Philip Heidelbach

Heidelbach was born in Bavaria in 1814[1] where he was learning the butcher trade[2] In 1837, he immigrated to the United States first settling briefly in New York City[3][4] where he invested all his money in $8 of merchandise which he converted into $150 after three months.[5] In the same year, he moved to Cincinnati where he continued to peddle, increasing his capital to $2,000 after a year.[5] In the early 1840s, he went into business with another Jewish peddler, Jacob Seasongood, founding dry good store Heidelbach, Seasongood & Co.[3][4] By 1860, they had a large clothing factory[2] which prospered making clothing and blankets for the Union Army with $1.2 million in sales by 1864[6] becoming the largest clothing manufacturer in the Mississippi Valley.[1] In 1861, he co-founded the bank Espy, Heidelbach & Co with a gentile partner.[3][2] In 1865, he moved to New York City and set up his own private bank.[3][2] In 1876, his firm was renamed Heidelbach, Ickelheimer & Co after his son-in-law, Isaac Ickelheimer (married to Jennie Heidelbach Ickelheimer), became a partner.

Heidelbach was one of the first trustees of the Cincinnati Southern Railroad.[4] He served as president of the School Board of B'nai Israel and was active in the Hebrew Benevolent Society.[4] He was married to Hannah Heidelbach.[7]