This Day in History: 1940-12-29

Stephen Birch of Valley Road, Darlington, Founder of the Kennecott Copper Corporation, died in Doctor’s Hospital, New York one week after an abdominal operation. He was 68 years old. His wife died in 1930. In addition to his large estate in Darlington, now the Campus of Ramapo College of New Jersey, he maintained a home in San Diego. Surviving, in addition to a brother and two sisters, were his son Stephen Jr. and his daughter Mary Birch, both of Mahwah. He was a Graduate of the Columbia School of Mines and founded Kennecott in 1893. He was Chairman of its Board of Directors as well as Director of several other nationally known companies at the time of his death. (Bristow)