Flagler gave them the honored center positions in the mausoleum. The church was dedicated in March 1890. As fate would have it, Henry had been invited to work at a general store by a family . After construction for the Ponce de Leon and the Alcazar were underway in St. Augustine, Flagler's railroad properties started to expand southwards. The future "founder" of Florida found St. Augustine to be dirty, depressing, and worst of all boring. As you go through the . It supplied kerosene by tank cars that brought the fuel to local markets, and tank wagons then delivered to retail customers, thus bypassing the existing network of wholesale jobbers. Cutthroat Cruel business man. The Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler partnership was formed with Flagler in control of Harkness' interest. Then, just a few months before the end of the Ponce de Leon Hotel's second season, Jennie Louise Flagler Benedict died from complications of childbirth. As we know, Flagler's business activity in Florida had earned him the attention of the public as well as state officials. Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 - May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil, which was first based in Ohio. Flagler suffered additional family tragedies when his oldest daughter died from complications of childbirth in 1899. Henry Flagler's daughter, Jennie Louise Benedict, had a baby girl on February 9, 1889. Because he had a hard personal life and was a cutthroat business man. In 1853, young Henry followed suit when Lamon Harkness' middle daughter, Mary, became his first wife. "I never had an animus against their size and wealth, never objected to their corporate form. 1. Barely any of Ida Alice's personal writings have survived, so there is a major piece of the puzzle missing. In fact, Henry Flagler was so pleased with his Florida projects that he began the construction of a second hotel, just across the street from the Ponce de Leon. I was willing that they should combine and grow as big and wealthy as they could, but only by legitimate means. He is known as the father of Miami, Florida and also founded Palm Beach, Florida. Harkness and Company, at a salary of $5 per month plus room and board. Even more critical, the invention of the light bulb gradually began to erode the dominance of kerosene for illumination. Henry Morrison Flagler Museum: Very Disappointing - See 1,507 traveler reviews, 1,197 candid photos, and great deals for Palm Beach, FL, at Tripadvisor. After two years of institutionalization and much assessment by the courts, Ida Alice Shourds Flagler was legally ruled incurably insane in 1899. He was 83 years old. Henry explained: "We worked night and day, making good oil as cheaply as possible and selling it for all we could get. [2] Flagler's mother was Elizabeth Caldwell Harkness Flagler, Isaac's third wife and a widow who had a stepson, Stephen V. Harkness, and a son, Daniel M. Harkness, from her marriage to deceased widower David Harkness of Milan, Ohio. While many tourists were satisfied with the charms of rural Florida, the appeal quickly wore off for the Flaglers, Henry specifically. Graham, Thomas. (To get a first-hand account of the journey from New York to St. Augustine, visit our page on Constance Fenimore Woolson's article "The Ancient City In Two Parts," which was published in Harper's New Monthly Magazine in 1874.). It was in the late 1850s that Flagler met John D. Rockefeller who was working for a Cleveland grain broker and traveled the hinterlands in search of business. When Mary contracted tuberculosis, at her doctor's recommendation they traveled . Mary Harkness Flagler was the sweet, unpretentious first wife of Henry. Dr. George G. Shelton, a graduate of New York's Homeopathic Medical College, was assisted by three nurses when Henry Flagler's daughter Jennie Louise Benedict died in 1889 following post-partum complications while journeying to visit her father on board the yacht Oneida headed to St. Augustine. Estate All the things he owned. [26], Its vast American empire included 20,000 domestic wells, 4,000 miles of pipeline, 5,000 tank cars, and over 100,000 employees. (However, when Harry Flagler was asked about this later, he denied that Ida Alice had ever been his mother's nurse.). Rockefeller worked in association with chemist and inventor Samuel Andrews. Please disable your ad blocker to view the video content. Perhaps Henry Flagler already planned that he would need a physician to confirm his wife suffered from insanity. The company expanded into the grain and distillery businesses, and the latter was sold after making considerable money. But Standard Oil adapted, developing its own European presence, expanding into natural gas production in the U.S., then into gasoline for automobiles, which until then had been considered a waste product. Together, the boys worked in the Harkness store for several years, where Henry eventually became a part of their sales staff. He was also a key figure in the development of the eastern coast of Florida along the Atlantic Ocean and was founder of what became the Florida East Coast Railway. Ida Alice Shourds became Ida Alice Shourds Flagler in June of 1883 and moved into the Flagler family home the day after their wedding. Flagler was the only person to be divorced under the law before it was repealed in 1905. Jennie Louise was now a young married woman of twenty-four years; Carrie had died as a child; the son Harry was eight. The Early Years of The Ponce de Leon: Clippings from an Old Scrap Book of those days. This was the case for many wealthy men during the Civil War, including Henry's future business partner, John D. Rockefeller. 0:58. Flagler's stepbrother Stephen V. Harkness invested $100,000 (equivalent to $1.94million in 2021[6]) on the condition that Flagler be made a partner. Dan married Lamon's eldest daughter, Isabella, in 1849 (yes, they were first cousins). The judge instructed the jury to find them not guilty because the "prosecution had failed to prove 'an agreement of minds with evil intent to conspire'. Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 - May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil. Captain of the submarine USS Watertown (SSN-696) who reluctantly helps Harm and Mac with investigations involving a boat he commanded. Now, imagine two hundred-plus years have passed. Flagler dredged a channel, built streets, instituted the first water and power systems, and financed the city's first newspaper, The Metropolis. