Log In

Simon Guggenheim Edit Profile

entrepreneur politician United States senator

John Simon Guggenheim was an American businessman, politician and philanthropist.

Background

He was the son of Meyer Guggenheim and Barbara Guggenheim, and was the younger brother of Daniel Guggenheim and Solomon R. Guggenheim. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Simon Guggenheim attended Central High School and the Peirce School of Business Administration before settling in Pueblo, Colorado, where he worked as the chief ore buyer for his father"s mining and smelting operation, M. Guggenheim’s Sons.

Education

Graduate public schools of Philadelphia, after which studied languages in Europe 2 years. Doctor of Laws.

Career

To commemorate the event, Guggenheim made an $80,000 donation (equivalent to $2,106,963 in 2016) to the Colorado School of Mines to build a namesake building, Guggenheim Hall. At the time, it was the largest private grant ever made to a state institution. In 1909, he donated a Law Building at University of Colorado.

In 1907, Guggenheim was elected as a Republican senator for Colorado from 1907 to 1913.

During his time as a senator, he served as a chairman of the Committee to Establish a University of the United States, and Committee on the Philippines. After his term expired, Guggenheim moved to New New York

He joined the board of American Smelting and Refining Company, later becoming the chairman of the board. From 1919 to 1941 he was president of that company.

In 1922, Guggenheim"s son John died of mastoiditis just before leaving for college.

Seeded with $3 million (equivalent $4048 million in 2015), the foundation offered 50 fellowships in its first year for international study. Since then, the Foundation has granted over 15,000 Guggenheim Fellowships, worth almost a quarter of a billion dollars. In 1939, the Guggenheims" second son, George, committed suicide in a Manhattan hotel at the age of 32.

Simon Guggenheim died in 1941 and was interred in the Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New New York

Achievements

  • Simon Guggenheim has been listed as a noteworthy senator by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Member Guggenheim Brothers

Connections

Married Olga H. Hirsh, November 24, 1898. Children: John Simon (deceased), George Denver.

Father:
Meyer Guggenheim

Mother:
Barbara (Myers) Guggenheim

Spouse:
Olga H. Hirsh

child:
John Simon Guggenheim (deceased)

child:
George Denver Guggenheim