Lehman Brothers Timeline

1844

Henry Lehman emigrates from Rimpar, Germany, and settles in Montgomery, Alabama, where he opens a general store specializing in dry goods.

1847
to 1850

Henry Lehman is joined by his brothers Emanuel and Mayer, and their establishment becomes Lehman Brothers.

1858

Lehman Brothers transitions into the cotton commodity business and opens a branch in New York City.

1861
to 1865

The Civil War causes devastation to the Southern economy and cotton trade.

1870

Lehman Brothers helps found the New York Cotton Exchange.

1887

Lehman Brothers becomes a member of the New York Stock Exchange.

1899

Lehman Brothers takes on investment banking activities, issuing its first public offering for the International Steam Pump Company.

1901
to 1925

Philip Lehman serves as head of Lehman Brothers.

1913

The Federal Reserve Bank is established in response to the financial panic of 1907.

1925
to 1969

Robert Lehman takes over leadership of Lehman Brothers.

1929

Lehman Brothers forms the Lehman Corporation, a closed-end investment company.

1929
to 1933

The stock market crashes in late October 1929 contributing to the Great Depression and global economic collapse.

1933

Congress passes the Glass-Steagall Act separating commercial banks from investment banks.

1934

Congress establishes the Securities Exchange Commission regulating the securities industry.

1950

The postwar economic boom contributes to a rise in investment banking activities.

1958

Lehman Brothers established the One William Street Fund, a mutual fund of diversified holdings.

1969

Robert Lehman, the last family member to head Lehman Brothers, dies.

1969
to 1973

Frederick Ehrman takes over management of Lehman Brothers.

1973
to 1983

Peter Peterson serves as CEO of Lehman Brothers.

1973

The Oil crisis brings about a significant price increase in oil and a weakening economy.

1977

Lehman Brothers merges with Kuhn, Loeb & Co. The firm expands its global operations and business in mergers and acquisitions.

1983
to 1984

Lew Glucksman is CEO of Lehman Brothers.

1984

Shearson Division of American Express acquires Lehman Brothers.

October 19,1987

Global financial markets plunge on Black Monday.

1994

Lehman Brothers is spun off from American Express into Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc. Richard Fuld becomes CEO.

1999

Financial Services Modernization Act repeals the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act that separated commercial from investment banks.

2001

Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11 affect global markets.

2002

Lehman relocates its operations from its Wall Street location to Midtown Manhattan.

2003
to 2004

Lehman Brothers buys five mortgage lenders and becomes heavily invested in mortgage-backed securities.

2007

The financial crisis begins to unfold with the sale of two Bear Stearns hedge funds in mortgage-backed securities.

September 15,2008

Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy.

September 16,2008

Barclays agrees to buy Lehman Brothers' U.S. operations.

September 22,2008

Nomura agrees to acquire Lehman Brothers' Asian and European operations.

2008
to 2009

Continuing impact of the financial crisis causes economic decline in national and global markets that leads to the Great Recession.