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press & Crown Publishers, 2002. [citation needed], By the end of the American Civil War, Cleveland was one of the five main refining centers in the U.S. (besides Pittsburgh, New York City, Philadelphia, and the region in northwestern Pennsylvania where most of the oil originated). It seems that if too many limits had been placed on Henry Flagler's projects, St. Augustine would not be the city we know today. He built a railroad bridge across the St. Johns River to gain access to the southern half of the state and purchased the Hotel Ormond, just north of Daytona. Flagler and Rockefeller eventually prevailed and the railroad sold all its oil interests to Standard. Flagler controlled a vast fortune, which he earned by buying out small oil refineries and creating a monopoly with Standard Oil. [43], When Flagler's first wife Mary (ne Harkness) fell sick, his physician recommended they travel to Jacksonville for the winter to escape the brutal conditions of the North. However, many other officials were wary of Henry Flagler. As a gift to Kenan, Flagler built Whitehall, a 55-room winter getaway in Palm Beach. On the condition that Anderson get the city's streets paved, Henry Flagler agreed to buy a portion of that land. See more ideas about flagler, key west, florida. Nine trustees, including Rockefeller, ran the 41 companies in the trust. "When John D. Rockefeller was asked if the Standard Oil company was the result of his thinking, he answered, 'No, sir. He is known as the father of St. Augustine, Mia She was the mother of his three children. 101 - 123). When son Harry Harkness Flagler was born in December of 1870, Mary's frail health was greatly weakened by giving birth. From there on out, Dr. Anderson was a major supporter and confidant of Henry Flagler, often acting as his business liaison in St. Augustine when Flagler was out of town. You see, during the Gilded Age [and for far too long after it], women could be sent to a mental institution for just about anything. This 'FEC' project had been underway since the late 1880s, when Flagler purchased the St. Augustine & Halifax Railroad in Jacksonville. He even owned newspapers in Florida. The swamplands south of Savannah were thought of as a dangerous land of rugged enchantment where alligators lurked in the shadows and strange miasme was thought to carry diseases like yellow fever through the damp air. 0:00. So, Henry was the youngest of a large mixed family. Ida. Two years after his first wife died in 1881, he married again. Son of the late Henry M. Flagler, but never interested himself in his father's railroad and development projects in Florida, nor in the Standard Oil Co. through his mother, the former Mary Harkness. They were rightfully concerned about allowing a wildly wealthy individual to have that much control over the public works of St. Augustine. Seven years later he became a senior salesman with a salary of $ 400 per year. [56][57], When the Department of Justice prosecuted four Flagler employment agents in 1908 for "conspiracy to hold workmen in peonage and slavery," the Flagler-owned The Florida Times-Union and other Florida newspapers depending on the Times-Union for material or owned by Flagler published articles to "influence juries and public opinion." In fact, the exterior bares a memorial script to his daughter who perished giving birth to his . Sets with similar terms swee1122 Only his son Harry Harkness Flagler survived of the three children by his first marriage in 1853 to Mary Harkness. Henry started spending a great deal more time in Florida, soon claiming the state as his permanent residence. Control of the Flagler fortune largely passed into the hands of Mary Lily Kenan's family of sisters and brother, who survived into the 1960s. Though Flagler and Rockefeller had long maintained a policy of active silence with the press, they decided to make themselves more accessible and responded with conciliatory comments such as "capital and labor are both wild forces which require intelligent legislation to hold them in restriction. Alternately called cruel, philanthropic, pitiless and visionary in his lifetime, Henry Morrison Flagler (1830-1913) was a complicated man. Henry married Nancy Flagler in month 1861, at age 25 at marriage place, Michigan. [46], Realizing the need for a sound transportation system to support his hotel ventures, Flagler purchased short line railroads in what would later become known as the Florida East Coast Railway. The case can be made that Flagler was the intellectual genius who devised both the overall concepts and the details of the company policies and programs that turned Standard Oil into the most feared, powerful, and profitable company of the 19th and early . However, the boom did not last. For the train, see, Alleged use of convict leasing and debt peonage, Martin, p. 56, quoting Edwin Lefevre, in "Flagler and Florida" from, Joe Knetsch, "The Peonage Controversy and the Florida East Coast Railway,", University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "Madoff scandal stuns Palm Beach Jewish community", "292: Colonel Joseph D. Potts Leader in the Pennsylvania on LiveAuctioneers", "The Story of Convict Leasing in Florida", "Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes: Online Sunshine", "Slavery Revisited: Peonage in the South", "How slave labor built the state of Florida decades after the Civil War", "Abstracts of Reports of the Immigration Commission, Vol II", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henry_Flagler&oldid=1125174074, Jennie Louise (March 18, 1855 March 25, 1889), Knetsch, Joe. At last in 1911, the Supreme Court of the United States found Standard Oil Company of New Jersey in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Racked with bronchitis and unable to do much for herself, Mary joined Henry in the Buckingham Hotel. Biography. Franklin W. Smith had just finished building Villa Zorayda and Flagler offered to buy it for his honeymoon. However, this kindly nickname does not do justice to the full story of Flagler, who was nearly fifty years old when he first set foot in Florida in 1878. HENRY FLAGLER "Father of Florida" American Industrialist Early Days was born on January 2, 1830 in Hopewell, New York, raised in a. She endured three more frigid northern winters until in 1881, when at the age of forty-eight, Mary Harkness Flagler died. Though he didn't recognize him through his medicinal stupor, Henry Flagler's only son, Harry Harkness, was at his father's bedside alongside Mary Lily Kenan Flagler, whom Harry was actually meeting for the first time. However, a great cloud of bad luck was soon to fall over the Flagler family. A large portion of his estate was designated for a "niece" who was said actually to be a child born out of wedlock. In an overall calculation of America's oil refineries' assets and capital, Standard Oil surpassed all. By 1852, Henry had saved enough money to become the one-third-owner of the Harkness & Company alongside his half-brother Dan and Dan's uncle Lamon. University Press of Florida. Together, the three set their sights on opening a distillery that would serve nearby railroad workers. Smith would not sell, but he planted the seed of St. Augustine's and Florida's future in Flagler's mind. This touched off a firestorm of protest from independent oil well owners, including boycotts and vandalism, which eventually led to the discovery of Standard Oil's part in the deal. His business dealings, along with those of partner John D. Rockefeller's, were laid out in painstaking detail by one bold muckraker of the era, Ida Henry Flagler, who was considered the "brain" Rockefeller "Standard Oil," better known perhaps as the creator of the "American Riviera" in Florida (Standiford, pp. IT HAD BEGUN 26 YEARS