Philip Rich

Merchant
c.1871-1901


St. Matthews, SC

FAMILIES: Rich

Philip Rich (1845-1901), son of Prussian immigrants Lipman Rich (1817-1891) and Eva Rich (1815-1886), was known at the turn of the century as one of the leading businessmen in St. Matthews. After he married his cousin, Jane Jennie Rich (1852-1900) in 1871, Rich moved to St. Matthews. The 1880 Census lists his occupation as simply, “merchant.” Per his obituary, however, Rich “was not only the father of our (St. Matthews’) bank and oil mill, but the president of the one and general manager of the other. He owned at least one-third of all the stock in each of these enterprises.”1

 

1 “Death of Philip Rich, A Leading Business Man in the Town of St. Matthews,” The State, February 11, 1901.

The Jewish Merchant Project is supported by the generosity of the Henry & Sylvia Yaschik Foundation and the Stanley B. Farbstein Endowment at the Coastal Community Foundation.

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