A major financier who was a contemporary of Jay Gould and J.P. Morgan in the late 1880s. He promoted investments, loans, and investments that were considered to be little more than manipulations. His efforts created a fortune of $70 million. After his death his widow, Olivia, created the Russell Sage Foundation to promote social issues such as education, religious causes, and womenÂ’s interests. Before entering finance he was a wholesale grocer and a member of Congress from New York.