H. B. Hollins

Harry Bowly Hollins
Born	New York, U.S.
Died	24 February 1938(1938-02-24) (aged 83)
Occupation(s)	Banker, financier, railroad entrepreneur
Known for	Founder of H.B. Hollins & Co.

Harry Bowly Hollins (September 5, 1854 – February 24, 1938) was an influential American banker, financier, and railroad entrepreneur. In 1878, he established the banking and brokerage enterprise H.B. Hollins & Co.

Life and business

Hollins was born in New York to Francis Hollins and Elizabeth Coles Morris and received his education at private institutions. On January 25, 1877, he wed socialite Evelina Meserole Knapp. The couple had five children: four sons—Harry B. Jr., McKim (Kim), John K. (Jack), Gerald Vanderbilt—and a daughter, Marion. Commonly referred to by the initials HBH or HB, Hollins held a significant presence in New York's social circles, with his family frequently appearing in the New York Times social pages.

He owned several townhouses in Manhattan, including a residence at 12 West 56th Street, as well as a country estate named Meadow Farm located in East Islip, Long Island. Meadow Farm functioned as the family's summer home and welcomed distinguished visitors such as the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII). It is believed to have been the birthplace of his children and contained an extensive collection of valuable artwork.

Career

Initially working as a marine insurance broker, Hollins transitioned into banking by 1888. He formed a partnership with Fernando Yznaga, whose sister, Consuelo Yznaga, held the title of Dowager Duchess of Manchester. Along with William K. Vanderbilt, Hollins served as an executor for Yznaga's estate. Together with Eugene Zimmerman from Cincinnati—father of Helena, Duchess of Manchester—they held stakes in various Midwestern enterprises including Superior Colliery Company and Superior Development Company.

Hollins maintained a close professional and personal relationship with J. P. Morgan until Morgan’s death; he was among those responsible for receiving Morgan’s remains from France. Their business offices were situated directly opposite each other on Wall and Broad Streets. On November 13, 1913, H.B. Hollins & Co., once esteemed on Wall Street, declared bankruptcy carrying liabilities totaling $5 million. The downfall was attributed to insufficient attention to stock exchange dealings, an overemphasis on launching new companies and banking projects, combined with escalating operational costs. Legal representatives for Hollins explained that the failure arose from substantial withdrawals by depositors which depleted working capital invested in securities that were challenging to liquidate.

A significant portion of these securities related to enterprises in Mexico impacted by political instability, including Mexican Crude Oil, Asphaltic Products Company, and United States Asphalt Company.

Local reports from East Islip indicate that following his bankruptcy, Hollins resumed work as a broker and had repaid nearly all obligations by 1928, aside from debts that were forgiven by Vanderbilt and the Morgan estate.

Hollins was a member of several prestigious clubs such as the Union Metropolitan Club, South Side Sportsmen’s Club, Knickerbocker Club, New York Yacht Club, Meadow Brook Club, Racquet and Tennis Club, Riding Club, Garden City Golf Club, and the Automobile Club of America. Additionally, he held a position on the board overseeing the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway.

On April 3, 1900, Hollins was appointed director of the North American Trust Company along with seven others from the International Banking and Trust Company board, which included its president Oakleigh Thorne.

Personal life

Actor Justin Theroux is a direct descendant of Hollins, being his great-great-grandson through his son Gerald Vanderbilt Hollins.

Meadow Farm and East Islip

Following Hollins's financial collapse, the country estate known as Meadow Farm was sold to Charles L. Lawrence. This property included land adjacent to the Great South Bay and Champlin Creek. The family then refurbished a farmhouse located on the northern segment of the remaining acreage, where they subsequently moved. After Mrs. H. B. Hollins passed away soon after her husband, their daughter Marion proceeded to sell most of the unused land.

