Anthony Joseph Drexel III (October 19, 1887 – February 23, 1946) was an American banker and aviator.
Early life
He was the eldest son of Margarita "Rita" Armstrong (1867–1948),
Anthony Joseph Drexel Jr.
Anthony Joseph Drexel Jr. (September 9, 1864 – December 14, 1934) was an American banker and philanthropist who was a close friend of King Edward VII.
Early life
Drexel was born on September 9, 1864, in Philadelphia to Anthony Joseph Drexel ( ...
Among his siblings were
Margaretta (the wife of
Guy Finch-Hatton, 14th Earl of Winchilsea
Guy Montagu George Finch-Hatton, 14th Earl of Winchilsea and 9th Earl of Nottingham OBE DSC (28 May 1885 – 10 February 1939) was an English peer and banker. Finch-Hatton was brother to renowned big-game hunter Denys Finch Hatton and his daught ...
);
aviation pioneer
John Armstrong Drexel
John Armstrong Drexel (October 24, 1891 – March 4, 1958) was an American aviation pioneer who was a member of the prominent Drexel family of Philadelphia.
Early life
Drexel was a son of Anthony Joseph Drexel Jr. (1864–1934) and Margarita Arm ...
; and Louis Clapier Norris Drexel. His parents divorced in 1917,
and his mother married
Brinsley FitzGerald
Lieutenant-Colonel Brinsley FitzGerald, CB (25 September 1859 – 9 February 1931) was an Irish stockbroker.
Early life
Brinsley FitzGerald was born on 25 September 1859, the fourth son of Sir Peter FitzGerald, 1st Baronet of Valencia, 19th K ...
(the son of
Peter FitzGerald, 1st Baronet of Valencia) in 1918.
His paternal grandparents were
Anthony Joseph Drexel
Anthony Joseph Drexel Sr. (September 13, 1826 – June 30, 1893) was an American banker who played a major role in the rise of modern global finance after the American Civil War. As the dominant partner of Drexel & Co. of Philadelphia, he founde ...
(son of Austrian-born American banker
Francis Martin Drexel
Francis Martin Drexel (April 7, 1792 – June 5, 1863) was a Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, United States) banker and artist. He was the father of Anthony Joseph Drexel, the founder of Drexel University and the grandfather of Saint Katherine Drexe ...
)
and Ellen (
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Rozet) Drexel. Through his sister Margaretta, he was uncle to
Christopher Finch-Hatton, 15th Earl of Winchilsea
Christopher Guy Heneage Finch-Hatton (2 August 1911 – 7 March 1950) was the 15th Earl of Winchilsea and 10th Earl of Nottingham. He acceded to the titles in 1939 on the death of his father, Guy Finch-Hatton, 14th Earl of Winchilsea. His mother ...
. His maternal grandfather John Armstrong of the Baltimore Armstrongs.
At the age of nine, his parents took him to England where he was educated at Farnborough and
Eton College
Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...
, which he attended for three and a half years. His father was a close friend of both
King Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910.
The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...
and
Kaiser
''Kaiser'' is the German word for "emperor" (female Kaiserin). In general, the German title in principle applies to rulers anywhere in the world above the rank of king (''König''). In English, the (untranslated) word ''Kaiser'' is mainly ap ...
Wilhelm II
Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor (german: Kaiser) and King of Prussia, reigning from 15 June 1888 until his abdication on 9 November 1918. Despite strengthening the German Empir ...
. At age 16, he began a world tour that lasted a year and a half.
Career
After his world tour, Drexel returned to worked Philadelphia and began working as a clerk for
Drexel & Co., the family firm founded by his great-grandfather
Francis
Francis may refer to:
People
*Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome
*Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
*Francis (surname)
Places
* Rural M ...
in 1838. His grandfather expanded the family fortunes by partnering with
J. Pierpont Morgan to form
Drexel, Morgan & Co. of New York in 1871 and
Drexel, Harjes & Co. of Paris.
In 1910, he was operating a flying school at
Beaulieu, a quaint little village on the verge of the
New Forest
The New Forest is one of the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in Southern England, covering southwest Hampshire and southeast Wiltshire. It was proclaimed a royal forest by William the Conqueror, featu ...
in England.
After his marriage, he returned again to the U.S. and became a "widely publicized messenger boy for a New York brokerage firm, E. and C. Randolph." He later became a clerk of the firm before becoming a partner in the firm J. R. Williston & Co. for two years. He bought a seat on the
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed c ...
and founded his own brokerage firm,
Liggett, Drexel & Co. with fellow New York clubman
John E. Liggett (of the
Liggett tobacco family), at
61 Broadway in Manhattan. In 1917, his brother-in-law
George Jay Gould Jr. joined the firm.
In 1918, he sold his seat to his partner for $55,000.
In 1919, the Intermountain Railway, Light & Power Co. sued Liggett & Drexell's successor, Liggett, Hichborn & Co., for $286,000 seeking damages related to a failed bond issue.
