William Procter

popular name: Adam Smith

date_of_death: July 17, 1790

age: 67

cause_of_death: Decay

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Adam Smith, a graduate of the University of Glasgow and at Balliol College, Oxford, was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. Also known as "The Father of Economics" or "The Father of Capitalism" he wrote two classic works, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759) and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776). The latter, often abbreviated as The Wealth of Nations, is considered his magnum opus and the first modern work of economics. Upon his death, he was laid to rest at Canongate Kirkyard in Edinburgh, Scotland.

popular name: James Mayer de Rothschild

date_of_death: November 17, 1868

age: 76

cause_of_death: Natural causes

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Baron James Mayer de Rothschild (1792–1868) was a prominent 19th-century banker and a key figure in the Rothschild banking family. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, he was the second son of Mayer Amschel Rothschild, the patriarch who established the family's banking empire. James moved to Paris in the early 1800s, where he and his sons started as luxury item dealers and coin and commercial paper traders. James played a critical role in the development of the Rothschild banking network, particularly in France, and became one of the wealthiest men of his time. James was instrumental in financing the construction of major infrastructure projects, such as railways, and was also involved in international finance, including lending to European governments. Throughout his life, he was a key player in European politics, often working behind the scenes to support governments with financial backing, particularly during the revolutions of 1848 and the Crimean War. Baron James Rothschild’s success and wealth solidified the Rothschild family as one of the most influential banking dynasties in Europe during the 19th century. He passed away in 1868, and his legacy continued through his descendants, who continued to manage and expand the family's financial empire. It is estimated that the total collective wealth of all the Rothschild families combined exceed $1.0 trillion dollars. Upon his death, he was laid to rest at Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France.

popular name: Edmond Safra

date_of_death: December 3, 1999

age: 67

cause_of_death: Smoke inhalation (asphyxiation) in a fire which was deliberately set

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Edmond J. Safra (1932–1999) was an influential international banker and philanthropist, born in Beirut, Lebanon, into a Sephardic Jewish family with a long tradition in finance. He built a global banking empire through institutions such as Republic National Bank of New York and the Safra Group, earning a reputation for conservative banking, discretion, and strong client trust across Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. Alongside his business success, Safra was a major philanthropist, supporting education, healthcare, religious, and cultural causes worldwide through what later became the Edmond J. Safra Foundation. He died at age 67 in December 1999 in Monaco during a fire in his apartment; the incident led to criminal convictions from a corrupt Monaco judicial system but also ongoing controversy and debate about the true circumstances of his death. Safra’s legacy endures through his impact on global private banking and his lasting charitable contributions.