South Carolina's Story the Making of a State
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South Carolina's Story The making of a state By Ron Chepesiuk and Louise Pettus Bernard Baruch, presiden By 1896. through evening tial adviser, philanthropist courses in college and ^ the Vt'imhrop College faculty and statesman, was bom in through private study, Ber Camden Aug. 19, 1870, the nard Baruch had become an was held in such high esteem second of four sons. expert on securities. He was that he served Republican His father Simon Baruch offered an eighth interest in presidents, Harding, Hoover was a 15-year-old Jewish the firm. and Coolidge. immigrant from East Prussia In 1897 Baruch married Although much of his pub who was sent by his parents Annie Griffin. The Baruchs lic life was spent outside to America in 1855 to find a eventually had a son and two South Carolina, he continued better life. His father even da.ughters. Mrs. Baruch died to come back to his native tually graduated from the in 1938. state. In 1905 he bought a Medical College of Virginia, The year of his marriage 23,000 acre estate which be served for three years in was also the year of the came known as "Hobcaw Bar the Confederate Army under business venture that started ony." Gen. Robert E. Lee and be Baruch on the way to his Here he brought his came a prosperous physician. personal fortune. A $200 friends to relax, hunt, fish When Bernard was 11 speculation on the sugar mar and enjoy the beautiful coast years old, the family left ket brought Baruch line. Some of the worid's Camden and moved to New $40,000 profit. With this most famous statesmen came York. He attended rarious money he bought a seat .on to Hobcaw Barony, including public schools in the city. the New York Stock Ex Winston Churchill and Frank Bernard was an excellent change. lin Delano Roosevelt. student and, when it was By the age of 30, Ber Bernard Baruch's distin time for him to go to college, nard Baruch was a million guished service to his coun he chose Yale University. But aire. In 1903 he left the try continued during World his mother wanted him close Houseman firm to go into War II. As head of a special to home, so he enrolled in business for himself. For the commission, for example, he City College of New York. next 14 years, Baruch con was responsible for helping to Young Bernard was a well- tinued to invest and build keep the country's rubber built lad, tall and agile-^ his fortune. production up. star athlete. His favorite He became a staunch The high point of Baruch's sports were boxing, lacrosse Democrat and developed a later life came in 1946 wh^c and baseball. life-long friendship with Presi he served as a U.S. delegate to After graduating from dent Woodrow Wilson. the United Nations" Atomic college at 19 in 1889, he Baruch became one of Wil Energy Commission. decided that he would like to son's closest and trusted He formulated what be go to West Point. A hearing advisers. came known as the "Baruch World War I was the be injury acquired during a base- Plan" an effort to control hall same made him fail ginning of Baruch's contribu the resources and use of the physical. tion as a public servant. In atomic energy and to make Instead, he took a job as 1916 he was appointed by sure it was used for peaceful a wholesale glassware com Wilson to the Advisory Com purposes and not for war. pany salesman, working for mission of the Council of IBs plan was rejected by $3 a week. He quit, however, National Defense. When the Russia, and he resigned his after a few months and in War Industries Board was post. 1890 headed west to Color created in 1918, Baruch was Baruch's last years were ado. appointed its chairman, over spent in retirement from Baruch got a job as a seeing the country's produc public life, writing his mem miner and was so taken by tion of war materials. After oirs, supporting his favorite the mine's prospects that he the war he served as an eco philanthropies and reaping bought his stock with his nomic adviser to the Ameri awards and honors. earnings. He lost everything. can delegation which attend Bernard Baruch was fond Baruch returned to New ed the Versailles Peace Con of saying "old age is 15 York to work on Wall Street ference. years older than I am." In with the brokerage firm A.A. After Wilson died, Baruch June of 1965, two months Houseman and Company. He continued to advise presi before he would have turned began as an office boy with dents on economic matters. 95, Baruch died of a heart his salary now $5 per week. Although a Democrat, he attach in New York city..