Alexander Turney Stewart

In 1823, Stewart married Cornelia, the daughter of Susannah Banker and James Clinch, a wealthy ship chandler.

He died on April 10, 1876. At the time of his death, he was one of the richest men in New York, with a net worth estimated at $50 million.

After three weeks of his burial at St. Mark’s Church in Bowery, his body went missing. It was regained after clearing the payment for ransom.

Alexander Turney Stewart was born on October 12, 1803 to Scottish Protestant parents in Lisburn, Ireland. His father died when Alexander was a little baby and his mother remarried two years after the death of his father. She left Alexander in the care of his grandfather and went to America with her new husband.

He went to a village school before being admitted to Mr. Neely’s English Academy in 1814. He went on to complete his formal education from Belfast Academical Institution following which he left for New York.

In New York, Alexander Turney Stewart started working at Isaac N. Bagg’s Academy, Roosevelt Street as a tutor. Between 1818 and 1822, Stewart visited Ireland to claim his grandfather’s inheritance.

After claiming his grandfather’s inheritance, he returned to New York where he opened his first store at 283 Broadway on September 1, 1823.

He did not advertise about his shop until 1831. Instead, he used to place cases full of merchandise in front of the store to draw the attention of prospective customers. He stressed on establishing friendships with customers to encourage their return to his shop.

By 1848, his business venture, AT Stewart & Company built the Marble Palace at 280 Broadway. This building, now considered "the cradle of the department store” made his business one of America's most successful retailers. It was the first commercial building in America that used to exhibit an extravagant exterior.

Stewart’s business thrived during the American Civil War. He won huge government contracts to supply the Union Army and Navy with uniforms which considerably boosted his reputation as a businessman.

Alexander Turney Stewart had the famed 280 Broadway–also known as the A.T. Stewart Dry Goods Store and Marble Palace—built for opening New York's first department store. It was the first commercial building in the Italianate style in New York City. The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965, and was designated a New York City landmark in 1986.