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By the end of the year-long drive, Americans raised more than $ 300,000. In 1896, a
Thanksgiving appeal was launched nationwide, and Americans from St. Paul to San Francisco to Boston gave thanks by sending money to Armenian widows and orphans of the massacres. Citizens of St. Paul boycotted buying
333:. This artist community has operated continuously ever since. Yaddo, the name of the estate, is said to have been coined by the Trask's young daughter Christina, who amused her father by her mispronunciation of the numerous dark spots on the lawn caused by the towering trees' shadows.
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once wrote that the "forty or so acres on which the principal buildings of Yaddo stand have seen more distinguished activity in the arts than any other piece of ground in the
English-speaking community and perhaps the world". Collectively, artists who worked at Yaddo have won 61
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Along with his financial acumen, Trask was a generous philanthropist, a leading patron of the arts, a strong supporter of education, and a champion of humanitarian causes. His gifts to his alma mater,
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Trask was often a supporter of new inventions in their experimental stages, having formed an early appreciation for the connection between technology, business and finance during his time at
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in 1891, "for the purpose of securing the services of eminent men to deliver public lectures before the
University on subjects of special interest". Over the years, lecturers have included
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244:, was financed and supported by Trask. For over 14 years he was president of the New York Edison Company, the world's first electric power company. The company became known as
693:"New York State Men--Individual Library Edition with Biographic Studies, Character Portraits, and Autographs", p. 3, Hon. James H. Manning, The Albany Argus Art Press, 1913
648:"New York State Men--Individual Library Edition with Biographic Studies, Character Portraits, and Autographs", p. 2, Hon. James H. Manning, The Albany Argus Art Press, 1913
639:"New York State Men--Individual Library Edition with Biographic Studies, Character Portraits, and Autographs", p. 2, Hon. James H. Manning, The Albany Argus Art Press, 1913
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in 1866, Spencer Trask joined his uncle to form the investment firm Trask & Brown, which became
Spencer Trask & Company in 1881. Trask was married in 1874 to
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713:"The Red Cross: A History of this Remarkable International Movement in the Interest of Humanity" by Clara Barton, Published 1898, American National Red Cross
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The success of Yaddo encouraged
Spencer and Katrina to later donate land for a working women's retreat center as well, known as the
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Throughout his life, Trask took a prominent part in municipal reform and local politics, especially in connection with the
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369:, and countless other honors. Many books by Yaddo authors have been made into films. Visitors from Cheever's Day include
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453:. He was also actively interested in the Kindergarten Association, and for many years was closely identified with
609:"MR. TRASK NOTABLE IN VARIED FIELDS; Devoted the Wealth He Acquired as a Banker to Art, Charity, and Education"
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estate into a working community of artists and writers. Twelve years after
Spencer's death, Mrs. Trask married
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504:. Its board included some of the most powerful men in the United States, including Supreme Court Justice
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With no close heirs, the Trasks began to entertain the idea of turning their 400-acre (1.6 km),
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234:; "to all of these he gave of his time, his money and his judgment, to aid in their development."
177:. His father was a direct descendant of Captain William Trask, a leader in the formation of the
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313:. At the time of his death, Trask's wealth had been greatly diminished by his own generosity.
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500:. In New York what began as a local committee to aid the Armenians grew quickly into the
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Trask died in a train accident on New Year's Eve in 1909. In commemoration of his life,
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Spencer Trask: Enigmatic Titan by David S. Worth and Huber Design Group (Oct. 1, 2008)
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was commissioned to create a statue for
Spencer Trask. At a memorial service in
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was reborn. John Moody began statistical work at
Spencer Trask before launching
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relief teams out of the country for the first time, to the
Armenian provinces.
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Report of Miss Clara Barton, President and
Treasurer of The American Red Cross
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185:(then Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute) and then going to and graduating from
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Trask was dedicated to the arts. In his lifetime he was president of the
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Spencer Trask was born in 1844 to Alanson and Sarah (Marquand) Trask in
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In the 1890s, Trask led what some have called "the first international
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Spencer Trask was a founder and chairman of the board of trustees for
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Trask was committed to civic duty, public service, and philanthropy.
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and the Reverend Fredrick D. Greene. The Relief Committee recruited
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Company, being for many years a member of the executive committee.
