Frederick Gilbert Bourne

Who was Frederick Gilbert Bourne?

Frederick Gilbert "Commodore" Bourne was President of the Singer Manufacturing Company between 1889 and 1905. He made the business "perhaps the first modern multinational industrial enterprise of any nationality." Bourne greatly expanded global production as well as international sales of the Singer sewing machine. Bourne is also remembered as the "among the most important innovators in building vertically integrated firms."

Bourne maintained an apartment at The Dakota at West 72d Street next to Central Park in New York City, owned a 1,000-acre summer estate in Oakdale, Long Island, and acquired Dark Island in the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River where he built a magnificent castle. A sailing enthusiast, Bourne served as a Commodore of the New York Yacht Club. He was also a member of the famous Jekyll Island Club on Jekyll Island, Georgia.

He and wife Emma had twelve children:

⁕Frederick Gilbert Bourne Jr.

⁕Arthur Keeler Bourne, married Edith Hollins; their son: Arthur Keeler Bourne; divorced. Married Alberta M. Bourne, with whom he had three children.