EARLIER, IN 1891, when Henry Morrison Flagler, the uncrowned "king" of Florida, who had made a vast fortune as a founding partner of Standard Oil of Ohio, met Mary Lily Kenan . He was connected with government officials and industry elites. He was also a key figure in the development of the eastern coast of Florida along the Atlantic Ocean and was founder of what became the Florida East Coast Railway. He was also a key figure in the development of the Atlantic coast of Florida and founder of the Florida East Coast Railway. Henry Flagler is a famous Entrepreneurwho has a net worth of $60 Million. Instead of attending lunch with his fellow businessmen, he took to hosting grand parties at his new summer estate (which was ominously named "Satan's Toe"). So, the Flagler family (Henry, Mary, little Harry, Jennie, and her first husband, John Arthur Hinckley) spent the winter of 1877-1878 in St. Augustine. Rockefeller retained his nominal title as president until 1911 and he kept his stock. Henry Flagler's most monumental accomplishment was realized only a year before he died. Stately and serious, genteel and generous some have even referred to him as "Uncle Henry.". [3], Flagler attended local schools through eighth grade. Flagler commissioned the architects and builders of his other St. Augustine buildings to create the Venetian Renaissance Revival style . To add to the sting, Henry 'Harry' Flagler was generally known as Harry Harkness, showing more deference for his mother than his father. He was 14 years old, and leaving the home of his parents in Hopewell, N.J., to . First, Dr. Anderson worked through the bureaucracy to get Flagler approval to fill in the marshland that was west of the original town plan. [citation needed][66], "Henry M. Flagler" redirects here. Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 - May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil. The accommodation features a satellite TV. (2022). But in the aftermath of that battle, in 1879 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania indicted Flagler and Rockefeller on charges of monopolizing the oil trade, starting an avalanche of similar court proceedings in other states and making a national issue of Standard Oil's business practices. July, 1975. pg. In fact, after completing the eighth grade, he decided to leave home and went to Ohio to find his fortune. His father, Isaac Flagler, was a Presbyterian minister. Flagler and Rockefeller then decided to issue certificates against oil stored in Standard Oil's pipelines. Rather than try to influence the price of crude oil directly, Standard Oil had been exercising indirect control by altering oil storage charges to suit market conditions. His mother was Elizabeth Caldwell Morrison Harkness. When the city was incorporated in 1896, its citizens wanted to honor the man responsible for its growth by naming it "Flagler". "[27] Over time foreign competition and new finds abroad eroded his dominance. [32] More threatening to Standard's power was the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, originally used to control unions, but later central to the breakup of the Standard Oil trust. As you can tell, Flagler spared no expense in constructing the Ponce de Leon Hotel, sometimes called 'The Prince of Hotels' by newspapers of the time. In 1885, Standard Oil moved its corporate headquarters to New York City to the iconic 26 Broadway location. [53], On August 24, 1901, 10 days after his divorce, Flagler married Mary Lily at her family's plantation, Liberty Hall, and the couple soon moved into their new Palm Beach estate, Whitehall, a 55-room beaux arts home designed by the New York-based firm of Carrre and Hastings, which also had designed the New York Public Library and the Pan-American Exposition. His wife, Mary Harkness, had never been of robust health; she had borne three children. In 1853, Flagler married Mary Harkness, the daughter of Lamon Harkness - owner of the general store where he was formerly employed. Due to the harsh working and living conditions in the railway construction camps, many workers became victims of debt slavery. Though a hard worker, Flagler was widely recognized as a ruthless businessman. '"[42] Flagler served as an active part of Standard Oil until 1882, when he stepped back to take a secondary role at Standard Oil. Flagler wanted to take advantage of additional trade with Cuba and Latin America as well as the increased trade with the west that the Panama Canal would bring. In the early 1880s, Flagler and Rockefeller created one of their most important innovations. Whatever the case may be, Flagler focused on his family and his fortune during the years of 1861 to 1865. Besides its two refineries and a barrel plant in Cleveland, it possessed a fleet of tank cars and warehouses in the oil regions as well as warehouses and tanks in New York. He was also a key figure in the development of the Atlantic coast of Florida and founder of what became the Florida East Coast Railway. He recruited Henry Flagler to join him, and the youth went to Ohio at age 14, where he started work in 1844 at a salary of US$5 per month plus room and board. the Trust and Non-Profit Organization established by Flagler's grand-daughter Jean Flagler Matthews, to preserve Whitehall, has . "Historical Person Profile: Henry Flagler." The rumor mill suspected that this change in priorities was due to Henry's association with one Ida Alice Shourds a red-haired, green-eyed actress who was rumored to have been Mary Harkness Flagler's nursemaid during her final years. He became known as the Father of Miami, Florida. As he went, Flagler spent exorbitant amounts of money to build hotels in certain cities along the way. Standard Oil grew to become one of the largest shippers of oil and kerosene in the country. (Context from a 21st-century author: This story takes place nearly two generations before women were granted the right to vote a time when we were generally valued for being subservient, delicate, and fertile. So, when sources from the time period say that Ida Alice Shourds Flagler was insane, one must look closely and think critically. Over the course of her marriage to Henry Flagler, Ida Alice Shourds is reported to have begun displaying unstable behavior she was rumored to have a temper, and her fondness for lavish parties and attention did not go unnoticed by Gilded Age Society. We correct them as soon as they come to our knowledge. Many people were curious about Henry Flagler's decision to launch a new business venture during his twilight years. Hello students! Timeline Sources cited Graham, T. (2014) Mr. Flagler's St. Augustine (A Florida Quincentennial Book). [64], On February 24, 2006, a statue of Flagler was unveiled in Key West near the spot where the Over-Sea Railroad once terminated. There is also a kitchen, equipped with a dishwasher, oven and microwave. Originally published by E.H. Reynolds in St. Augustine Florida, 1892. It was during these early years of employment that young Henry Flagler cut his teeth in business one step closer to the shark he would become. He became president of the Symphony Society of New York in 1914 . All this