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The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America's Response
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Trask also founded a public lecture series at his alma mater,
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turkey and gave their Thanksgiving food money to the cause.
118:(September 18, 1844 – December 31, 1909) was an American
598:, volume XI, p. 444, James T. White & Company, 1901.
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The results of the Trasks' legacy have been historic.
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211:. He foresaw the potential of inventions such as the
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and his electricity network. In 1896 he reorganized
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Spencer Trask Lectures Series - Princeton University
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on "The Bible and English Literature", (1932–1933);
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Polytechnic Institute of New York University alumni
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Spencer Trask Lecture Series - Princeton University
144:, becoming its majority shareholder and chairman.
496:movement in American history" in response to the
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183:New York University Tandon School of Engineering
484:on "Changing American Character" (1975–1976).
596:The National Cyclopedia of American Biography
861:Railway accident deaths in the United States
675:"The Times Record", Troy, NY, August 8, 1946
468:on "The Structure of the Atom" (1923–1924);
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134:'s commercial production of the electric
763:"The Syracuse Herald", December 31, 1909
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472:on "Near Eastern Affairs" (1925–1926);
248:. Trask was an original trustee of the
841:People from Croton-on-Hudson, New York
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480:on "Mind and Matter" (1950–1951); and
851:19th-century American philanthropists
821:Philanthropists from New York (state)
684:"The New York Times" October 24, 1902
666:"The New York Times" January 23, 1908
154:Teachers College, Columbia University
856:19th-century American businesspeople
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657:"New York Times", February 2, 1958
502:National Armenian Relief Committee
488:National Armenian Relief Committee
363:National Book Critics Circle Award
329:, and launched the Corporation of
209:Polytechnic University in Brooklyn
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305:, a patron and member of the
250:Edison Electric Light Company
627:"Inspiration gallery poster"
455:General Theological Seminary
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826:Princeton University alumni
776:Spencer Trask & Company
263:was introduced to Trask by
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831:Columbia University people
323:Saratoga Springs, New York
311:Metropolitan Museum of Art
544:. He was a member of the
516:, and church leaders Dr.
283:Moody's Investors Service
267:. Trask and his partner,
252:, the predecessor to the
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179:Massachusetts Bay Colony
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164:Spencer Trask & Co
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561:Wiawaka Holiday House
518:Leonard Woolsey Bacon
512:, Wall Street banker
508:, railroad executive
423:Katherine Anne Porter
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327:George Foster Peabody
309:of New York, and the
307:Municipal Art Society
269:George Foster Peabody
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811:People from Brooklyn
462:Princeton University
359:National Book Awards
187:Princeton University
150:Princeton University
816:American financiers
536:Other organizations
506:David Josiah Brewer
451:Columbia University
246:Consolidated Edison
613:The New York Times
577:The Spirit of Life
554:National Arts Club
498:Hamidian massacres
395:Patricia Highsmith
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342:The Spirit of Life
303:National Arts Club
279:The New York Times
274:The New York Times
240:, inventor of the
216:wireless telegraph
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203:letterhead c. 1917
175:Brooklyn, New York
141:The New York Times
128:venture capitalist
51:Brooklyn, New York
47:September 18, 1844
470:Arnold J. Toynbee
379:Leonard Bernstein
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615:. January 1910.
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514:Jacob Schiff
494:human rights
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419:Sylvia Plath
407:Alfred Kazin
371:Milton Avery
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63:(1909-12-31)
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806:1909 deaths
801:1844 births
474:T. S. Eliot
411:Ulysses Kay
367:Nobel Prize
228:trolley car
795:Categories
584:References
466:Niels Bohr
427:Mario Puzo
403:Ted Hughes
265:John Moody
242:light bulb
232:automobile
230:, and the
224:phonograph
136:light bulb
43:1844-09-18
526:Red Cross
441:Education
259:In 1896,
220:telephone
169:Biography
120:financier
100:Signature
80:Financier
524:to take
213:Marconi
433:, and
226:, the
222:, the
218:, the
126:, and
90:Spouse
786:Yaddo
361:, 22
357:, 56
331:Yaddo
317:Yaddo
365:, a
297:Arts
58:Died
37:Born
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