Stephen Girard and Daniel Ludwig lived strangely parallel lives almost exactly a century and a half apart:   both started   careers as sailors at very young ages, both made their first fortunes in shipping and then multiplied them via successful investments to become the richest American of their times, and both had wives who gave birth to a daughter that in one case most likely wasn’t his and in the other case definitely wasn’t.   And both ended up leaving their entire fortunes to charity despite repeated attempts by their family members who thought they deserved to get them more.