William Lukens Elkins
William Lukens Elkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | November 7, 1903 (aged 71) Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, art collector |
| Known for | Early innovator in oil refining and gasoline production; co-founder of Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company; founder of United Gas Improvement Company; art collector |
William Lukens Elkins (May 2, 1832 – November 7, 1903) was a prominent American entrepreneur and collector of fine art. Beginning his career as a grocer in Philadelphia, Elkins ascended to prominence through strategic investments in oil, natural gas, and transportation sectors. He was an early innovator in transforming crude oil into gasoline and became a key founding partner and substantial shareholder of Standard Oil following the sale of his refining enterprise to John D. Rockefeller. Alongside Peter Widener, he co-established the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company, significantly extending streetcar and railway networks in major urban centers across the United States. Additionally, he founded the United Gas Improvement Company and held board positions in 24 corporations. A passionate art enthusiast, Elkins amassed a collection of over 132 paintings housed within his Elkins Estate. Although the precise valuation of his estate at the time of his death remains uncertain, its worth today would likely amount to several billion dollars.
Early life
Born on May 2, 1832, in Wheeling, West Virginia, Elkins was the youngest son and seventh child of George Elkins and Susanne (née Howell) Elkins. His father was an early innovator in the American paper manufacturing industry. The family relocated to Philadelphia in 1840, where William continued his schooling. The Elkins lineage traced back to distinguished colonial-era families from England with deep roots in Philadelphia.
Career
Elkins commenced his professional journey as a clerk at a grocery store in Philadelphia before attempting to enter the lumber trade, which proved unsuccessful. In 1852, he ventured into New York's produce market with moderate outcomes. Returning to Philadelphia in 1853, he partnered with Peter Sayboldt to create Sayboldt & Elkins. By 1860, after acquiring Sayboldt’s interest, Elkins expanded the business into the largest produce establishment in the United States.
Identifying the promising prospects of oil from Northwestern Pennsylvania reserves, Elkins became a pioneer in crude oil refining. He established Monument Oil Works in Philadelphia, persistently upgrading its rudimentary refinery and scaling operations. His firm was among the earliest producers of gasoline and asphalt, reaching a monthly output of 20,000 barrels of gasoline. In 1875, he allied with Standard Oil, maintaining a significant ownership stake.
In 1873, Elkins formed a partnership with Peter Widener; together they launched the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company, which extended streetcar services to several major cities including New York, Chicago, Baltimore, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh. He also founded the United Gas Improvement Company, which developed gas infrastructure not only in Philadelphia but also across 60 additional municipalities. Throughout his career, Elkins served on boards for 24 companies and held considerable investments in both the American Tobacco Company and the International Mercantile Marine Company.
Together with Widener, he invested extensively in North Philadelphia real estate by constructing thousands of residential properties for sale. His public service included a brief tenure on Philadelphia City Council in 1876 and appointment as aide-de-camp with the rank of colonel to Governor John F. Hartranft. He represented Philadelphia at international exhibitions held in Vienna (1873) and Paris (1900).
Elkins estate
In 1898, Elkins commissioned the construction of a grand 45-room residence named Elstowe Manor for himself along with Chelten House for his son on the expansive 42-acre Elkins Estate located in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Both homes were designed by architect Horace Trumbauer.
A dedicated collector of art, Elkins instituted a $5,000 award for "the most meritorious" painting by an American artist at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. In 1900, he released a catalogue documenting his personal collection comprising 132 paintings.
Personal life
In 1858, William Elkins wed Maria Louise Broomall, and together they had four children: two sons and two daughters. Their offspring included:
- Ida Amelia Elkins (1859–1904), who married Sidney Frederick Tyler but did not have children.
- Eleanor Elkins (1861–1937), who became the wife of George Dunton Widener and bore three children. Eleanor is remembered for donating the Widener Library to Harvard University in honor of her husband and son, both lost aboard the RMS Titanic.
- George W. Elkins (1858–1919), who married first Stella McIntire and later Allethaire Chase Ludlow, fathering four children.
- William L. Elkins, Jr. (1863–1902), who was married to Kate Felton, daughter of U.S. Congressman and Senator Charles N. Felton.
William Elkins passed away at the age of seventy-one on November 7, 1903, at his summer residence located in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. He was laid to rest at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia. His estate encompassed substantial investments in companies such as United Gas Improvement Company, Standard Oil, Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company, American Tobacco Company, Philadelphia Electric Company, and the International Mercantile Marine Company. His collection of fine art included masterpieces by renowned artists like Raphael, Rembrandt, Diego Velázquez, Thomas Gainsborough, Winslow Homer, Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, and Jacob Van Ruisdael.
Among his charitable acts, Elkins allocated $240,000 to the Masonic Home for Girls in Philadelphia and bequeathed his art collection to the city, to be distributed after the passing of his last surviving heir.
Descendants
Through his son George, William Elkins became grandfather to four grandchildren, including Stella Elkins, who married George F. Tyler and co-founded the Stella Elkins Tyler School of Art. Another granddaughter, Louise Elkins, was married to Wharton Sinkler. His grandson, William McIntire Elkins, gained recognition as a distinguished book collector with a notable collection of early Americana now preserved at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Through his son William, he was grandfather to Felton Broomall Elkins, known as a playwright and artist, as well as Marie Louise Broomall Elkins, a Broadway producer.