is to say that the winter and spring of 1885 were life-changing for Henry Flagler and his circle. Gainesville, FL. Ralph, Julian. Standard Oil also had the highest capitalization, totaling $26,000,000 (equivalent to $784million in 2021). Day 2 - Flagler Legacy Tour - Flagler's Churches - St. Augustine Distillery - Dinner at Ice Plant Bar This morning after breakfast, meet your local guide for a Flagler Legacy Tour. Several years later, in 1870, their only son, Henry Harkness Flagler, was born. In the early 1900s Flagler, affiliated with John D. Rockefeller in the Standard Oil Company, conceived and oversaw the construction of the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad, paving . Showing 1-6 of 6. Immediately, she began taking advantage of the fortune she had married into like any budding socialite, she loved gowns, jewelry, and yachts. My 4th great-grandmother, Elizabeth Howes, married (1) William Jones (my ancestor) and (2nd) Colonel Henry Ostrom, of Pleasant Valley & Patterson, Dutchess County, NY. He was a key figure in the development of the eastern coast of Florida along the Atlantic Ocean and was founder of what became the Florida East Coast Railway.He is known as the father of Miami, Florida. "[55], Flagler allegedly used convicts leased from Florida prison camps, the majority of them African-American, to clear land for the Royal Palm Hotel in Miami and to build the Florida East Coast Railway from West Palm Beach to Miami and the rail extension to Key West. She was the daughter of Lamon G. Harkness and Julia Follet. Standiford, Les. One stormy night, Alice is said to have nearly caused a shipwreck by not allowing the captain to return to port for several hours, despite experiencing gale-force winds and seasick friends. "The Peonage Controversy and the Florida East Coast Railway,", Graham, Thomas. [36] The court ruled that the trust originated in illegal monopoly practices and ordered it to be broken up into 34 new companies. [39] According to Allan Nevins, in John D. Rockefeller (p 292), "Standard Oil was born as a big enterprise, it had cut its teeth as a partnership and was now ready to plunge forward into a period of greater expansion and development. It was here where Flagler would host his final parties and conduct his final business transactions. Over 30 years, Flagler had invested about $50 million in railroad, home and hotel construction and had made donations to suffering farmers after the freeze in 1894. Equivalent to a 15% discount, they put Standard Oil in position to significantly undercut other oil refineries. [1] The Royal Poinciana Hotel was at the time the largest wooden structure in the world. Throughout it all, Mary was made to brave her condition without her husband, who had taken to staying at the Buckingham Hotel in New York, completely immersed in the business of Standard Oil. However, Henry Flagler did not join his half-brother. Last (and perhaps most importantly), the truth is a hard thing to garner when it comes to what happened in the past even harder than it is today. Rogers, in particular, became one of Flagler and Rockefeller's key men in the formation of the Standard Oil Trust. What kind of a man was Henry Flagler and why do you think this? St. Augustine, FL: The St. Augustine Historical Society. (bosses daughter) Mary Harkness (step cousin) 1853. Henry Flagler was born on January 2, 1830, in the little village of Hopewell, in upstate New York, to Elizabeth and Isaac Flagler. Though Henry Flagler didn't join in on the war, it certainly affected his career choices. Dr. Shelton had attended Flagler's daughter Jennie Benedict when she died from complications after childbirth in 1889. While in this state he met his good pastor, to whom, being soundly upbraided for his condition, he replied, 'I've been giving all my days to the Lord hitherto, and now I'm taking one for myself. Zacharra worked in England for several years before moving to Dutchess County, New York, in 1710. Version accessed: St. Augustine, FL: Historic Print & Map Company, 2004. The current sanctuary building that is seen today was built in the late 1880s and early 1890s by gracious donations from Henry Morrison Flagler. After his first wife's death, Flagler developed a . https://staughs.com/the-mary-lily-kenan-conspiracy/. Harry Flagler was the only of Henry Flagler's children who outlived their father. [33], Upon his ascent to the presidency, Theodore Roosevelt initiated dozens of suits under the Sherman Antitrust Act and coaxed reforms out of Congress. The Zorayda's poured coquina and concrete structure, Spanish architecture, and lavish interior inspired Flagler, who actually tried to buy the building, but was denied. During this time he worked to pay back his stepbrother. His attention was consumed by the business of his hotel chains and expanding railroad empire. FLORIDA KEYS Henry Morrison Flagler never lived in the Florida Keys, but he left a more lasting and valuable mark on the island chain than many lifelong residents. . [14] Standard was growing horizontally and vertically. Henry is originated from United States. Pennzoil and Chevron have remained separate companies. Henry's birth heralded the beginning of a decade and perhaps a new start for his family. Tarbell's father had been driven out of the oil business during the South Improvement Company affair. A Second Wife and a Second Career. Louis Comfort Tiffany (who was about ten years into his monumental career) was hired to decorate the hotel and craft its windows. Her eldest daughter, Jennie Louise, was twenty- six. Flagler encouraged fruit farming and settlement along his railway line and made many gifts to build hospitals, churches and schools in Florida. Flagler found the city charming, but the hotel facilities and transportation systems inadequate. Henry Flagler was John D. Rockefeller's most significant business partner at Standard Oil. Two years later, he expanded his Florida holdings. You see, demand for salt had risen with the beginning of the war it was necessary for the preservation of food for the troops. Henry M. Flagler, in full Henry Morrison Flagler, (born January 2, 1830, Hopewell, New York, U.S.died May 20, 1913, West Palm Beach, Florida), American financier and partner of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., in establishing the Standard Oil Company. Flagler renamed it the Hotel Cordova, after the street that it was on. [41] The history of American oil refining begins with Flagler and Rockefeller, as they built the biggest, most prosperous and monopolizing oil empire of their time: Standard Oil. Resources Having bought land for the hotel, Flagler's goal was to build a pleasure palace and turn St. Augustine, Florida, into a 'Winter Newport'. The mausoleum adjacent to the church is where Flagler, his daughter, granddaughter and first wife are buried. Not much more is known about Henry Flagler's early life. The baby, named Margery, died when she was only a few hours old. As our little daughter is only 8 month old we wanted to provide her a sheltered place to sit in in the 25 degrees and we wanted to visit the house while we swap over looking after her as . To further