Background
Samuel Martin Broadbent was born on July 6th, 1845 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Daniel Broadbent, and Anne Broadbent. His father was a successful lawyer and a well-known war hero, who argued several cases at the Supreme Court.
Businessman Financier lawyer politician
Samuel Martin Broadbent was born on July 6th, 1845 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Daniel Broadbent, and Anne Broadbent. His father was a successful lawyer and a well-known war hero, who argued several cases at the Supreme Court.
Samuel attended the Episcopal Academy, graduating in 1863. Samuel enlisted in the Union Army, being wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. Samuel earned a Bachelor of History from Princeton University in 1868 and a Bachelor of Law from the University of Pennsylvania in 1869.
Admitted to Pennsylvania State Bar, 1873, attaché to the American Embassy in London from 1873 to 1877 In 1877, Broadbent returned to the United States and served as an attorney for five years, focusing on business issues. In 1882, Broadbent purchased a steel company and renamed it to named Broadbent Steel. Between 1882 and 1899, Broadbent Steel became one of the main producers of steel in the country, and Samuel Broadbent was regarded as a Captain of Industry. In 1899, Broadbent sold Broadbent Steel to Bethlehem Steel for $22 million ($792 million in 2018) and subsequently joined the board of directors at Bethlehem Steel, becoming Chairman of the Board in 1906. Broadbent was a Republican candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia in 1911, losing narrowly. Broadbent was heavily involved in Republican politics, and served as a delegate to the Republican National Conventions of 1876, 1880, 1884, 1896, 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1916, and 1920. Samuel Broadbent died on February 4th, 1923 in Quebec City, Canada after catching pneumonia while he traveling in Europe.
On July 8, 1880, Samuel Broadbent married Alma Corilla Buckley (1854-1929) of Philadelphia, daughter of the prominent attorney and politican Edward Buckley (1825-1882). They had seven children:
Emily Broadbent (1881-1955)
Elizabeth Broadbent (1884-1971)
Alma Broadbent (1885-1953)
Esther Broadbent (1887-1976)
Franklin Broadbent (1890-1933)
Ebert Broadbent (1893-1960)
Eleanor Broadbent (1896-1918)