In 1921, the Merchants Trust Company of
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut on the Naugatuck River, southwest of Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut. According to the 2020 US Census, in 20 ...
sued Liggett for endorsing bankrupt notes.
Liggett's wife later sued him as well, claiming she helped keep the Liggett & Drexel firm afloat by contributing her own cash, securities and jewelry.
During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, a member of
Squadron A
Squadron A refers to the historic cavalry unit of New York City's Upper East Side.
Squadron A originated with a group of wealthy young gentlemen with great interest in Equestrianism, equestrian sport who formed themselves into a group called the ' ...
, Drexel served as a
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
of the
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
. After the War, he served as vice president of the Standard Film Industries Corporation in New York.
In 1935, he was present at a
New York State Legislative committee's hearing as an advocate of lotteries for charity.
Later life
After he retired from banking, he moved away from Philadelphia, splitting his time between his home in
Boca Grande, Florida
Boca Grande is a small residential community on Gasparilla Island in southwest Florida. Gasparilla Island is a part of both Charlotte and Lee counties, while the actual village of Boca Grande, which is home to many seasonal and some year-rou ...
and his home in
Shelter Island, an island at the eastern end of
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
.
In 1937, Drexel and his wife hosted a dinner in honor of Sir
Bede Clifford
Captain Sir Bede Edmund Hugh Clifford (3 July 1890 – 6 October 1969) was a British diplomat and colonial administrator, born in New Zealand, where his parents had moved in an unsuccessful attempt at sheep-farming.
His parents were William Hug ...
,
Governor of the Bahamas
This is a list of governors of the Bahamas. The first English settlement in the Bahamas was on Eleuthera. In 1670, the king granted the Bahamas to the lords proprietors of the Province of Carolina, but the islands were left to themselves. The loc ...
, and Lady Clifford (the former Alice Devin Gundry), at their home, Caprice.
He was a member of the
Philadelphia Club
Philadelphia Club was founded in 1834 and is located at 13th and Walnut Streets in Center City, Philadelphia. It is the oldest city club in the United States and one of the oldest gentlemen's clubs. Notable members have included George Meade, ...
,
Racquet Club and
Corinthian Club
The Corinthian Club is a private members club in Ingram Street, Glasgow, Scotland. It is accommodated in former bank building which, as Lanarkshire House, became the headquarters of Lanarkshire County Council. It is a Category A listed building ...
in Philadelphia and the
Knickerbocker Club
The Knickerbocker Club (known informally as The Knick) is a gentlemen's club in New York City that was founded in 1871. It is considered to be the most exclusive club in the United States and one of the most aristocratic gentlemen's clubs in th ...
,
New York Yacht Club
The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. ...
, and the
Racquet and Tennis Club
The Racquet and Tennis Club, familiarly known as the R&T, is a private social and athletic club at 370 Park Avenue, between East 52nd and 53rd Streets in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
History
The Racquet Court Club opened in 1876 at 55 We ...
s of New York.
In 1938, he sold his 238-ton steel yacht, ''Queen of Scots'', to the British registry to be used as a hospital ship for the
British Red Cross
The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom body of the worldwide neutral and impartial humanitarian network the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with more ...
.
When
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
broke out, Drexel and his wife were at their home in suburban Paris, and were forced to flee to their villa in
Biarritz
Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. ...
, and then to
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, where the boarded a ship to America. Upon his return to the United States, he "devoted much of his time to sports, particularly yachting."
Personal life
In 1910, Drexel was married to
Marjorie Gwynne Gould (1891–1955), the eldest daughter of former actress
Edith Kingdon
Edith Mary Kingdon Gould (August 24, 1864 – November 13, 1921) was an American actress. She married George Jay Gould.
Early life
She was born in 1864 in Brooklyn, New York and educated in England. She was the daughter of Charles Dennis Kingd ...
and financier
George Jay Gould
George Jay Gould I (February 6, 1864 – May 16, 1923) was a financier and the son of Jay Gould. He was himself a railroad executive, leading the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (DRGW), Western Pacific Railroad (WP), and the Manhatta ...
.
While in New York City, they resided at 1015
Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue is a major and prominent thoroughfare in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It stretches north from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village to West 143rd Street in Harlem. It is one of the most expensive shopping stre ...
.
They also owned a home in
Lakewood, New Jersey
Lakewood Township is the most populous township in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. A rapidly growing community as of the 2020 U.S. census, the township had a total population of 135,158 representing an increase of 41,415 (+45.5% ...
and Caprice, a home in the
Cable Beach
Cable Beach is a stretch of white sand beach on the eastern Indian Ocean and the name of the surrounding suburb in Broome, Western Australia. Cable Beach was named after the telegraph cable laid between Broome and Java in 1889. Low cliffs of ...
community near
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau ( ) is the capital and largest city of the Bahamas. With a population of 274,400 as of 2016, or just over 70% of the entire population of the Bahamas, Nassau is commonly defined as a primate city, dwarfing all other towns in the country. ...
.
