William L. Harkness: Difference between revisions

William Lamon Harkness was born in [[Bellevue, Ohio]], the son of [[Daniel M. Harkness]], who was the half-brother of both [[Henry Flagler]] and [[Stephen V. Harkness]], both founders of [[Standard Oil]], and his wife Isabella Harkness. Upon his father Daniel's death in 1896, he inherited a large share in [[Standard Oil]], a company in which his father had been an early shareholder. He is also a cousin of noted philanthropist [[Edward Harkness]] who also benefitted from his father's involvement with [[Standard Oil]].<ref name="Reserve Historical Society Publication pg 26">Western Reserve Historical Society Publication, Issue 102, pg 26</ref>

He attended Bellevue Public Schools in [[Bellevue, Ohio]] and The Brooks Military School in Cleveland. In 1881, Harkness graduated from [[Yale University]].

In 1896, he moved from Cleveland, Ohio to a home at [[12 East 53rd Street]] in [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]]. He also owned a country home, Dosoris, at [[Glen Cove, New York|Glen Cove]] on [[Long Island]]. A [[yachtsman]] and sportsman, he was a member of The Union Club of Cleveland, The [[Metropolitan Club (New York City)|Metropolitan Club]] New York, [[New York Yacht Club]], the [[Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club]] and [[Piping Rock Club]].<ref name="Reserve Historical Society Publication pg 26"/>

In August 1911, while in command of his [[steam yacht]] [[Gunilda (ship)|''Gunilda'']] on [[Lake Superior]], he ran her aground, due to his failure in recognising a requirement for a pilot and then compounding the matter by not hiring tugs at the appropriate time. She would sink in days. He put in a claim against the ship's insurer, [[Lloyd's of London]] for about $132,000 dollars, and received $100,000 compensation.<ref name="infosuperior">{{cite web |title=Gunilda, Great Lakes Deep Diving Pinnacle |url=http://infosuperior.com/blog/2017/10/02/podcastphotos-gunilda-great-lakes-deep-diving-pinnacle/ |website=infosuperior.com |accessdate=29 July 2018}}</ref>

[[File:12 E53 St in 2021 jeh.jpg|thumb|right|William L. Harkness house at [[12 East 53rd Street]], Manhattan, New York, NYCity]]
[[File:WIlliam L. Harkness Estate in Glen Cove, NY.png|thumb|right|William L. Harkness Estate in [[Glen Cove, NYNew York]], known as The Wings and then Dosoris]]

Harkness died in New York City in 1919 and was buried in the [[Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York)|Woodlawn Cemetery]] in [[The Bronx]], New York.<ref name="WLHObit1919">{{cite news|title=William L. Harkness Dies {{!}} Capitalist and Yachtsman a Victim of Heart Disease at Home|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B04E5DD163AE03ABC4952DFB3668382609EDE&legacy=true|accessdate=15 July 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=11 May 1919}}</ref> He left an estate of $53,439,437,<ref name="1921Estate">{{cite news|last1=Times|first1=Special To The New York|title=$53,439,000 Estate Of WM.L. Harkness to Pay Tax Here; Large Owner in Standard Oil Company Declared Himself Resident of New York. Wealth Exceeds Estimate: His Standard Oil Holdings Alone Valued at $37,272,254 and All Securities at $53,272,254. State Goes to Family Widow, Son and Daughter the Heirs --$400,000 Gift Made to Yale Before His Death.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1921/04/10/archives/53439000-estate-of-wml-harkness-to-pay-tax-here-large-owner-in.html|accessdate=15 July 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=10 April 1921}}</ref> which would be approximately ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|53,439,437|1919}}}} in {{inflation-year|US}} dollars, of which $37,272,254 was stock in [[Standard Oil]]. He left half of his estate including his houses at [[12 WestEast 53rd Street]] in New York City and Dosoris at [[Glen Cove, NYNew York]] to his wife RebeccaEdith (Betty)Hale Harkness.<ref name="1921Estate"/> The remaining half was divided between his daughter Louise Hale Harkness and his son William Hale Harkness.<ref name="1922Wedding"/>