Edward Craig Biddle (1815-1873)

He was born at Philadelphia. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1833 and was prepared for a mercantile career in the house of Bevan & Humphreys. In 1836, his father sent him to England with Samuel Jaudon, the former Cashier of the Bank of the United States. He used the opportunity to travel through Belgium and Holland to Paris. From there he continued his travels to Scotland, Switzerland and Germany before wintering in Italy, where he called upon Princess Charlotte Bonaparte. By then travelling with his uncle and aunt, his uncle, John C. Craig died in Milan and Edward escorted his grieving widow back to Philadelphia.

He returned to Europe where his father made him a partner in Humphreys & Biddle, cotton brokers, of Liverpool. The venture lasted for about two years - Edward's last foray into business. Thereafter, despite his cleverness, he was referred to as a 'gentleman' and in 1842 he married the previously mentioned 'grieving widow,' his cousin Mrs Jane (Sarmiento) Craig, reputed to have been one of the three most beautiful women in Philadelphia. They had six children of whom four (listed) lived to adulthood. They lived at the family's country estate, "Andalusia" before leaving for Europe in 1856. They lived in Geneva and Dresden before returning to Philadelphia in 1865 and taking up residence in Germantown where Edward died of pneumonia. His widow lived for some years in a house on Delancey Place before moving to West Philadelphia with her son where she died.