Hinman Hurlbut
Hinman B. Hurlbut | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date St. James County, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 22, 1884 (aged 64) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, banker, art patron |
| Known for | Banking in Ohio; founder of Cleveland Museum of Art; founder of Lakeside Hospital |
Hinman B. Hurlbut (July 20, 1819 – March 22, 1884) was a notable American entrepreneur and industrial figure situated in Cleveland, Ohio. After moving from New York in 1837, he embarked on a legal profession in Massillon, Ohio, following his bar admission in 1839. Eventually shifting from law to finance, Hurlbut emerged as a leading banker, owning four national banks by the year 1863.
He provided financial support to Lakeside Hospital (which later became part of University Hospitals of Cleveland) and allocated funds through his estate that helped establish the Cleveland Museum of Art, alongside fellow benefactors John Huntington, Horace Kelley, and Jeptha Wade II.
Early life
Hurlbut was born in St. James County, New York, to Mary Barrett and Abiram Hurlbut, a farmer originally from Connecticut. On his mother’s side, he was connected to Governor Hinman of colonial Connecticut.
Law practice and business ventures
Upon arriving in Cleveland in 1837, Hurlbut initially worked within his brother’s legal office. After being admitted to the bar in 1839, he launched a private legal practice in Massillon with David Kellogg Cartter. In 1840, he married Jane Elisabeth Johnson and established residence on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland. After a prosperous legal career, he ceased practicing law in 1852 to pursue banking interests.
That same year, he returned to Cleveland and inaugurated his first banking institution. In 1856, together with partners such as Amasa Stone and Morrison Waite, he purchased the Toledo branch of the State Bank of Ohio. By 1863, Hurlbut had expanded his holdings to include four national banks, thereby strengthening his prominence within Ohio’s financial industry.
Later life and legacy
Hurlbut retired from active business in 1865 and spent three years traveling throughout Europe before coming back to Ohio in 1868. In 1871, he reentered professional life as president of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway. His enthusiasm for art collecting was kindled during European visits in 1865 and again in 1881. Upon his second return, his collection comprised 58 pieces spanning watercolors, drawings, and sculptures. His wife also played a role by purchasing artworks annually abroad, continuing this practice after his passing.
He founded the Cleveland City Hospital, which later developed into Lakeside Hospital and ultimately merged with the University Hospitals of Cleveland in 1925. Additionally, he endowed a natural sciences professorship at Western Reserve College.
Hurlbut passed away on March 22, 1884, and was interred at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland. His will provided more than $250,000 toward creating an art museum that contributed significantly to the establishment of the Cleveland Museum of Art. He is honored alongside John Huntington, Horace Kelley, and Jeptha Wade II as one of the institution’s founders. Some portions of his art collection were displayed there during the early twentieth century.