"Charles Lanier (~1836-1926) was the senior member of Winslow, Lanier & Co., bankers, for 63 years. "A great friend of the late Pierpont Morgan, Mr. Lanier was a member of the little group, informally called the Corsair Club, which made its headquarters on Mr. Morgan's yacht... Among those who assembled on these occasions were David Egleston, Frank and Endicott Peabody of Boston, Joseph Peabody of Paris, James Lawrence of Boston, Rollins Morse of Boston and Frank Sturgis of New York." His wife was Sarah E. Egleston, daughter of Thomas Egleston. Charles Lanier's father, James F.D. Lanier, established the firm in New York with Richard H. Winslow in 1849. Mrs. William Averell Harriman was his granddaughter. (Charles Lanier, Banker, Dies At 89. New York Times, Mar. 8, 1926; Death List of A Day. New York Times, Apr. 19, 1898.) During the 1880s, Lanier was Treasurer of the forerunner of the United Hospital Fund, the Hospital Saturday and Sunday Association, of which George Macculloch Miller of the Central Trust was president. Lanier claimed to be descended from Thomas Lanier, a Huguenot refugee who accompanied George Washington's great-grandfather to Virginia in 1655 and married his daughter, which is disputed. (Baron George Washington Fighting for Austria. By A Veteran Diplomat. New York Times, Sep. 3, 1916.) "Mr. Lanier's securities included $1,400,000 in Standard Oil stocks, the largest items being 3,000 shares Standard of Indiana, $191,625; 7,200 shares Standard of New Jersey, $314,200, and 4,125 shares Standard in New York, $135,609. Other large stockholdings were 1,440 shares All-American Cables, $192,960; 700 Jersey Central, $189,000; 828 Central Union Trust Company, $728,640; 100 First National Bank, $273,750; and 940 New York Trust Company, $526,400." He left $5,000 each to the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in New York and Trinity Church in Lenox, Mass.; the New York City Mission and Tract Society and the Lanier Memorial Museum in Madison, Indiana. Mrs. W.A. Harriman received the income from $1,058,334. (Lanier Left Estate of $9,677,364 Net. New York Times, Nov. 22, 1927.) He was a trustee of the Central Trust and Central Union Trust from 1881 until his death. His son, James F.D. Lanier, married Heber R. Bishop's daughter, Harriet. (Lanier-Bishop. New York Times, Nov. 25, 1885.) Bishop was the vice president of Presbyterian Hospital in 1893."
Central Trust Company of New-York, 1880-84

Photo
"NOTABLE NEW YORKERS"
Circa 1869-1899
Personal Collection

Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Division of Museums and Historic Sites