William Lukens Elkins
Encyclopedia
William Lukens Elkins was an American businessman, inventor, and art collector.
, William Elkins was born in Wheeling, West Virginia
. He started his working life at a grocery store
in Philadelphia where his family had returned to live. He next worked for a produce
company and eventually formed a partnership with Peter Saybolt to operate their own produce business. By 1860 Elkins had bought out his partner and built the operation into the largest store of its kind in the United States.
Always looking for business opportunities, William Elkins soon recognized the potential for the usages of oil being pumped from the developing oilfields of Northwestern Pennsylvania and became a pioneer in the refining
of crude oil
. In Philadelphia he founded Monument Oil Works that built a primitive oil refinery which he constantly modernized and soon expanded into other locations. His company was the first to make gasoline
and was involved in the production of asphalt
. In 1875, the increasingly wealthy Elkins entered into a partnership with Standard Oil
, becoming a significant shareholder in that oil giant.
In 1873, William Elkins first met Peter Widener
and the two became trusted friends who would partner in street car and railway businesses that would expand to major cities across the United States and make them both enormously wealthy. A member of the Board of Directors
of numerous enterprises in Pennsylvania, New York
and New Jersey
, among his investments William Elkins held sizeable share positions in American Tobacco Company
and International Mercantile Marine Co.
, with whom she had three children, and lost her husband and elder son, Harry
, in the April 12, 1912 sinking of RMS Titanic. George W. Elkins married Stella McIntire, and they had four children. One daughter, Stella, married George F. Tyler, and founded the Stella Elkins Tyler School of Art
. The other daughter, Louise, married Wharton Sinkler.
William Elkins died at his summer home, at age seventy-one on November 7, 1903 in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Among his philanthropic gifts, William Elkins left $240,000 to the Masonic Home for Girls in Philadelphia. His collection of rare books was donated to the Free Library of Philadelphia
and he bequeathed his art collection to the city to be given following the death of his last heir.
In 1932 William H. Elkins, grandson of William L. Elkins, sold the Elkins Park property to the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de' Ricci. The Sisters operated both buildings as a women’s religious retreat and preserved the grounds and historical integrity of the buildings. Thousands of women and men attended retreats, days of prayer and other spiritual programs for 75 years. In February, 2009, the Dominican Sisters sold the property to the Land Conservancy of Elkins Park, PA. who intended to use the facility for wellness retreats and hosted events. The property was reopened as Elkins Estate and has hosted a number of wedding receptions and events. In November, 2010, Land Conservancy of Elkins Park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Dominican congregation foreclosed on the property, since they held the mortgage. The property is in bankruptcy reorganzation as of December, 2010.
Career
Although his father was a native of Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, William Elkins was born in Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. He started his working life at a grocery store
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
in Philadelphia where his family had returned to live. He next worked for a produce
Produce
Produce is a generalized term for a group of farm-produced goods and, not limited to fruits and vegetables . More specifically, the term "produce" often implies that the products are fresh and generally in the same state as where they were harvested. In supermarkets the term is also used to refer...
company and eventually formed a partnership with Peter Saybolt to operate their own produce business. By 1860 Elkins had bought out his partner and built the operation into the largest store of its kind in the United States.
Always looking for business opportunities, William Elkins soon recognized the potential for the usages of oil being pumped from the developing oilfields of Northwestern Pennsylvania and became a pioneer in the refining
Refining
Refining is the process of purification of a substance or a form. The term is usually used of a natural resource that is almost in a usable form, but which is more useful in its pure form. For instance, most types of natural petroleum will burn straight from the ground, but it will burn poorly...
of crude oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
. In Philadelphia he founded Monument Oil Works that built a primitive oil refinery which he constantly modernized and soon expanded into other locations. His company was the first to make gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
and was involved in the production of asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
. In 1875, the increasingly wealthy Elkins entered into a partnership with Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
, becoming a significant shareholder in that oil giant.
In 1873, William Elkins first met Peter Widener
Peter Arrell Brown Widener
Peter Arrell Brown Widener was an American businessman and head of the prominent Widener family of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
and the two became trusted friends who would partner in street car and railway businesses that would expand to major cities across the United States and make them both enormously wealthy. A member of the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of numerous enterprises in Pennsylvania, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, among his investments William Elkins held sizeable share positions in American Tobacco Company
American Tobacco Company
The American Tobacco Company was a tobacco company founded in 1890 by J. B. Duke through a merger between a number of U.S. tobacco manufacturers including Allen and Ginter and Goodwin & Company...
and International Mercantile Marine Co.
Family
In 1858 William Elkins married Maria Louise Broomall with whom he had two daughters, Ida Ameila Elkins (Tyler) and Eleanor Elkins (Widener), and two sons, George W. Elkins and William L. Elkins, Jr. Ida Amelia married Sydney F. Tyler, bearing no children. Eleanor married George Dunton WidenerGeorge Dunton Widener
George Dunton Widener was an American businessman who died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic.-Biography:...
, with whom she had three children, and lost her husband and elder son, Harry
Harry Elkins Widener
Harry Elkins Widener was a businessman and book collector from the United States.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was the son of George Dunton Widener and Eleanor Elkins Widener, and the grandson of the extremely wealthy entrepreneur, Peter A. B...
, in the April 12, 1912 sinking of RMS Titanic. George W. Elkins married Stella McIntire, and they had four children. One daughter, Stella, married George F. Tyler, and founded the Stella Elkins Tyler School of Art
Tyler School of Art
The Stella Elkins Tyler School of Art, usually just referred to as Tyler School of Art is Temple University's school of art, which confers BFA and MFA degrees. The school was originally founded by sculptors Stella Elkins Tyler and Boris Blai on a separate 14-acre estate in Elkins Park...
. The other daughter, Louise, married Wharton Sinkler.
William Elkins died at his summer home, at age seventy-one on November 7, 1903 in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Among his philanthropic gifts, William Elkins left $240,000 to the Masonic Home for Girls in Philadelphia. His collection of rare books was donated to the Free Library of Philadelphia
Free Library of Philadelphia
The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-History:History of the Free Library of Philadelphia: Initiated by the efforts of Dr...
and he bequeathed his art collection to the city to be given following the death of his last heir.
In 1932 William H. Elkins, grandson of William L. Elkins, sold the Elkins Park property to the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de' Ricci. The Sisters operated both buildings as a women’s religious retreat and preserved the grounds and historical integrity of the buildings. Thousands of women and men attended retreats, days of prayer and other spiritual programs for 75 years. In February, 2009, the Dominican Sisters sold the property to the Land Conservancy of Elkins Park, PA. who intended to use the facility for wellness retreats and hosted events. The property was reopened as Elkins Estate and has hosted a number of wedding receptions and events. In November, 2010, Land Conservancy of Elkins Park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Dominican congregation foreclosed on the property, since they held the mortgage. The property is in bankruptcy reorganzation as of December, 2010.