convince Flagler to continue the railroad to Miami, he was offered land in exchange for laying rail tracks from private landowners, the Florida East Coast Canal and Transportation Company, and the Boston and Florida Atlantic Coast Land Company. After a few short weeks, the family all moved back to New York, much to the detriment of Mary Harkness Flagler's health, which got progressively worse in the coming years. [13] Eventually, even former antagonists Pratt and Rogers saw the futility of continuing to compete against Standard Oil: in 1874, they made a secret agreement with their old nemesis to be acquired. However there were many reports harsh working conditions and forced indebtedness to the company, and malfeasance by labor agents who hired men for the railway. Along with that, Henry Flagler being referred to as a 'Robber Baron' alongside businessmen like Carnegie and Rockefeller is no exaggeration. It was initially intended to house entertainment amenities for the Ponce de Leon guests but was soon reimagined as its own hotel. Flagler was in a special position to make those deals due to his connections as a grain merchant. [10] Education Seasons 4, 6-7. In fact, this was a struggle that was occurring all over the country. Perhaps Henry Flagler already planned that he would need a physician to confirm his wife suffered from insanity. As success quickly mounted for the young corporation, Flagler began to better provide for his family, moving them to Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. Mrs. Imagine how many different perspectives a group of people can have about the same topic. [30] Additional fields were discovered in Burma and Java. Henry Morrison Flagler (1830-1913) built this church to the glory of God as a memorial to his daughter, Jennie Louise Flagler Benedict, who passed away as a result of childbirth in 1889. [7] The partnership eventually grew into the Standard Oil Corporation. Pratt and Rogers became Flagler and Rockefeller's partners. Cleveland became very well known for oil refining, as, "More and more crude oil was shipped from the oil regions to Cleveland for the refining process because of transportation facilities and the aggressiveness of the refiners there. They had two daughters, Jennie Louise and Carrie. Bostonian Franklin W. Smith had recently built his winter home, the Villa Zorayda, which caught Flagler's eye almost immediately. Standard Oil had gained an aura of invincibility, always prevailing against competitors, critics, and political enemies. [12], Undeterred, though vilified for the first time by the press, Flagler and Rockefeller continued with their self-reinforcing cycle of buying competing refiners, improving the efficiency of operations, pressing for discounts on oil shipments, undercutting competition, making secret deals, raising investment pools, and buying rivals out. (2022) "Historical Person Profile: Henry Flagler." The hotel, the Ponce de Leon, was a success. Her husband, Henry Morrison Flagler, was fifty-one years old. He found that salt mining required more technical knowledge than he had and struggled in the industry during the Civil War. As such, the salt industry was tax-exempt during the Civil War and essential employees were exempt from the draft. After their wedding, the couple traveled to Saint Augustine. Sixty miles (97km) south, the area today known as Miami was reportedly unharmed by the freeze. [9], By 1869, there was three times more kerosene refining capacity than needed to supply the market, and the capacity remained in excess for many years. Enamoured by what Henry Flagler had been up to down south, droves of rich tourists made that harrowing journey to St. Augustine. Their efforts to monopolize the oil industry are referred to as the 'Cleveland Massacre,' and though John D. Rockefeller is generally more well-known than Henry Flagler, quotes from Rockefeller credit Flagler with the monopolization idea. 1-17. "[57][58], According to historian Joe Knetsch, reformers and muckrakers exaggerated charges of peonage regarding construction of the Florida East Coast Railway in 1893 to 1909. By the start of the Civil War in 1861, Rockefeller was brokering most of the Harkness grain. Melbert Cary died in 1941, and after his death Mary continued to divide her. Henry Flagler, son of a Presbyterian minister, had Memorial Presbyterian Church built in memory of his daughter Jennie Louise Flagler Benedict and her newborn daughter Margery, both of whom died in 1889. The grand marble building was named by the final Mrs. Flagler herself: "Whitehall." APA: VisitStAugustine.com. Carolina Story: Virtual Museum of University History", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Lily_Kenan_Flagler_Bingham&oldid=1125142626, This page was last edited on 2 December 2022, at 11:49. In a few years, it seems he embraced the life of a wealthy widower. In January of 1870 at the age of 40, Flagler officially co-founded Standard Oil alongside John D. Rockefeller. If you ask the same question in Florida, most people will have known someone who lives on Flagler Blvd., in Flagler County, or down the road from the Flagler Museum. If you stroll through the area of St. Augustine immediately west of downtown, you will experience the extraordinary influence of New Yorker Henry Morrison . The same year that she arrived in New York, her doctors insisted that she spend the winter in a kinder climate. Flagler completed the 1,100-room Royal Poinciana Hotel on the shores of Lake Worth in Palm Beach and extended his railroad to its service town, West Palm Beach, by 1894, founding Palm Beach and West Palm Beach. Harry, her son, was eleven years old. Played by Tom Amandes. Henry Morrison Flagler was born in 1830 into humble circumstances, his father a Presbyterian minister. This field trip will walk you through the life of Henry Morrison Flagler and the great impact he made on South Florida. [26] Its share of world oil refining topped out above 90% but slowly dropped to about 80% for the rest of the century. I do not believe any one else would develop it if I do not, but I do hope to live long enough to prove I am a good business man by getting a dividend on my investment. PROLOGUE: In 1844, Henry Flagler dropped out of school. Although not much is known about Ida Alice Flagler, many sources claim she became fond of opulent parties and leisurely pursuits that were available to the fabulously wealthy. Flagler's son dropped out of school and failed to follow his father into business, causing a lifelong rift between the two men. He married his second wife, Miss Ida Shrouds, the daughter of a Philadelphia minister, in 1883. At the same time, he began to have an affair with Mary Lily Kenan; by 1899, newspapers began to openly question whether the two were having an affair. Henry Flagler had realized his dream and slipped quietly from this world at his ocean cottage 'Nautalis' on May 20, 1913, in Palm Beach, Florida. We Floridians have a very specific image of Henry Flagler in our minds: he is an old man with bright eyes cast in bronze. As a result, Flagler and Rockefeller and their associates owned dozens of separate corporations, each of which operated