Peter Bent Brigham
Encyclopedia
Peter Bent Brigham was a self-made American millionaire businessman, restaurateur, real estate trader, and director of the Fitchburg Railroad
. He is best known as a philanthropist for his initial endowment of Brigham and Women's Hospital
and the Brigham Academy in Bakersfield, Vermont
.
as the seventh of nine children born to Uriah Brigham (1757-1820) and Elizabeth (Fay) Brigham (1767-1837). Brigham was a direct descendant of Thomas Brigham (1603-1653), an early immigrant to Cambridge, Massachusetts
, as well as John Bent (1596-1672) and Edmund Rice
(1594-1663), both of whom were founders of Sudbury, Massachusetts
. Brigham had little formal schooling and was forced to seek work in his early teens upon the death of his father. He traveled to Boston from Vermont on horseback, and began his career working on Middlesex Canal
boats, and selling fish and oysters from a wheelbarrow in Boston. He was never married.
and held that office until his death.
Peter Bent Brigham died at his home at the northeast corner of Bulfinch and Allston Streets on Beacon Hill in Boston on 24 May 1877. He as buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery
, Cambridge, Massachusetts
.
in Boston. Brigham's nephew, Robert Breck Brigham (1826-1900), was also a successful restaurateur and businessman who followed in his uncle's footsteps by endowing the Robert Breck Brigham Hospital to serve patients with arthritis and other debilitating joint diseases. The two Brigham hospitals became formally affiliated with Boston's Women's Hospital and today are known as the Brigham and Women's Hospital
.
Brigham Academy
Peter Bent Brigham at Find A Grave
Robert Breck Brigham at Find A Grave
Fitchburg Railroad
The Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, USA, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900...
. He is best known as a philanthropist for his initial endowment of Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital is the largest hospital of the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts. It is directly adjacent to Harvard Medical School of which it is the second largest teaching affiliate with 793 beds...
and the Brigham Academy in Bakersfield, Vermont
Bakersfield, Vermont
Bakersfield is a town in Franklin County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,215 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 44.6 square miles , of which, 44.6 square miles of it is land and 0.04 square miles of...
.
Early life and family
Peter Bent Brigham was born 4 September 1807 in Bakersfield, VermontBakersfield, Vermont
Bakersfield is a town in Franklin County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,215 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 44.6 square miles , of which, 44.6 square miles of it is land and 0.04 square miles of...
as the seventh of nine children born to Uriah Brigham (1757-1820) and Elizabeth (Fay) Brigham (1767-1837). Brigham was a direct descendant of Thomas Brigham (1603-1653), an early immigrant to Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, as well as John Bent (1596-1672) and Edmund Rice
Edmund Rice (1638)
Edmund Rice , was an early immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony who was born in Suffolk, England, and lived in Stanstead, Suffolk and Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire prior to sailing with his family to America. He arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in summer or fall of 1638, presumed to be first...
(1594-1663), both of whom were founders of Sudbury, Massachusetts
Sudbury, Massachusetts
Sudbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, population 17,659. The town was incorporated in 1639, with the original boundaries including what is now Wayland. Wayland split from Sudbury in 1780. When first incorporated, it included and parts of Framingham, Marlborough, Stow...
. Brigham had little formal schooling and was forced to seek work in his early teens upon the death of his father. He traveled to Boston from Vermont on horseback, and began his career working on Middlesex Canal
Middlesex Canal
The Middlesex Canal was a 27-mile barge canal connecting the Merrimack River with the port of Boston. When operational it was 30 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, with 20 locks, each 80 feet long and between 10 and 11 feet wide...
boats, and selling fish and oysters from a wheelbarrow in Boston. He was never married.
Career in Boston
Brigham owned a very successful restaurant on the corner of Hanover and Court Streets in Boston, Massachusetts, which he operated until it was sold in 1869 due to a street widening project. His greatest success was that of a real estate investor. He took a deep interest in his home town and he did much to promote the welfare of the city. He never sought public office but, his judgment was often sought by the city officials. His expertise in real estate made him the ideal consultant when it came to questions of street widening and other such improvements. He was one of the founding directors of the Fitchburg RailroadFitchburg Railroad
The Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, USA, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900...
and held that office until his death.
Peter Bent Brigham died at his home at the northeast corner of Bulfinch and Allston Streets on Beacon Hill in Boston on 24 May 1877. He as buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Mount Auburn Cemetery was founded in 1831 as "America's first garden cemetery", or the first "rural cemetery", with classical monuments set in a rolling landscaped terrain...
, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
.
Legacy and endowments
Having no children as he never married, he gave very careful thought to the disposition of his large estate. He often lamented his want of a higher education. In full appreciation of it's importance, he provided $40,000 to his birth town, Bakersfield, Vermont. Of this sum, $10,000 was to go for caring for the graves of his parents, brothers and sisters and the remaining $30,000 was for the establishment and care of the Brigham Academy. After taking care of a long list of siblings, nieces, employees and servants, $1,300,000 was set a side not to be spent until 25 years after his death for the establishment of a hospital. By 1902, the fund had grown to about $2,000,000, and this money was to be used to establish a hospital "for the care of sick persons in indigent circumstances". The Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, became a world famous medical research hospital connected with Harvard Medical SchoolHarvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
in Boston. Brigham's nephew, Robert Breck Brigham (1826-1900), was also a successful restaurateur and businessman who followed in his uncle's footsteps by endowing the Robert Breck Brigham Hospital to serve patients with arthritis and other debilitating joint diseases. The two Brigham hospitals became formally affiliated with Boston's Women's Hospital and today are known as the Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital is the largest hospital of the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, Massachusetts. It is directly adjacent to Harvard Medical School of which it is the second largest teaching affiliate with 793 beds...
.
See also
Brigham and Women's HospitalBrigham Academy
Peter Bent Brigham at Find A Grave
Robert Breck Brigham at Find A Grave