Together, they were the parents of:
* Edith Kingdon Drexel (1911–1934), who married Henry Sergeant Cram (1907–1997), son of
John Sergeant Cram
John Sergeant Cram Sr. (May 18, 1851 - January 18, 1936) was president of the Dock Board and the head of the New York Public Service Commission.
Early life
Cram was born on May 18, 1851, in New York City. He was the eldest son born to Harry Augu ...
and
Edith Claire Bryce
Edith Claire Cram ( Bryce; May 6, 1880 – February 28, 1960) was an American peace activist and heiress. She founded Peace House, which produced anti-war and peace movement lectures, newspaper advertisements, and other propaganda to promote peace ...
, in 1931.
After her early death, Cram married Ruth Vaux, a granddaughter of
Richard Vaux
Richard Vaux (December 19, 1816 – March 22, 1895) was an American politician. He was mayor of Philadelphia and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
Early life and education
Richard Vaux was born in Philadelphia, P ...
.
* Anthony Joseph Drexel IV (1912–1948),
who married
Helen Avis Howard (1911–1974), a daughter of Dr. Clinton Chappell Howard who became a prominent character in the
John Berendt
John Berendt (born December 5, 1939) is an American author, known for writing the best-selling non-fiction book ''Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil'', which was a finalist for the 1995 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction.
Biography
Ber ...
non-fiction novel ''
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
''Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil'' is a non-fiction novel by John Berendt. The book, Berendt's first, was published in 1994 and follows the story of an antiques dealer on trial for the murder of a male prostitute. Subtitled ''A Savannah S ...
''.
* Marjorie Gould Drexel (1916–1947), who married John Murton Gundry Jr. (1896–1961) in 1935.
They divorced in 1945 and she married Axel Julius Danielson (1897–1961) in 1946.
In 1911, his sister-in-law,
Vivien Gould, married
John Beresford, 5th Baron Decies
John Graham Hope Horsley de la Poer Beresford, 5th Baron Decies PC (5 December 1866 – 31 January 1944), styled The Honourable John Beresford until 1910, was an Anglo-Irish army officer, civil servant, and polo player in the 1900 Summ ...
. Drexel's boxing match with the bridegroom's brother,
Seton Beresford
Seton Robert de la Poer Horsley Beresford (25 July 1868 – 28 May 1928) was an Irish-born first-class cricketer who played for Middlesex, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the Gentlemen in 1909 and 1910. He was born at Leixlip, County Kil ...
, "aroused considerable comment."
Following Viven's death in 1931, Lord Decies married Drexel's elder cousin,
Elizabeth Wharton Drexel
Elizabeth de la Poer Beresford, Baroness Decies (April 22, 1868 – June 13, 1944), was an American author and Manhattan socialite.
Birth
She was born on April 22, 1868, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Lucy Wharton and Joseph William Drexel ...
, the daughter of
Joseph William Drexel
Joseph William Drexel (January 24, 1833 – March 25, 1888) was a banker, philanthropist, and book collector.
Early life
Joseph William Drexel was the son of Francis Martin Drexel (1792–1863) and Catherine Hookey (1795–1870). His siblings wer ...
, and widow of both
John Vinton Dahlgren and New York society leader
Harry Lehr
Henry Symes "Harry" Lehr (March 28, 1869 – January 3, 1929) was an American socialite during the Gilded Age who was dubbed "America's Court Jester".
Early life
Henry Symes Lehr was born on March 28, 1869. He was the fourth child in a family ...
.
Drexel died of a heart attack at his home in Boca Grande on February 25, 1946.
His widow died on November 29, 1955, in Manhattan.
Descendants
Through his daughter Edith, he was a grandfather of John Sergeant Cram III (1932–2007), who married Lady
Jeanne Campbell, the only daughter of
Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll
Ian Douglas Campbell, 11th and 4th Duke of Argyll (18 June 1903 – 7 April 1973), was a Scottish peer and the Chief of Clan Campbell ( gd, MacCailein Mòr). He is chiefly remembered for his unhappy marriage to, and scandalous 1963 divorce fro ...
.
She had previously been married to American writer
Norman Mailer
Nachem Malech Mailer (January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007), known by his pen name Norman Kingsley Mailer, was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, playwright, activist, filmmaker and actor. In a career spanning over six decades, Mailer ...
. Lady Jeanne and John had a daughter,
Cusi Cram
Cusi Cram (born September 22, 1967) is an American playwright, screenwriter, actress, model, director, educator, and advocate for women in the arts.
Early life
Cusi Cram was born in Manhattan, New York, on September 22, 1967, to Lady Jeanne Camp ...
(b. 1967), an actress, a Herrick-prize-winning playwright, and an Emmy-nominated writer for the children's animated television program, ''
Arthur
Arthur is a common male given name of Brittonic languages, Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. An ...
''.
IMDb
/ref>
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drexel III, Anthony Joseph
1887 births
1946 deaths
Anthony Joseph III
20th-century American businesspeople
American bankers
People educated at Eton College
Businesspeople from Philadelphia
Burials at The Woodlands Cemetery