Frederick Gilbert Bourne (1851-1919)

Commodore Frederick G. Bourne, President of the Singer Manufacturing Company

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to a family with roots in Maine. He attended public school in New York and started his career with the Atlantic Submarine Wrecking Company. Later, while working at the Mercantile Library of New York and as members of the same golf club, he became friendly with Alfred Corning Clark, President of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Clark later offered Bourne a job, which he accepted, and he rose within the ranks to become president himself in 1889. He made the business "perhaps the first modern multinational industrial enterprise of any nationality". He and his wife kept an apartment at The Dakota in Manhattan and two impressive country estates. They also kept an apartment on Jekyll Island - "the millionaires club". He was Commodore of the New York Yacht Club. 

Parents (2)

George Washington Bourne

Rev. George W. Bourne, of Brooklyn, New York

1815-1872

Harriet Gilbert

Mrs Harriet (Gilbert) Bourne

1817-1907

Spouse (1)

Emma Sparks Keeler

Mrs Emma Sparks (Keeler) Bourne

1855-1916

Children (12)

Frederick Gilbert Bourne Jr.

Frederick Gilbert Bourne Jr., died in childhood

1876-1884

Arthur Keeler Bourne

Arthur Keeler Bourne, Director & Treasurer of the Singer Manufacturing Co.

1877-1967

Louisa Bourne

Louisa D. Bourne, died in infancy

1879-1879

May (Bourne) Strassburger

Mrs May Miller (Bourne) Strassburger

1881-1975

Marian (Bourne) Elbert

Mrs Marian C. (Bourne) Elbert

1882-1969

Alfred Severin Bourne

Alfred Severin Bourne, of Hartford, Connecticut

1883-1956

Helen Louise Bourne

Helen Louise Bourne, died young

1884-1887

Florence (Bourne) Thayer

Mrs Florence (Bourne) Hard, Thayer

1886-1969

George Galt Bourne

George Galt Bourne, President of the Singer Manufacturing Company

1888-1945

Marjorie (Bourne) Thayer

Mrs "Hooley" Marjorie Gilbert (Bourne) Thayer

1890-1962

Kenneth Bourne

Kenneth Bourne, died in childhood

1891-1898

Howard Davidson Bourne

Howard Davidson Bourne, died in early adulthood, unmarried

1893-1918

Associated Houses (2)

Singer Castle

Chippewa Bay, New York

Indian Neck Hall

Oakdale, New York

Image Courtesy of the Library of Congress