Joseph Wharton Obit - NY Times, Jan 11, 1909

Joseph Wharton Dead.

Prominent Ironmaker Expires at Home in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 11. — Joseph Wharton, one of the prominent residents oT this city and one of the largest individual iron manufacturers in the United States, died at his home in the suburbs to-day, aged 83 years. He was stricken with paralysis last June.

Joseph Wharton was born in Philadaiphia on March 3, 1826. He received his education working on a farm and studying at the same time. Mr. Wharton established and was one of the principal owners of the Bethlehem Iron Company, later the Bethlehem Steel Company. He was also the owner of pig iron furnaces, ore beds, coal lands, and coke works. In 1873 he purchased the deposits of nickel ore in Lancaster County. Penn., and established a nickel refining works at Camden, N. S., thus establishing for the first time in America, the production of nickel.

Mr. Wharton gave large sums of money for educational advancement. He was one of the founders of Swarthmore College, and was President of its Board of Directors for many years. With Samuel Willets of this city he established its scientific laboratory, while he alone established the Chair of History and Political Economy in the same institution.

Another of Mr. Wharton’s large benefactions toward educational advancement was the founding of the Wharton School of Finance and Political Economy in the University of Pennsylvania. Toward the establishment of this chair be gave $500,000.

Mr. Wharton was the President of the American Iron and Steel Association. He contributed articles on finance, industry, and science to various magazines and periodicals.

Published in the New York Times, January 12, 1909