Charles W. Harkness

Charles W. Harkness
Born	Template:Birth date Monroeville, Ohio, U.S.
Died	May 1, 1916(1916-05-01) (aged 55) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Industrialist, railroad executive
Known for	Board member of Standard Oil and multiple railroad companies

Charles William Harkness (December 17, 1860 – May 1, 1916) was a prominent American industrialist and executive in the railroad sector. He held board positions at Standard Oil, the Southern Pacific Railway Company, the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Tilden Iron Mining Company. He was the offspring of Stephen V. Harkness, an initial investor in the enterprise that evolved into Standard Oil, and his second spouse, Anna M. Richardson.

Early life

Charles was born on December 17, 1860, in Monroeville, Ohio. His parents were Stephen V. Harkness (1818–1888) and Anna Marie Richardson (1837–1926). Among his siblings were philanthropist Edward Harkness and half-brother Lamon V. Harkness, while his cousin was William L. Harkness.

He attended The Brooks Military Academy located in Cleveland during his formative years and graduated from Yale College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1883.

Career

Following the death of his father in 1888, Charles inherited the second-largest shareholding in Standard Oil, surpassed only by the holdings of the Rockefeller family. He assumed a directorial role at Standard Oil and simultaneously served on the boards of several key railroad companies: Southern Pacific Railway Company, Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, as well as at Tilden Iron Mining Company. In addition to these responsibilities, he oversaw his late father's extensive business interests.

Personal life

On May 27, 1896, Charles married Mary Warden in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mary was the daughter of William G. Warden, an early partner in Standard Oil, and granddaughter of industrialist Daniel Bushnell.

Harkness owned several notable residences including the former townhouse of Henry Flagler at 685 Fifth Avenue in New York City, a residence designed by James Gamble Rogers in Madison, New Jersey, as well as a winter home situated in St. Augustine, Florida.

He became gravely ill towards the end of 1915 and passed away in New York on May 1, 1916. His final resting place is Woodlawn Cemetery.

At his death, Harkness's estate was valued at $170 million (equivalent to multiple billions today). Having no direct descendants, the majority of his Standard Oil shares were transferred to his brother Edward S. Harkness. Half of what remained of his estate—including his properties in New York and Madison—was left to his wife Mary. Additionally, he bequeathed $100,000 to his brother Lamon V. Harkness, who had died a year prior.

Legacy

Harkness Tower at Yale University bears Charles W. Harkness's name. Their mother, Anna Harkness, contributed $3 million for the construction of the Memorial Quadrangle dormitories as a tribute to him. The tower features the Yale Memorial Carillon, which contains 54 bells; one is inscribed "In Memory of Charles W. Harkness, Class of 1883."

The Cleveland Museum of Art benefits from the Charles W. Harkness Endowment Fund—a permanent financial endowment of $100,000 established through a gift from his widow Mary Warden Harkness.