Treasurer of the Philadelphia Bible Society
| When Burke met | 1812 |
| Where Burke met | Philadelphia |
| Occupation | Treasurer of the Philadelphia Bible Society |
| Interaction with Burke | gave him Bibles to distribute |
| Memoir Pages | 72, 99 |
| Genealogy | WikiTree |
Robert Ralston (December 18, 1761 – August 11, 1836) was a prominent Philadelphia merchant and philanthropist born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, to William Ralston. Amassing a substantial fortune in the East Indian trade, Ralston became a central figure in Philadelphia’s civic and religious life. He served as president of the Philadelphia Select Council, a director of the Second Bank of the United States, and a trustee of the Philadelphia Exchange. A dedicated Presbyterian, he founded the Pennsylvania Bible Society and became the first president of his denomination’s board of education in 1819. He also helped fund local institutions, including the Widows’ and Orphans’ Asylum and the Mariner’s Church. In 1785, he married Sarah Clarkson at Christ Church; together they had seven children, including a son, Robert, who continued his father’s mercantile and civic pursuits in the city.
Sources
Burke, William. Memoir of William Burke: A Soldier of the Revolution, Reformed from Intemperance, and for Many Years a Consistent and Devoted Christian; Carefully Prepared from a Journal Kept by Himself; to Which Is Added, an Extract from a Sermon Preached at His Funeral, by Rev. Nathaniel Miner. Hartford, CT: Case, Tiffany, 1837.