Henry Casimir de Rham
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July 15, 1785
Henry Casimir de Rham | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of de Rham sitting and reading a book, c. 1864 | |
| Honorary consul of Honorary Consulate of Switzerland in New York | |
| In office 25 July 1822 – 1847 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Henri Casimir de Rham July 15, 1785 Giez, Switzerland |
| Died | November 6, 1873 (aged 88) New York City, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Maria Theresa Moore
(m. 1813; died 1855) |
| Children | 4, including Charles |
| Occupation | Merchant, banker, diplomat |
Henry Casimir de Rham (/də ˈrɑːm/; də RAHM; July 15, 1785 – November 6, 1873)[1] colloquially also known by his initials H.C. de Rham was a Swiss-born American merchant, banker and diplomat who served as one of the first consuls of Switzerland to the U.S. from 1822 to 1847.[2][1]
De Rham originally hailed from old family of Braunschweig nobility from Lower Saxony who established themselves in Giez in Vaud, Switzerland in the 18th century, but only becoming Swiss citizens in 1816.[3][4] De Rham arrived in New York City in 1803, opening a subsidiary (or less likely his own firm), for a European textile firm.[5]
Through additional participations, namely de Rham, Iselin & Moore (later known as de Rham & Moore, a textile and merchant banking firm, he among others of Swiss nobility rose up to the most prominent in the social circles of New York City. Since 1835, De Rham owned the DeRham Farm, in Philipstown, New York, where he spent summers and weekends.[6][7] He was the patriarch of the American branch of the De Rham family.
De Rham was born 15 July 1785 in Giez, Switzerland, one of two sons, to Wilhelm de Rham, originally of Braunschweig, Saxony, and Anne de Rham (née Kinloch; 1742–1813), of peerage of Scotland.[8] His older brother, Jacques de Rham, married Adélaïde Doxat, whose family owned the Château de Champvent.[9]
His maternal grandfather was Sir James Kinloch, Bt. of Scotland.[10] He attended the military school in Munich, Bavaria.[9]
