William Chapman Ralston

William Chapman Ralston (born January 12, 1826 in Wellsville , Ohio , † August 27, 1875 in San Francisco ) was an American businessman and financier in San Francisco, California. He was the founder of the Bank of California . A biographer once referred to him as "The Man Who Built San Francisco".

Life

William Chapman Ralston was the son of Robert Ralston III and Mary Wilcoxen Chapman. He made his fortune with the help of the Comstock Lode silver mine in Nevada and became one of the richest and most influential men in California. He built Ralston Hall in Belmont , California. The building of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco goes back to him. He funded the project with US $ 5 million. John Painter Gaynor was the architect and engineer. In 1875 his financial empire collapsed due to the enormous expense of building the Palace Hotel, the failure to acquire and sell the Spring Valley Water Company , the aftermath of the economic depression of 1873, the so-called Panic of 1873 and the collapse of the bank's inventory value of California. The day after the financial collapse, his body was found dead in San Francisco Bay , either from a heart attack while swimming or from suicide. 50,000 people took part in the funeral procession in San Francisco.

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personal data
SURNAME	Ralston, William Chapman
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American businessman and financier
DATE OF BIRTH	January 12, 1826
PLACE OF BIRTH	Wellsville , Ohio
DATE OF DEATH	August 27, 1875
Place of death	San Francisco