in just one state; the management of the whole enterprise was rather unwieldy. Their estate was called Kirkside and was built west of the Ponce de Leon property. These certificates became traded by speculators, thus creating the first oil-futures market which effectively set spot market prices from then on. [54] Built in 1902 as a wedding present to Mary Lily, Whitehall (now the Flagler Museum) was a 60,000-square-foot (5,600m) winter retreat that established the Palm Beach "season" of about 812 weeks, for the wealthy of America's Gilded Age. He later joined Daniel in a grain business started with his uncle Lamon in Bellevue, Ohio. Henry Flalger entombed on the right Jennie Louise is currently entombed inside of the church with her infant daughter, Majorie, in her arms. Mary's health was poor throughout her life, although she and Henry had three children: Jenny Louise, Carrie, and Harry Harkness. The voyage was harrowing and long northern tourists traveled by railroad, steamship, and mule-driven omnibus. Rockefeller admitted later, "We realized that public sentiment would be against us if we actually refined all the oil. Henry Flagler and his wife Ida Alice traveled to Jacksonville, Florida for their honeymoon. In 1897, Flagler opened the exclusive Royal Palm Hotel on the north bank of the Miami River where it overlooked Biscayne Bay. The state provided incentive in the form of 3,840 acres (15.5km2) for every mile (1.6km) of track constructed.[49]. "Our Own Riviera," Harper's New Monthly Magazine. And even Thomas Edison had his hand in this project, having been responsible for wiring the entirety of the Hotel Ponce de Leon with electricity. . [23] The firm was attacked by journalists and politicians throughout its existence, in part for these monopolistic methods, giving momentum to the antitrust movement. Flamingo Visitor Center is 24 miles away. She had two sons from her previous marriage. In 1882, Flagler and Rockefeller's lawyers created an innovative form of corporation to centralize their holdings, giving birth to the Standard Oil Trust. This is a major source for this Historical Person Profile highly recommended! Carrie died at the age of 3. Col Henry Ostrom & Elizabeth Flagler? His personal dedication to the state of Florida was demonstrated when he began construction on his private residence, Kirkside, in St. Augustine. As he grew older, he became determined to never be poor again. Graham, Thomas and Leslee F. Keys. He was twenty-three and she was twenty and they were married in her father's home. Perhaps because of the economic success that Flagler's industries had delivered to the state or perhaps because of direct funding being delivered to individual senators, Flagler was able to convince the legislature to pass a little bill for him in April of 1901. Flagler engaged Thomas Hastings and Jean Carrere of the Carrere & Hastings architectural firm to design the hotel. Luckily, the couple found the city to be even more promising than before. He was the baby of the household, being born several years after the youngest of his siblings. He was also a key figure in the development of the Atlantic coast of Florida and founder of what became the Florida East Coast Railway. It soon was doing one tenth of all the petroleum business in the United States. St. Augustine, FL: Saint Augustine Historical Society, 1978. [1], Flagler was born in Hopewell, New York. The family moved as was necessary for Isaac's job, having lived in Virginia and Ohio during Henry's childhood. If they refused the offer, Flagler and Rockefeller told them they would run them into bankruptcy and then cheaply buy up their assets at auction. This was the beginning of the Standard Oil company, which would catapult both men into unimaginable levels of wealth. After the death of Flagler's eldest daughter he made it his goal to create the magnificent sanctuary. Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil. [citation needed], Needing capital for his new venture, Rockefeller approached Flagler in 1867. [citation needed], In 1862, Flagler and his brother-in-law Barney Hamlin York (18331884) founded the Flagler and York Salt Company, a salt mining and production business in Saginaw, Michigan. There is also a monument to him on Flagler Monument Island in Biscayne Bay in Miami; Flagler College and Flagler Hospital are named after him in St. Augustine. Pennsylvania revoked the cartel's charter, and non-preferential rates were restored for the time being. Congress concluded that newspapers in Florida and across the South spread the deceitful news against Flagler. In June 1870, Flagler and Rockefeller formed Standard Oil of Ohio, which rapidly became the most profitable refiner in Ohio. Jul 1, 2020 - Explore Patricia Cipolla's board "Henry Flagler" on Pinterest. Henry Flagler was seventy-one, whilst his beaming bride was thirty-four. To get a more in-depth narrative of the life of that building complex, visit The Ponce de Leon Hotel's Historical Place profile on our website. Henry M. Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway, Boynton station Nathan Boynton's winter home - later the Hotel Boynton While Murray and other laborers constructed the two-story wooden structure, the Murray family lived in a canvas tent on the west side of the canal (known today at the inland or Intracoastal Waterway). By 1849, Flagler was promoted to the sales staff at a salary of $40 per month. The couple had two daughters, Jennie Louise, born in 1855, and Carrie, born in 1858. Featuring air conditioning, The Henry Flagler offers accommodations in Layton. However, Smith had fallen on some hard times and sold the hotel to Henry Flagler not long after it opened in 1888. Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 - May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil, which was first based in Ohio. Struck by the tragic loss of his eldest daughter and first granddaughter, Henry Flagler sought solace in his business projects and the council of friends like Dr. Andrew Anderson. At least, not yet. "[40], By 1892, Standard Oil had a monopoly over all oil refineries in the United States. whereas said Henry M. Flagler has recently lost by death a beloved daughter and in affectionate remembrance of her has been desirous of erecting some worthy monument to her Memory and believing that nothing should be more accordant with her known wishes and the tenor of her life on earth than that such Memorial should be a temple devoted to the worship of God and the teaching of that living faith in which she lived and died has erected in the City of St. Augustine a church edifice in loving . [21], Standard Oil gradually gained almost complete control of oil refining and marketing in the United States through horizontal integration. The Alcazar is today the Lightner Museum, next to the Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine that Flagler bought from Franklin W. Smith. His next project was the Ponce de Leon Hotel, now part of Flagler College. Despite (or perhaps because of) the tragic death of the mother of his children, Henry Flagler poured himself into the business of Standard Oil. Covert, Robert. It had become the