William Henry Bush
| William Henry Bush | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 22, 1849 Martinsburg, New York, U.S. |
| Died |
April 9, 1931 (aged 81) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Businessman, rancher |
| Net worth | US$2,175,000[1] |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Spouse(s) |
Elva Glidden Ruth Russel Gentry |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Parent(s) |
James Bush Caroline Lucretia Hills |
| Relatives | Joseph Glidden (father-in-law) |
William Henry Bush (October 22, 1849 – April 9, 1931) was an American businessman and rancher. Born in Martinsburg, New York, he sold barbed wire and hats in the Western United States. He became a rancher in Texas and a multi-millionaire due to helium deposits on his landholdings.
Early life
William Henry Bush was born on October 22, 1849 in Martinsburg, New York.[2] His father was James Bush and his mother, Caroline Lucretia Hills.[2]
Career
Bush was hired by Joseph Glidden, the inventor of barbed wire, to find ranching lands in Texas and promote the new invention.[2] With Henry B. Sanborn, he established the Frying Pan Ranch in Potter County.[2]
With his brother-in-law, F. T. Simmons, Bush co-founded the Bush, Simmons, and Company, a hat company, in 1885.[2] By 1903, Bush founded the Bush Hat Company and served as its President.[2]
Bush was the founder of the city of Bushland, Texas in 1903, which was named in his honor.[2] It was founded as a railway stop on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.[2]
Much of the land which Bush possessed was replete with helium deposits.[1] As a result, Bush became a multimillionaire. He was worth US$2,175,000 by 1931.[1][3]
Personal life
Bush married Elva Glidden, Joseph Glidden's daughter, in 1877.[2] On October 20, 1908, he married Ruth Russel Gentry.[2] They had two daughters, Caroline Gentry Bush, who married Frederick Latham Emeny, and Ruth Emmeline Bush, who married Francis Thomas O'Brien.[4] Bush attended the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago.[2]
Death and legacy
Bush died on April 9, 1931 in Chicago.[2] Two thirds of his estate went to his widow and two daughters.[1][3][5] His cousin, Herbert S. Bush of DeKalb, Illinois, also received some inheritance.[3][5] Furthermore, he donated US$100,000 to the Presbyterian Hospital of Chicago and US$25,000 to the Chicago Art Institute.[1]
Secondary source
- Paul Howard Carlson. Empire builder in the Texas Panhandle : William Henry Bush. College Station, Texas: Texas A & M University Press. 2009. 186 pages.[6]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "William Bush Will Is Filed For Probate". The Daily Chronicle. DeKalk, Illinois. April 16, 1931. p. 9. Retrieved September 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Anderson, H. Allen (June 12, 2010). "BUSH, WILLIAM HENRY". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
- 1 2 3 "DeKalb Man Heir". Dixon Evening Telegraph. Dixon, Illinois. April 16, 1931. p. 2. Retrieved September 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Gentry, Richard (1909). The Gentry family in America, 1676 to 1909 : including notes on the following families related to the Gentrys: Claiborne, Harris, Hawkins, Robinson, Smith, Wyatt, Sharp, Fulkerson, Butler, Bush, Blythe, Pabody, Noble, Haggard, and Tindall. London, UK: Grafton Press. p. 412.
- 1 2 "Shares In Estate". Belvidere Daily Republican. Belvidere, Illinois. April 20, 1931. p. 7. Retrieved September 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Empire builder in the Texas Panhandle : William Henry Bush". WorldCat. Retrieved September 27, 2015.