Roland R. Conklin
Roland Ray Conklin | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Urbana, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | January 2, 1938 (aged 79) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Financier, real estate entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of Jarvis-Conklin Mortgage and Trust Company; restructured North American Trust Company; involvement in Cuban banking and railways; sponsor of Alma Mater statue at University of Illinois |
Roland Ray Conklin (February 1, 1858 – January 2, 1938) was a prominent American financier and real estate entrepreneur originating from Illinois. After completing his studies at the University of Illinois, Conklin collaborated with Samuel M. Jarvis to establish the Jarvis-Conklin Mortgage and Trust Company, responsible for developing residential areas in Kansas City, Cleveland, and Baltimore. The firm dissolved following the financial crisis of 1893, after which Conklin restructured it into the North American Trust Company, which subsequently served as the official banking institution for the United States in Cuba. He also initiated multiple corporations on the island. During the 1910s, he provided funding for the Alma Mater statue at his alma mater.
Biography
Born in Urbana, Illinois on February 1, 1858, Roland Ray Conklin graduated from the University of Illinois in 1880. He began his career with a real estate firm in Kansas City that incorporated in 1886 as the Jarvis-Conklin Mortgage and Trust Company. This company was instrumental in developing key neighborhoods such as Hyde Park and Rowland Park in Kansas City, Roland Park in Baltimore, and Euclid Park in Cleveland. They were pioneers in international finance by opening a London branch in 1889. The business relocated to New York City in 1893 but ceased operations following the Panic of 1893. Conklin then reorganized the enterprise as the North American Trust Company (NATC).
By 1896, NATC had become the fiscal agent for the U.S. consul in Cuba, where Conklin established several ventures including the National Bank of Cuba, Havana Telephone Company, Cuban Telephone Company, along with various publishing firms. He held the position of vice president at the Jucaro & Moron Railway Company and co-founded the National Railways Company of Cuba. By 1899, both Conklin and Samuel M. Jarvis were leading shareholders and board members of NATC.
After returning to the United States, Conklin purchased Rosemary Farm located in Lloyd Harbor, New York and took on the role of president at the Chicago Motorbus Company. In the 1910s, he sponsored the creation of the Alma Mater statue at the University of Illinois, crafted by his fellow alumnus Lorado Taft. In 1915, he designed a motorhome and embarked on a journey to the Panama–Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco. Eventually, NATC was absorbed into Chase Manhattan Bank.
Conklin maintained affiliations with renowned institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, and National Arts Club. He married Mary MacFadden in 1898, with whom he had three children. Roland Ray Conklin passed away in New York City on January 2, 1938.