richest, biggest, most feared business in the world, seemingly immune to the boom and bust of the business cycle, consistently racking up profits year after year. When the Civil War broke out, Dan Harkness was among the first in Bellevue, Ohio to enlist in the Union efforts. Henry is also best known as, Entrepreneur best known as the founder of Standard Oil and for helping to develop what came to be known as the Florida East Coast Railway. Flagler was eighteen years older than his 35-year-old bride. Henry Morrison Flagler was born on January 2, 1830. [33] Ohio was especially vigorous in applying its state anti-trust laws, and finally forced a separation of Standard Oil of Ohio from the rest of the company in 1892, the first step in the dissolution of the trust. That craze mounted when two months later, Flagler filed for divorce in Dade County and was granted such on August 13th, 1901. The year was 1885, the month was April and things were just getting started. St. Augustine, FL: Flagler College, 2013. [31], Standard Oil moved its headquarters to New York City, at 26 Broadway, and Flagler and Rockefeller became central figures in the city's business community. VisitStAugustine.com. Gainesville, FL. Pratt's son, Charles Millard Pratt, became Secretary of Standard Oil. The railroad was financially unable to rebuild the destroyed sections, so the roadbed and remaining bridges were sold to the State of Florida, which built the Overseas Highway to Key West, using much of the remaining railway infrastructure. Flagler also met one Dr. Andrew Anderson, who would almost immediately become a lifelong partner and friend. "The Mary Lily Kenan Conspiracy." His body was sent to St. Augustine on May 23 where he was laid to rest along side of his his first wife Mary Harkness in the Memorial Presbyterian Church mausoleum built for his daughter Jennie Louise. It seemed a new leaf was turning for the little family of the Robber Baron. Instead, an artificial island was constructed in Biscayne Bay called Flagler Monument Island. During the early 1880s, Flagler outsourced the care of young Harry to his half-sister Carrie and daughter Jennie Louise. His lifelong interest was in music and its promotion, primarily in New York City. He was best known for being a Entrepreneur. First A Little On Henry Flagler. "[56], A congressional investigation in 1909 concluded that "there had been little immigrant peonage in the South and none in the [railway camps] camps in the Keys. Flagler and Dan Harkness remained friends and business associates and, in 1852, they opened a distillery. Standard's most potent weapons against competitors were underselling, differential pricing, and secret transportation rebates. Flagler's second wife, the former Ida Alice Shourds, was declared insane[50] by Flagler's friend Dr. Anderson in 1896 and was institutionalized on and off starting that year. One of Flagler's other St. Augustine Hotels, the Casa Monica, was originally built by Franklin W. Smith, who built the Villa Zorayda. She lived the rest of her life in New York, under strict supervision by her guardians (who were chosen by Flagler, of course). For the first time, Flagler was able to experience the warm, sunny atmosphere of Florida. Flagler originally intended West Palm Beach to be the terminus of his railroad system, but in 1894 and 1895, severe freezes hit the area, causing Flagler to reconsider. Les Standiford (Goodreads Author) (shelved 3 times as henry-flagler) avg rating 4.08 3,518 ratings published 2002. Mendez, Jesus. Henry Morrison Flagler (1830 - 1913) Henry Morrison Flagler Born 2 Jan 1830 in Hopewell, Ontario, New York, USA Ancestors Son of Isaac Flagler and Elizabeth (Caldwell) Flagler Brother of Stephen Vanderburgh Harkness [half] and Daniel Morrison Harkness [half] Husband of Mary (Harkness) Flagler married 9 Nov 1853 (to 18 May 1881) in Huron, Ohio Volume 86, Number 514, 1893. "[24] To the critics Flagler and Rockefeller replied, "In a business so large as ours some things are likely to be done which we cannot approve. [16] The railroad, seeing Standard's incursion into the transportation and pipeline fields, struck back and formed a subsidiary to buy and build oil refineries and pipelines. Dr. Shelton had attended Flagler's daughter Jennie Benedict when she died from complications after childbirth in 1889. For a time, Ida Alice and Henry Flagler both stayed and entertained guests within Kirkside, but trouble was on the horizon for Flagler and his second wife. Smith helped train the masons on the mixing and pouring techniques he used on Zorayda. McGuire & McDonald were in charge of construction. To learn more about the history of those buildings, visit the Alcazar Hotel Historical Place profile or the Casa Monica Hotel Historical Place profile on our website. Two years later, Flagler built the Palm Beach Inn (renamed The Breakers in 1901), overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Palm Beach. He was even given permission to use the coquina quarry on Anastasia Island to source materials for his state-of-the-art hotels. The National Petroleum Exchange opened in Manhattan in late 1882 to facilitate the oil futures trading. Carrie died at the age of 3. Along with the mounting unrest between himself and Ida Alice, Flagler was also butting heads with his son, Harry. He was born on January 2, 1830 and his birthplace is Hopewell, NY. [citation needed], One of the most effective attacks on Flagler and Rockefeller and their firm was the 1905 publication of The History of the Standard Oil Company, by Ida Tarbell, a leading muckraker. George Matthews, great-grandson of Henry Morrison Flagler, has served as the Flagler Museum's president for the past 42 years. . Despite her frail health, though, she was the only one of Henry Flagler's three wives to bear him any children. However, much to Flagler's chagrin, he had no legal grounds to be granted a divorce from Alice in New York or Florida. She married Melbert Cary in 1923, and they lived in New York City and Millbrook, NY. "How Slave Labor Built the State of Florida Decades After the Civil War." Flagler's wife died shortly after the partnership was formed. Was Colonel Henry Ostrom's first wife Elizabeth FLAGLER? During this trip, they went to St. Augustine and the city intrigued Flagler. They had 3 children: Maud Aiken and 2 other children. Flagler. While the younger Flagler wanted to pursue a career in music, Henry hardly thought that was appropriate for his only son and heir. In less than four months in 1872, in what was later known as "The Cleveland Conquest" or "The Cleveland Massacre", Standard Oil had absorbed 22 of its 26 Cleveland competitors. "Henry M. Flagler's Hotel Ponce de Len.". A deal brokered by Henry Clay Frick exchanged Standard's iron interests for U.S. Steel stock and gave Rockefeller and his son membership on the company's board of directors. Perhaps those years after the Civil War were what imbued Flagler with his infamously shrewd business practices. "For the longest time, I could not imagine why Jean would save Whitehall," said Mr. Ponce. At the age of 14, after completing the eighth grade, Flagler moved to Bellevue, Ohio where he found work with his cousins in the grain store of L.G. Graham, Thomas. In 1877, Flagler and his family moved to New York City, which was becoming the center of commerce in the U.S.. As Henry's businesses prospered, they moved to New York City. Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 May 20, 1913) was an American industrialist and a founder of Standard Oil, which was first based in Ohio. At the time, Key West was Florida's most populous city, with a population of 20,000, and it was also the United States' deep water port closest to the canal that the U.S. government proposed to build in Panama. "[63], Miami's main east-west street is named Flagler Street and is the main shopping street in Downtown Miami. A major New York refiner, Charles Pratt and Company, headed by Charles Pratt and Henry H. Rogers, led the opposition to this plan, and railroads soon backed off. [citation needed], When looking back at Flagler's life, after Flagler's death, George W. Perkins, of J.P. Morgan & Co., reflected, "But that any man could have the genius to see of what this wilderness of waterless sand and underbrush was capable and then have the nerve to build a railroad here, is more marvelous than similar development anywhere else in the world. [34] Although her work prompted a huge backlash against the company, Tarbell claims to have been surprised at its magnitude. It was first established in Ohio. Layton, 33001, United States of America - Excellent location - show map. In 1853 Mary married Henry Morrison Flagler and together they were parents of three children. In 1878, his wife Mary fell ill, and died on May 18, 1881, at age 47, leaving Henry Flagler with a young son to raise alone. Nothing major just language that "[made] incurable insanity a ground for divorce.". As the 1870s progressed, Henry Flagler, John D. Rockefeller, and their families began to move from Cleveland to New York and back again about twice a year such were the demands of their beloved business. Rockefeller. Henry Morrison Flagler was born on January 2, 1830 in Hopewell, New York, to Reverend and Mrs. Isaac Flagler. Indeed, there was a legal loophole provided to affluent Americans they were allowed to pay $300 to the government and hire a substitute to serve in their place. After a time, Flagler began to turn over some of his duties at Standard Oil to younger blood. Henry Morrison Flagler (January 2, 1830 - May 20, 1913) was a United States tycoon, real estate promoter, railroad developer and Rockefeller partner in Standard Oil. By 1880, according to the New York World, Standard Oil was "the most cruel, impudent, pitiless, and grasping monopoly that ever fastened upon a country. Henry Morrison Flagler was born on January 2, 1830 in Hopewell, New York. In 1885 he decided to build a luxury hotel there which would attract the country's elite. Flagler is quoted to have responded thusly: "There was once a good church member who had always lived a correct life until well advanced in years. "[59], In March 1913, Flagler fell down a flight of marble stairs at Whitehall. In the springtime of 1870, Mary Harkness Flagler even became pregnant with the couple's third child (the aforementioned Henry "Harry" Flagler). The company collapsed when the war undercut commercial demand for salt. It was Flagler's idea to use the rebate system to strengthen the firm's position against competitors and the transporting enterprises alike. For many of the competitors, Flagler and Rockefeller had merely to show them the books so they could see what they were up against and make them a decent offer. If Smith could raise $50,000, Flagler would invest $150,000 and they would build a hotel together. "[35], Flagler and Rockefeller continued to consolidate their oil interests as best they could until New Jersey, in 1909, changed its incorporation laws to effectively allow a re-creation of the trust in the form of a single holding company. The couple had two daughters, Jennie Louise, born in 1855, and Carrie, born in 1858. She left the millions she inherited to members of her family and to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. [8] By 1872, it led the American oil refining industry, producing 10,000 barrels per day (1,600m3/d). The committee ultimately discovered the previously unknown scope of Standard Oil's business interests. Second Marriage, Second Sojourn to St. Augustine After a time, Flagler began to turn over some of his duties at Standard Oil to younger blood. Expert Help. By the end of this field trip, we hope will you have an understanding of who Henry Flagler was, and the great impact he had on the state of Florida! His half-sisters Mary Esther (16 y/o in 1830), Jane Augusta (14), and Caroline (3.5) were the daughters of his father's first two wives. Flagler returned to Bellevue having lost his initial $50,000 investment and an additional $50,000 he had borrowed from his father-in-law and Daniel. There, they were both given work by Lamon Harkness, who was the brother of Dan's late father. Mary Flagler Cary (1901-1967) was the daughter of Harry Harkness Flagler, and granddaughter of Henry Morrison Flagler, one of the founders of Standard Oil. Within six years, Henry was earning enough money to purchase a showy Victorian house in Bellevue. For about fourteen or fifteen years, I have devoted my time exclusively to business, and now I am pleasing myself.'". Asylum records from this era show women being admitted and held for ailments such as "suppressed menses", "mental {or} religious excitement", and the infamous catch-all "hysteria". [28], Even though 85% of world crude production was still coming from Pennsylvania wells in the 1880s, overseas drilling in Russia and Asia began to reach the world market. It developed over 300 oil-based products from tar to paint to Vaseline petroleum jelly to chewing gum. Flagler County, Florida, Flagler Beach, Florida and Flagler, Colorado are also named for him. It kept oil prices low to stave off competitors, made its products affordable to the average household, and, to increase market penetration, sometimes sold below cost if necessary. Visually exquisite, the Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church was built by Henry Flagler in 1889. Not to mention a talented young woman named Mary Lily. [citation needed], The Overseas Railroad, also known as the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway, was heavily damaged and partially destroyed in the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. Because he was famous and successful and he made a lot of things in Florida. She and her family were given expensive gifts by Henry Flagler in celebration. Two years after her death, he married her nurse, Ida Alice Shourds. His mother, the widowed Elizabeth Caldwell (Morrison) Harkness, had brought two sons to the marriage with Flagler from her previous marriage to widower Dr. David Harkness of Milan, Ohio. From various newspapers, 1887 - 1895. [65] After Flagler's death, she married an old friend, Robert Worth Bingham, who used an inheritance from her to buy the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper.

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