William Bingham (1800-1852)

He was born in Philadelphia. Orphaned by the age of four, he was brought up in the household of his maternal grandfather, Thomas Willing, before being sent to England in the care of his elder sister, Ann, and her husband, Lord Ashburton. He was heir to one of the largest fortunes in America which included over a million acres in Maine and Lansdowne House near Philadelphia. On February 7th, 1822, he was married at Montreal to the heiress Marie-Charlotte Chartier de Lotbiniere. He built the Bingham Mansion which became the center of Montreal's high society, and its history speaks much of his rakish character. In 1833, they moved to Paris before settling at Broome Park in England. They had six children, though Bingham admitted that he was only sure of the legitimacy of his eldest son. He lived a reckless life and drank himself to an early grave.