Sibley, Harper

Fletcher Harper Sibley was born in New York City in 1885. After graduating from Harvard University and the New York Law School, he practiced law in New York City until 1912, when he moved to Rochester, New York to work in the family business. Sibley spent most of his business life operating farms in New York, Illinois, and California. He served on the board of directors of a number of companies, including Western Union Telegraph and New York Life Insurance. Sibley was a member of the Rochester YMCA Board of Directors. He served on the YMCA International Committee from 1917 to 1950 and also as a member of both the National Council and National Board. He was the general chairman of the Centennial International Convention in Cleveland in 1951, president of the USO, and from 1955 to his death served as chairman for the Wold Alliance's Committee for Work with Refugees and Migrants.

From the description of Harper Sibley papers, 1939-1980 (bulk 1958-1959). (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 63319125

Fletcher Harper Sibley (known as Harper Sibley) was born in New York City on April 5, 1885. His grandfather, Hiram, was an associate of Samuel Morse and helped organize the Western Union Telegraph Company.

Harper graduated from Harvard University in 1907, where he was a classmate of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He studied law at the New York Law School and was admitted to the New York Bar in 1909. Later in life, in 1936, he received a LL.D. from Hobart College. In 1908 he married Georgina Farr, with whom he had six children.

Sibley practiced law in New York City until 1912, when the family moved to Rochester, New York, where he entered the office of his father, Hiram Sibley and became identified with the business interests of the family. These included the McKinley-Darragh-Savage mines in Ontario, where he was treasurer; the Provident Loan Society of Rochester, where he was president; and the Rochester Homeopathic Hospital, where he was treasurer.

Sibley identified himself as an agriculturalist because of his extensive farm and ranch operations in Illinois, California, New York state and Alberta, Canada. He pursued a business career that peaked as president of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States in 1935 and 1937. After his two terms with the organization, he remained on its senior council. During his career, he was a director on many corporate boards, including Security Trust Company of Rochester, the New York Life Insurance Company, the Western Union Telegraph Company, the Hollister Lumber Company and the Leckie Smokeless Coal Company.

Sibley was involved heavily with the YMCA in Rochester, as well as on a national level. He was a member of the YMCA International Committee from 1917 to 1950. He served on the National Council from 1924 to 1927 and from 1941 to 1959; he was its president in 1951 and 1952. He served on the National Board from 1948 to 1959; he was its president in 1949 and 1950 and was on its Board of Trustees from 1939 to 1959. He served as the general chairman of the Centennial International Convention in Cleveland in 1951 and was president of the USO. Also a member of the World Council and its executive committee, he chaired the Committee on Work with Refugees and Migrants after World War II.

From the guide to the Harper Sibley papers., 1939-1980, (bulk 1958-1959)., (University of Minnesota. Kautz Family YMCA Archives. [ymca])