Nicholas Frederic Brady

Nicholas Frederic Brady, Duke of the Holy Roman Church (October 27, 1878 – March 27, 1930) was a New York City businessman and philanthropist who was the first American to receive the Roman Catholic Church honor, the Supreme Order of Christ. He was the holder of several papal honors, including being a papal duke ad personam (non-hereditary). Early life Brady was born on October 27, 1878, in Albany, New York. His father was the industrialist Anthony N. Brady. He graduated from Yale University in 1899. He was raised an Episcopalian but converted to Catholicism. Career Brady and his brother James Cox Brady, Sr., oversaw a vast business empire built by their father. James Brady died in 1927, and Nicholas continued running the businesses. He was Chairman of the board of directors of New York Edison Co. and a director of Anaconda Copper Mining Co., Westinghouse Electric, National City Bank, Union Carbide, and numerous other companies in the United States and Japan whose activities were primarily in utilities. The Brady brothers provided substantial funds to enable Walter Chrysler both to take over the ailing Maxwell Motor Company and to acquire Chrysler Corporation. Nicholas became a lifelong member of Chrysler's board of directors. Personal life