelham Manor, N.Y. Although the funeral was conducted in the Presbyterian Church, the Episcopal service was read by Dr. Tenner, the pastor of the church in Pelham Manor which Mr. Spaulding was accustomed to attend. There was a large attendance at the church and an unusually handsome display of memorial wreaths, crosses and floral decorations. A magnificent floral piece was sent by Charles T. Cook, president of Tiffany and Co. Robert C. Black, Starr & Frost, was among those present at the services. The interment was in the family plot, at Glen Cove, Long Island, on the same day. Mr. Spaulding was probably at one time one of the best known retail jewelers in the United States and Europe. His rise from a hard working boyhood to such an eminent position in the trade is noteworthy. He was born Nov. 11, 1839, in New York, but his parents removed him to Aurora, Ill. when he was a very samll boy. He received his eduaction in Aurora, and when still but a youth he went to Chicago and obtained employment in the dry goods store now owned by Marshall Field & Co. Believing that Chicago did not offer great enough opportunities, young Spaulding decided to cast his lot in New York. Arriving here, he obtained employment with Ball, Black & Co. (now Black, Starr & Frost), and remained with this firm a number of years, until he started in business on his own account, at Prince St. and Broadway, New York, under the style of Browne & Spaulding. This firm dissolved, however, in 1871, and both parties entered the employ of Tiffany & Co. A year later, Mr. Spaulding, who took with him to the firm of Tiffany & Co. a remarkable personality and knowledge of all branhces of the retail trade, was sent to France to take charge of the Paris branch of that house. In the years that followed the deceased made his firm known to all of the crowned heads of Europe. He became the personal friend of King Edward, who was then Prince of Wales, and through him obtained personal introductions to the various rulers. During this time he acquired an interest in the company in whose employ he had been so long. Believing, however, that he had obtained enough prestige to embark in business on his own account, he sold out his stock in Tiffany & Co. in 1888 and founded the firm of Spaulding & Co., of Chicago. In 1889 he opened a Paris branch next to Tiffany & Co. in the French capital. About five years later, or in March 1894, the deceased sold his holdings in Spaulding & Co. and retired to private life. Mr. Spaulding took up his residence in Pelham Manor, N.Y., and became one of the town's most loved and respected citizens. He was made commissioner of highways, and did much to beautify the physical aspects of the village. He erected there a huge fountain designed for the relief of man and beast. In addition to his work at Pelham Manor, the decesased was the originator and the chief worker in a scheme providing for a United States Museum and Court of all Nations. A description of this was published in the Circular-Weekly, Dec.13, 1899. The scheme contemplates the erection of a structure that would be for the United States more than the Kensington is for England, and it was hoped that it would become the Parthenon of America. The deceased was a member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Historical Society, of Chicago; the Chamber of Commerce, New York; the American Fine Arts Society and the Republican Club, of New York. His death was due to pneumonia. The deceased leaves a widow, a son and a daughter. Statue of Liberty Memorabilia in the collection of the Spaulding family: 
 Inscription Left: Avoiror Cie Paris  Executee par A. Bartholdi, 1875-1883 Souvenir d'une visite aux travaux Information and Artifacts provided by Henry A. Spaulding III, Great grandson of Henry A. Spaulding. Photos by Franz Bergmeier. November 15, 2002. |
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