Charles Lewis Tiffany (1812 - 1902)

Born 15 Feb 1812 in Killingly, Windham, Connecticut, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Harriet Olivia Avery (Young) Tiffany — married 30 Nov 1839 in New York, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 18 Feb 1902 at age 90 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

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Biography

Charles Tiffany is Notable.

Charles Lewis Tiffany was co-founder of the Tiffany and Co. jewelry and fine living stores.^[1][2][3]

Family

Charles Lewis Tiffany was born in Killingly, Connecticut, on February 15, 1812 to Comfort Tiffany and Chloe (Draper) Tiffany.^{[4][1][2][5][6][7][3][8]}

Charles was educated at schools in Plainfield, Connecticut.^[9][8] Starting at the age of 15, he helped manage a small general store started by his father, the owner of a cotton-manufacturing company in the Borough of Danielson in the Town of Killingly, CT. He later worked at the office of his father's mill.^[3][8]

Charles married Harriet Olivia Avery Young, the sister of his partner John Burnett Young (1815-59),^[6] on November 30, 1839.^[9]

Their children included:

• Louisa Harriett ^{[1][10][2][11][12]}
• Burnett Young^[1][13][14]
• Annie Olivia (married Alfred Mitchell)^{[15][2][11][16]}
• Henry Charles^[17][18]
• Louis Comfort^{[11][2][19][20]}
• Charles Lewis^[9]

Tiffany and Co.

In 1837, with $1,000 borrowed from his father, Charles and a school friend, John B. Young (the brother of Charles' wife, Harriet), set up a small stationery and gift shop in New York City, Tiffany and Young.^[3][4][8] Their first three days in business brought them only $4.38 in total sales, but two years later they were still in business, selling glassware, porcelain, cutlery, clocks and jewelry.^[9][4]

The store expanded in 1841 and changed its name to Tiffany, Young and Ellis.^[3][8] It was known for selling only the finest goods and specialized in Bohemian glass and porcelain.^[9][4] It also began manufacturing its own jewelry, especially capitalizing on a bargain market on diamonds in Europe at the time.^[8][1][2][4] In 1845, the signature blue Tiffany box was introduced.^[3] In the early 1850s, the company was reorganized under the name Tiffany and Company, following the retirement of his two partners, and opened branches in Paris in 1850, and in London in 1868.^[3][8] The store soon relocated uptown to a Fifth Avenue location. Acquisition and sales of the French crown jewels in 1887 firmly established Tiffany and Company's reputation as the best in jewelry and finery. At the time of his death, Tiffany and Co. was capitalized at more than $2 million and acknowledged as the most prominent jewelry company in North America.^[9]

An 1872 diamond and gemstone hoax perpetrated by Philip Arnold cost diamond investors more than half a million dollars and embarrassed Charles.^[9] Arnold spread a rumor that he and a partner had discovered a diamond mine, using purchased diamonds as bait, and found investors in the "mine". Using a fake diamond mine, set up in a cave in Colorado, the men swindled investors out of $450,000-the purchase price for the "mine". A geologist broke the bad news to the investors.^[3]

One of the great achievements in his life was when he teamed up with Thomas Edison. Together they created foot lights and other ways of electrically lighting theaters. As a result of this, Broadway and other shows became more popular during that time.^[9]

