Anthony N. Brady

Who was Anthony N. Brady?

Anthony Nicholas Brady was an American businessman born in Lille, France, to an Irish family, whose family emigrated to Troy, New York, in 1857. Settling in Albany, New York, he was first employed by a local barber and at age 19 went into business for himself, opening a tea store that he soon expanded with other outlets. He went on to become a politically astute transportation magnate, who used his genius at consolidation to acquire control of Brooklyn Rapid Transit as well Albany Gas Light Company. Later he was a dominant figure in the transportation systems of several American cities including Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., plus that of Paris. Brady would acquire significant investments in a substantial number of companies and was the largest shareholder and a director of American Tobacco Company by 1900, and successor companies in subsequent years.

Anthony Brady married Marcia Ann Myers from Vermont with whom he had six children. She was an Episcopalian and the children were raised in that faith.

Brady partnered with leading East Coast business tycoons such as Thomas Edison, William C. Whitney, P. A. B. Widener and Thomas F.