Biographical Sketch of Richard Waln MEIRS (b. 1866); Philadelphia Co., PA Contributed to the PAGenWeb Archives by Diana Smith [christillavalley@comcast.net] Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************* "Philadelphia, A History of the City and its People; A Record of 225 Years" Publisher: S. H. Clark; Philadelphia; 1912. Vol. 3, page 136 Author, Ellis Paxson Oberholtzer RICHARD WALN MEIRS The term "captain of industry" has became a common one in the parlance of the day. It is indicative of the man who establishes and controls mammoth managerial interests but such an undertaking requires no greater ability, no keener insight, or no clearer judgment than is demanded of him who superintends extensive financial interests, guarding the wealth of which be has charge, placing investments and so controlling the different features of an estate that the same shall be augmented rather than diminished and at the same time that it shall constitute a far-reaching effect in that business development which has its origin in large financial interests. To such a stupendous task Richard Waln Meirs is devoting his energies, displaying ability that places him in a foremost position among the prominent masters of finance of the country, for since 1905 he has had in charge the Weightman estate, the possession of which makes Mrs. Anna Wightman Walker-Penfield the second wealthiest woman in America. Not only does Mr. Meirs stand prominently therefore as a central figure on the financial stage but is also a representative through ancestral connection with some of the oldest and most prominent families of Philadelphia. He was born at Waterford, New Jersey, July 26, 1866, a son of John Gaskill and Elizabeth (Waln) Meirs. He traces his lineage to the Pilgrim fathers and the family history presents in its records such males as Gaskill, Stockton, Waln, Ridgway and Morris. The Gaskill family, of English lineage, was established in New England, where they were persecuted as Quakers and therefore removed to Burlington county, New Jersey, where they intermarried with the Stocktons and other distinguished families of that state. The founder of the Waln family came from England with William Penn and later generations intermarried with the Ridgway, Morris and Vaux families. Nicholas Waln, the founder of the family in America, was a son of Richard and Jane (Rudd) Waln, of Burham, in Bolland, Yorkshire, England, and was living at Chapel Croft, Yorkshire, at the time of his marriage October 1, 1673 to Jane, daughter of William Turner, of Windyeats, Yorkshire. He crossed the Atlantic with William Penn on the Welcome, which dropped anchor about nine miles below the present Philadelphia, October 29, 1682, and soon afterward with fellow passengers made his way northward to what is now Bucks county. In England be had purchased of William Penn a thousand acres near the Neshaminy and thereon erected a dwelling. In his home the first Quaker meeting of the locality was held January 1, 1683. He was unquestionably the leader of the little party which had accompanied him into the wilderness. He was a member of the first assembly which met at Philadelphia, March 12, 1682-3, and again represented Bucks county in that body in 1687, 1688, 1689, 1692 and 1695. He was a member of the first grand jury empanelled October 25, 1683, was sheriff of Bucks is 1685 and a justice in 1689. In 1696 he removed to Philadelphia county and his new neighbors seemed to place the same value upon his abilities as had those of Bucks county, for be was again sent to the assembly, serving is 1696, 1697, 1700, 1701, 1713, 1714, 1715 and 1717. In 1711 be became one of the directors of the public schools. He was equally prominent in the councils of the Quakers and was practically the founder of the Middletown monthly meeting. With others be was authorized to purchase land and establish the Fair Hill burying ground on the Germantown road, while about 1706 the Fair Hill meeting house was erected. He continued active in the Society of Friends until his death in 1721. He was accompanied to Pennsylvania by his wife and three children and in Pennsylvania eight other children were born. Richard Waln, their eldest son, was born June 6, 1678. Although not as prominent as his father in public affairs of his day, he yet took active part in the development of the Northern Liberties, where he continued to reside after his father's death. On the 25th of September, 1734, he was appointed a member of the commission to rearrange the line of the Germantown road from the boundary of the city to Cohocksing creek. He was married about September, 1706, to Anne, daughter of Robert Heath. They had ten children, the eldest of their three sons being Nicholas Waln, who was born January 19, 1709-10, and passed his life on the old Waln estate in the Northern Liberties. He was married March 23, 1734, to Mary, daughter of George and Rebecca Dillworth, and died comparatively young, is August, 1744. He left four children, one of the sons being