Willard Goldsmith Rouse (April 14, 1867 – July 31, 1930) was an American attorney, businessman, and father of land developer

James Rouse James Wilson Rouse (April 26, 1914 – April 9, 1996) was an American businessman and founder of The Rouse Company. Rouse was a pioneering American real estate developer, urban planner, civic activist, and later, free enterprise-based philanthr ...

Youth, education, early career

Rouse was born in Creswell, Maryland, the son of Harriet Bayliss (Hanway) and John Goldsmith Rouse. He was a lawyer trained at

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...

who once ran as the

state's attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a loc ...

for

Harford County, Maryland Harford County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 260,924. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County is included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is al ...

. When he lost, the Rouse family moved from

Bel Air, Maryland The town of Bel Air is the county seat of Harford County, Maryland. According to the 2020 United States census, the population of the town was 10,661. History Bel Air's identity has gone through several incarnations since 1780. Aquilla Scott, w ...

Easton, Maryland Easton is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Talbot County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,945 at the 2010 census, with an estimated population in 2019 of 16,671. The primary ZIP Code is 21601, and the secondary ...

. Rouse died due to cancer of the bladder and his wife to heart failure, and lost his home on Brooklett's Avenue to bank foreclosure.

Personal life

Rouse is the great-grandfather of actor

Edward Norton Edward Harrison Norton (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award and three Academy Award nominations. Born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised ...

. Rouse's other son,

Willard Rouse II Willard Goldsmith Rouse II (1910 – October 20, 1971) was an American real estate developer who supported and partnered with his brother Jim Rouse to develop malls, and planned communities. Bill Rouse took on the role of supporter for his b ...

, and grandson,

Willard Rouse Willard Goldsmith Rouse III (June 19, 1942 – May 27, 2003) was an American real estate developer, best known for his role in the construction of Philadelphia's One Liberty Place. Early life and education Willard Rouse, a native of Baltimore, ...

III, were also notable real estate developers.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rouse, James 1867 births 1930 deaths People from Easton, Maryland Johns Hopkins University alumni Deaths from bladder cancer Businesspeople from Maryland State's attorneys in Maryland Deaths from cancer in Maryland Rouse family