Charles Lathrop Pack (May 7, 1857 – June 14, 1937), a third-generation timberman, was "one of the five wealthiest men in America prior to World War I".
[Eyle, p. xv] He owed his good start in life to the success of his father,
George Willis Pack, and grandfather,
George Pack, Jr. in the forestry sector. Growing up on
Lake Huron
Lake Huron ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the easterly portion of Lake Michigan–Huron, having the same surface elevation as Lake Michigan, to which it is connected by the , Straits of Ma ...
in Michigan's
Lower Peninsula
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Lower Michigan – is the larger, southern and less elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; the other being the Upper Peninsula, which is separated by the S ...
, Charles L. Pack lived in
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, from 1871 to the early years of the 20th century. With "savvy investments ... in southern timber ... banking and real estate",
Pack became a multi-millionaire. During World War I, he was a principal organizer and was heavily involved in the
war garden movement in the United States.
Victory Gardens
In March 1917, Charles Lathrop Pack organized the US National War Garden Commission and launched the war garden campaign. After the war, he documented the
victory garden movement in ''The War Garden Victorious''.
Philatelist
Pack was a world-famous
philatelist
Philately (; ) is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting or the study of postage; it is possi ...
, recognized for his award-winning collections of
postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the fa ...
s.
Collecting interests
Pack was noted for his collections of postage stamps of
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, e ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island country ...
,
Canada,
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope ( af, Kaap die Goeie Hoop ) ;''Kaap'' in isolation: pt, Cabo da Boa Esperança is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa.
A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is t ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
,
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
,
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
and
Brazil. He was especially noted for his plating of early stamps of Brazil and the plating of the Uruguay 1856 'Diligencia' issue.
Philatelic literature
Pack’s collection of postage stamps of
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seyche ...
led to his publication in 1923 of his famous book ''Victoria: the Half-length Portraits and the Twopence Queen Enthroned''.
Honors and awards
Pack received worldwide recognition and numerous awards. He signed the
Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
The Roll of Distinguished Philatelists (RDP) is a Philately, philatelic award of international scale, created by the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain in 1921. The Roll consists of five pieces of parchment to which the signatories add their n ...
in 1921. He was the first American to receive the
Crawford Medal
:::''See also'' Crawford Award for fantasy novels.
:::''See also'' Max Crawford Medal Australian academic award.
The Crawford Medal is a vermeil medal awarded by the Royal Philatelic Society London for the most valuable and original contribution ...
in 1923 from the
Royal Philatelic Society London
The Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) is the oldest philatelic society in the world. It was founded on 10 April 1869 as ''The Philatelic Society, London''. The society runs a postal museum, the Spear Museum of Philatelic History, at its he ...
. He was also the first American to receive the
Lindenberg Medal in 1926 from the
Berliner Philatelisten-Klub and the first person to receive the Award of Merit from the
Collectors Club of New York
The Collectors Club, often referred to as the Collectors Club of New York, is a private club and philatelic society in New York City. Founded in 1896, it is one of the oldest existing philatelic societies in the United States. Its stated purpose ...
. Pack is named in the
American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame
The American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame award honors deceased philatelists who have contributed significantly to the field of national and/or international philately.
History
The APS ''Hall of Fame'' award was founded at the 1940 American P ...
for 1941.
Philanthropy
According to his biographer, Alexandra Eyle, Charles Lathrop Pack "spent $2.8 million on forestry conservation. This is a low figure, however..."
End of life
Pack's remains were buried in 1937 "under a stand of white pine in the Charles Lathrop Pack Demonstration Forest in
Warrensburg, New York
Warrensburg is a town in Warren County, New York, United States. It is centrally located in the county, west of Lake George. It is part of the Glens Falls metropolitan area. The town population was 4,255 at the 2000 census. While the county is ...
... a site of his own choosing".
[Eyle, p. 269]
Publications
*
* Pack, Charles Lathrop. 1922
"The School Book of Forestry".* Pack, Charles Lathrop. 1923. ''Victoria: the Half-length Portraits and the Twopence Queen Enthroned''
See also
*
Euclid Avenue (Cleveland, Ohio)
Euclid Avenue is a major street in Cleveland, Ohio. It runs northeasterly from Public Square in Downtown Cleveland, passing Playhouse Square and Cleveland State University, to University Circle, the Cleveland Clinic, Severance Hall, Case Western ...
*
Victory garden
Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany during World War I ...
*
Philately
Philately (; ) is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting or the study of postage; it is possi ...
*
Philatelic literature
Philatelic literature is written material relating to philately, primarily information about postage stamps and postal history.
Background to philatelic literature
Philatelic literature is held by stamp collectors and dealers, philatelic soci ...
*
Wellington R. Burt
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Eyle, Alexandra. (1992). ''Charles Lathrop Pack: Timberman, Forest Conservationist, and Pioneer in Forest Education''. Syracuse, NY: ESF College Foundation, Inc., and College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Distributed by Syracuse University Press. Available
Internet Archive
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pack, Charles Lathrop
1857 births
1937 deaths
Businesspeople in timber
History of forestry in the United States
History of forestry education
Businesspeople from Cleveland
Philanthropists from New York (state)
Philatelic literature
American philatelists
Recipients of the Lindenberg Medal
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry people
People from Huron County, Michigan
People from Lexington, Michigan
Signatories to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
American Philatelic Society