Richard Waln, born about 1737. He engaged is mercantile pursuits and acquired considerable wealth. About 1770 he removed to Monmouth county, New Jersey, where he purchased a large tract of land and named his place Walnford, by which name it is so designated today. Being a Friend, he was a non-combatant at the time of the Revolutionary war. After Lord Howe took possession of Philadelphia he was arrested and given the choice of three things, "go to jail, take the test, or go within the English lines." He chose the latter. After the Revohation he returned to Philadelphia, where he continued to reside until his death, making Walnford his summer home. He was married December 4, 1760, to Elizabeth Armitt, daughter of Joseph Armitt, a Philadelphia merchant. She died February 20, 1790, and Richard Waln, May 23, 1809. They had seven children. Their seventh son, Nicholas Waln, succeeded his father in the ownership of Walnford, where his entire life was passed. He married Sarah Ridgway, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Wright) Ridgway. She was born November 8, 1779, and by her marriage to Nicholas Waln had seven children. Among the representatives of this line of descent is Richard Waln Meirs who, coming from an ancestry honorable and distinguished, has in his life work added credit to an illustrious name His early education was acquired in Eastburn Academy at Philadelphia and the Freehold Institute at Freehold, New Jersey. He pursued his college coarse at Princeton, being graduated from the university with the Bachelor of Arts degree in the class of 1888. Since that time he has been closely and prominently connected with financial interests. He was first employed by the Fourth Street National Bank of Philadelphia, with which be was connected from the close of his college days until 1895, when be formed a connection with the New York house of Harvey Fisk & Sons. Ten years passed in that way, his business activities there proving an excellent training school for the stupendous responsibilities which be assumed when he was appointed to the management of the Weightman and Walker estates in 1905, becoming confidential secretary of the personal estate of Mr. Weightman for Mrs. Penfield. He has shown marked capability in his administration of the multiplicity of varied interests involved therein. From the point of view of the casual observer the great fortunes of this country appear to be just masses of wealth with which the owners may do pretty much as they please. To the ordinary working man the accumulation of a great deal of money spells freedom from work, comfort, ease. To what extent this is a mistaken idea only the possessor of vast wealth who attempts to manage his own property can estimate. The handling of finances of many great enterprises, the personal supervision and the mastery of the details of almost numberless ramifications are but the first requisites in the proper husbanding of a great estate. The qualifications for such a task were found in Mr. Meirs, who occupies a distinguished and an honored position in the financial circles of Philadelphia and is almost equally well known in financial circles in New York. He is connected as a director with the Winifrede Coal Company, the Belmont Coal Company, the Winifrede Railroad Company, the Trust Company of North America, the American Cement Company, the Norfolk Portland Cement Company, the Hudson Manhattan Railroad Company, and is president and director of the Commercial Trust Company of America and president and director of the Penn Central Light & Power Company. On the 30th of October, 1894, Mr. Meirs was married to Miss Anne Walker Weightman, a granddaughter of William Weightman, who died in August, 1904, and a daughter of Dr. William Weightman, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Meirs now have three children: William Weightman, born in 1895; Anne Walker and Jarvis, born in 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Meirs attended the Holy Trinity church, and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He is prominent in the club circles of the city as a member of the University, Racquet and Princeton clubs of Philadelphia, and the Corinthian Yacht Club. He also belongs to the Metropolitan and Princeton clubs of New York. Early interested in the military organizations of the city, he became a member of the First Troop of Philadelphia City Cavalry, with which he is still connected. His interest in scientific and historical research is manifest through his membership in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the Academy of Fine Arts, and he is also manager of the Franklin Institute. When leisure allows him opportunity he finds rest and recreation in travel. To him there has come almost everything that men covet as of value, and he has a deep appreciation for literature and art and for those broadening interests which travel affords. This file is located at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/philadelphia/bios/history/meirs-rw.txt