A major financier who was a contemporary of Jay Gould and
J.P. Morgan in the late 1880s. He promoted investments, loans, and investments
that were considered to be little more than manipulations. His efforts created
a fortune of $70 million. After his death his widow, Olivia, created the
Russell Sage Foundation to promote social issues such as education, religious
causes, and women’s interests. Before entering finance he was a wholesale
grocer and a member of Congress from New York.