Legacy

Charles Lewis Tiffany died in Yonkers, New York, on February 18, 1902, at age 90.^{[6][7][21][4][22][23]} He was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings, New York.^[21]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ6D-W57 : 7 September 2017), Charles Tiffany, 1880; citing enumeration district ED 298, sheet 449A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d), roll 0881; FHL microfilm 1,254,881.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8J1-N4Z : 14 June 2019), Chas Tiffany, 1870.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7} (New England Historical Society: "Connecticut’s Charles Lewis Tiffany Starts a Small Gift Shop"), last updated in 2017. Accessed 12 Sep 2019
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5} Ancestry.com. U.S., Craftperson Files, 1600-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Image
5. ↑ "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKNT-VZYH : 16 March 2018), Charles L Tiffany, 16 May 1855; citing Passport Application, , source certificate #, Passport Applications, 1795-1905., 50, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} "BillionGraves Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2HT3-XSC : 24 June 2015), Charles Lewis Tiffany, died 18 Feb 1902; citing BillionGraves (http://www.billiongraves.com : 2012), Burial at Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WX8-TS5 : 10 February 2018), Charles Lewis Tiffany, 18 Feb 1902; citing Death, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,323,003.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6} Ancestry.com. Appletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1600-1889 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Volume: Vol. VI Ancestry Record 61360 #15338
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7} Wikipedia contributors. "Charles Lewis Tiffany." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 8 Sep. 2019. Web. 12 Sep. 2019. Wikipedia:Charles Lewis Tiffany
10. ↑ "Florida Deaths, 1877-1939", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FPHY-DZ5 : 8 August 2019), Charles L. Tiffany in entry for Louisa H. Tiffany, 1937.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2} "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC46-8MB : 12 December 2017), Charles F Tifney, 1860.
12. ↑ "New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27TB-Q7T : 11 February 2018), Charles L. Tiffany in entry for Tiffany, 18 Dec 1856; citing Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, reference v 4 p 1856-1857 New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,315,312.
13. ↑ "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG4Z-K2DL : 22 August 2018), Chas Lewis Tiffany in entry for Burnett Young Tiffany, 1945.
14. ↑ "New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27Y2-V64 : 11 February 2018), Charles L Tiffany in entry for Tiffany, Apr 1860; citing Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, reference v 7 p 165 New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,315,313.
15. ↑ "New York Marriages, 1686-1980," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F67G-CYB : 10 February 2018), Charles L. Tiffany in entry for Alfred Mitchell and Annie O. Tiffany, 27 Apr 1871; citing reference ; FHL microfilm 1,544,493.
16. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24MJ-FTF : 10 February 2018), Charles L. Tiffany in entry for Alfred Mitchell and Annie Tiffany, 27 Apr 1871; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,544,493.
17. ↑ "New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FDGL-PSS : 11 February 2018), Charles L Tiffany in entry for Huey C Tiffany, 01 Sep 1858; citing Manhattan, New York, New York, USA, reference ; FHL microfilm 1,315,313.
18. ↑ "New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27YV-TZ7 : 11 February 2018), Charles L Tiffany in entry for Huey C Tiffany, 01 Sep 1858; citing Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, reference v 5 p 492 New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,315,313.
19. ↑ "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WKC-BHC : 10 February 2018), Charles Louis Tiffany in entry for Louis Comfort Tiffany, 17 Jan 1933; citing Death, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,070,292.
20. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24SB-KZ5 : 10 February 2018), Charles L. Tiffany in entry for Louis Tiffany and Louise Wakeman Knox, 09 Nov 1886; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,570,943.
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1} Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 12 September 2019), memorial page for Charles Lewis Tiffany (15 Feb 1812–18 Feb 1902), Find A Grave: Memorial #1035, citing Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .
22. ↑ Ancestry.com. New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.Record of Wills, 1665-1916; Index to Wills, 1662-1923 (New York County); Author: New York. Surrogate's Court (New York County); Probate Place: New York, New York Ancestry Record 8800 #500475
23. ↑ Ancestry.com. New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Record of Wills, 1665-1916; Index to Wills, 1662-1923 (New York County); Author: New York. Surrogate's Court (New York County); Probate Place: New York, New York Image

• Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Year: 1900; Census Place: Manhattan, New York, New York; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 0748; FHL microfilm: 1241114 Ancestry Record 7602 #66994505
• Ancestry.com. New York, Genealogical Records, 1675-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Doggett'S New York City Directory, For 1849-1850; Publication Place: New York; Publisher: John Doggett, Jr. & Co.; Publication Year: 1850; Page Number: 417 Ancestry Record 7831 #683394
• Ancestry.com. U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Ancestry Record 1264 #1569889
• Ancestry.com. America's Successful Men [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 1997. Ancestry Record 2015 #2060
• Grey, CGP. "💖 The Tale of Tiffany 💖." CGP Grey (channel). 9 Aug 2021. YouTube.com. Retrieved 9 Aug 2021.