In 2002/03, Meadow Farm was razed to make way for the Harbour View development, which completed The Moorings, a gated community dividing the leftover Meadow Farm acreage into 11 separate lots. The buyer of the main parcel (now known as 150 Meadowfarm Road) determined that restoration expenses would surpass $1 million, opting instead to construct a modern residence while preserving original marble fireplaces and wood paneling.

Some elements of Meadow Farm still exist near Dock Road, such as the original gates leading into Hollins Estates and the private road named Hollins Lane. The stable and clock tower from the estate have been converted into a home at 37 Blackmore Lane. A carriage house once located west of Meadowfarm Road was demolished in the late 1980s to allow for subdivision. The former estate manager’s residence now stands at 35 Blackmore Lane, having been relocated nearby.

At 42 Blackmore Lane, there is a restored farmhouse that served as the family’s residence after leaving Meadow Farm; Harvard class yearbooks from the 1930s were discovered there during the 1980s. This house has since been acquired by Yarmouth Estates of Bay Shore, New York, which is currently pursuing subdivision approval. The estate home of Harry Hollins Jr., designed by Cross & Cross and built in 1907, still stands at 18 Crick Holly Lane. Gerald Hollins’ residence is located at 180 Bayview Avenue, with its carriage house at 158 Bayview Avenue now functioning as a private dwelling. Gerald also constructed a house on White Oak Lane that presently serves as the visitor center for South Shore Nature Center.

Robert L. Hollins’ residence was part of a 17-acre property bordering Hecksher State Park until the 1980s. This estate was purchased in 1906 by HB Hollins Jr. from the Nichol estate and included an older house along with buildings from what was known as "Nichol Farm," including a barn and groundskeeper’s cottage built on an ice house foundation dating back to the 18th century. The farm operated largely self-sufficiently until the early 1900s; the family continued to use it for duck hunting through the 1960s. By the 1990s, this land was incorporated into Hecksher State Park, thereby protecting it from future development.

A private road once linked all of the Hollins properties across Bayview Avenue through HB Hollins Jr.’s estate and extended into Hecksher State Park. Although mostly erased during Crick Holly’s development in the 1980s, its route remains discernible on undeveloped parcels near White Oak Lane. Historically important, this road likely originated in colonial times and served as a connection between early settlements and mills.

In the mid-1970s, local youths found a silver Tiffany spoon engraved with HBH initials at what was known as “Hollins’ dump,” near Dock Road and Hunting Lane; unfortunately, it was stolen during a break-in in the early 2000s.

The town commemorates the family with several place names, most notably Hollins Memorial Beach, which was donated by them. Additionally, several family-owned lands were acquired through eminent domain in the 1960s to facilitate expansion of Hecksher State Park.

Members of Hollins’ family rest at Episcopal Church Cemetery located in Great River, New York.

'The Knapp Children' Painting

Evalina Knapp, Hollins's spouse and daughter of William Knapp—who appears in the circa 1834 artwork The Knapp Children by Waldo and Jewett—became the painting’s heir. In tribute to John Knapp Hollins, she donated the piece to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1959. Historian Steven Cymbalski uncovered the painting in a late 19th-century photograph depicting the Hollins family dining room in 2016, revealing the earliest known depiction of the artwork within its original environment. The Metropolitan Museum acknowledged this as an important find and incorporated the photograph into its archives.

Hollins Island

In 1906, Hollins purchased an island located roughly three and a half miles south of Meadow Farm, near Fire Island within Great South Bay. The family primarily utilized this property for hunting activities prior to his financial downfall. Known today as Hollins Island (also called East Fire Island), its initial acquisition dates back to 1687 by William Nicoll, with official confirmation by Governor Dongan in 1688. Ownership was subsequently transferred by Hollins to his sons Gerald, John, and McKim. Gerald later obtained Money Island nearby in 1915, a site associated with pirate lore, including tales of Captain Kidd’s hidden treasure.

Office Locations

• 15 Wall Street, New York City
• 18 Wall Street, New York City

Residential Locations

• Meadow Farm, East Islip
• 12 West 56th Street, New York City
• 14 East 60th Street, New York City