What's in a Name - Arthur M. Anderson

 For a while I've been thinking of doing a new series on here.  One of the things I'd like to do more of on here is history.  History is nothing without the people that populate it.

One of the most famous ships on the Great Lakes is the Arthur M. Anderson.  She is best known for being the last ship that was in contact with the Edmund Fitzgerald before she went down.  As such, she remains popular with the boatnerd community.  But who is she named after?

Arthur Marvin Anderson was a member of the Board of Directors for US Steel.  The ship was owned by US Steel.  Typically, if a ship is named after a person, that person is typically important for the company that owns the ship.  Even though US Steel doesn't own her anymore, she keeps the name.

Arthur Anderson was born in 1881.  In 1904, he entered the world of banking with the company of Wood, Struthers and Winthrop which was an investment bank.  In 1914, he would become a partner of that firm and would leave for J.P. Morgan shortly after.  During World War I, he sold war bonds and in 1926, he became partner at J.P. Morgan.

In 1940, he became vice chairman of J.P. Morgan.  He was elected to the directors advisory council in 1959 until his death.  He was also a director for the Northern Pacific Railroad, the Federal Insurance Company and St. Louis Lead.  He died on August 11, 1966.

Arthur M. Anderson.