George Crocker (businessman)
George Crocker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Died | December 4, 1909 (aged 53) Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Business executive |
| Years active | Late 19th century – early 20th century |
| Known for | Partnership at Tuller & Co., board member of Trust Company of America, second vice president of Southern Pacific Railroad |
George Crocker (February 10, 1856 – December 4, 1909) was an American entrepreneur and a prominent member of the affluent Crocker family. He held a partnership at Tuller & Co. and served on the board of several companies, including the Trust Company of America. Additionally, he was appointed second vice president of the Southern Pacific Railroad. By 1909, his estimated wealth ranged from $10 million to $20 million. The grand Crocker Mansion, a 75-room, three-story residence constructed in 1907 in Mahwah, New Jersey, remains a significant historic site.
Early life
George was born on February 10, 1856, in Sacramento, California, as the second child among four siblings of railway tycoon Charles Crocker. His brothers and sister were William Henry Crocker, Harriet Crocker Alexander, and Charles Frederick Crocker.
Following the death of his father in 1888, the family estate was valued at $30 million. George’s inheritance amounted to $6 million, contingent upon his commitment to refrain from excessive drinking for a period of five years. Known initially for his reckless behavior in San Francisco society, he eventually commenced this probationary period and entered a sanatorium for treatment.
Career
Three years after his father’s passing, George notified his brothers—who were trustees of his inheritance—that he had begun his period of sobriety. After undergoing treatment at a sanatorium, he acquired a 375-acre ranch near Promontory, Utah. Although initially unprofitable, the property later became successful. Upon fulfilling the conditions of his abstinence, he claimed his inheritance. In September 1898, through legal proceedings, he secured $500,000 as a reward for five years of complete sobriety. Following his European honeymoon trip, his brothers transferred the full $6 million inheritance to him.
Subsequently, Crocker established an office in New York City and concentrated on developing enterprises originally invested in by his father. These included ventures in land development, railroads, banking institutions, coal mining, gas production, iron manufacturing, sugar refining, and chemical industries. He earned recognition as an accomplished businessman and was listed in Who's Who in America. His professional affiliations included banking firms such as Tuller & Co. and Tailer and Company. He also held directorships at multiple corporations including Trust Company of America and occupied the role of second vice president at Southern Pacific Railroad. When the Consolidated National Bank was founded in New York City on July 1, 1902, Crocker was appointed one of its fourteen directors alongside notable figures like Mortimer Wagar, John W. Griggs, Henry C. Brewster, and Perry Belmont.
In connection with Robert E. Peary’s 1906 Arctic expedition—which did not reach the North Pole—Peary claimed to have observed distant land from Ellesmere Island’s northwestern shore and named it Crocker Land in honor of George Crocker, one of his financial supporters. This land was later exposed as fictitious; Peary’s diary confirmed no land was visible during the sighting. An expedition aimed at locating Crocker Land was launched but ultimately proved unsuccessful. By the year 1909, George Crocker’s fortune was appraised between $10 million and $20 million.
Club memberships
George actively participated in New York’s sporting scene and maintained memberships in several clubs including the New York Athletic Club, Midday Club, City Club, Metropolitan Club, and the Tuxedo Union League.
Personal life and death
Shortly after relocating to New York City in 1894, George wed Emma Rutherford, a widow from California with three adult children. The couple journeyed to Europe for their honeymoon. Emma gained recognition as a prominent hostess in New York society, organizing extravagant gatherings at their residences in Newport and Manhattan. Beginning in 1901, they embarked on building an expansive mansion in New Jersey on the Darling estate. The 75-room, 45,000-square-foot residence was designed by architect James Brite and took inspiration from England’s Bramshill House. The construction expenses were estimated at $2 million (equivalent to approximately $ million today).
Emma actively participated in Manhattan’s St. Thomas Episcopal Church community and passed away from stomach cancer in Newport in July 1904. To honor her memory, George contributed $10,000 to establish the Protestant Episcopal Mission of St. John church located in Ramsey, New Jersey. After overseeing the church’s planning phase, he traveled to Europe for six weeks early in 1905 and continued supervising the church’s completion until June 1906.
In 1907, George received a diagnosis of stomach cancer as well. Despite undergoing surgery performed by Dr. Sam Lambert in June 1908, his prognosis remained grim. On July 4, 1909, he arranged an elaborate fireworks exhibition in the Ramapo hills. Upon his return to New York that September, reports by November suggested his life expectancy was limited to mere weeks. His brother William came back from Europe to provide support during this time. George underwent a second surgical procedure with William T. Bull aimed at alleviating pain but ultimately died on December 4, 1909, at age 54 in his Manhattan residence surrounded by family members. His funeral took place at St. Thomas's Episcopal Church, and he was interred beside his wife and parents at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland.
Following his passing, George’s Darlington estate along with his New York City homes were sold alongside portions of his art collection. Banker Emerson McMillin acquired Darlington and resided there until his death in 1922. The funds generated from these sales were used to create the George Crocker Special Research Fund at Columbia University, dedicated to cancer research.