James Ellsworth
Encyclopedia
James Ellsworth was an American coal mine owner and banker.
) and, upon graduation in 1868, he took a job working as a clerk for a wholesale drug company in Cleveland, Ohio
.
, Pennsylvania
, and West Virginia
and offices in Chicago
, New York City
and
Pittsburgh
.
He served as the president of the Union National Bank of Chicago from 1896 to 1898 during which time he was a signatory of National Bank
notes.
Ellsworth owned a number of residences including ones in Chicago
, New York City
, Hudson, Ohio
, Switzerland
and Florence, Italy.
(1880-1951), who was born in Chicago
. Lincoln later made contributions to aviation in the Arctic
and Antarctica, flying across the continent of Antarctica with Herbert Hollick-Kenyon
in 1935. James Ellsworth was vitally interested in polar exploration and donated vast sums of money to Roald Amundsen
's expedition to the North Pole
in 1925, in which Lincoln was a pilot. He also had a daughter named Clare.
His collection of copper coins were eventually sold to George Clapp in 1923 who donated the coins to the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society and were the centerpiece of the "Sheldon scandal" in the 1890s.
had closed its doors in 1903 due to financial problems. Ellsworth vowed to restore the town to its former glory by reconstructing downtown, overhauling utilities, re-opening Western Reserve Academy (as an all-boys institution) and beginning construction of new academic and dormitories on campus (including 'Ellsworth Hall'). Ellsworth's strong belief in prohibition
led to rather unusual arrangements with the city, such as a 50-year ban on alcohol sales, for which he agreed to upgrade the sewer system throughout the city.
Ellsworth is buried in Hudson, Ohio
at the Markillie-St Mary's Cemetery. His grave-marker has the following inscription "His life was like a star....and dwelt apart."
Early life
He attended the Western Reserve College and Preparatory School (now known as Western Reserve AcademyWestern Reserve Academy
Western Reserve Academy is a private, mid-sized, coeducational boarding and day college preparatory school located in Hudson, Ohio.-History:...
) and, upon graduation in 1868, he took a job working as a clerk for a wholesale drug company in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
The building of a fortune
In 1869 he joined the coal mining firm Ames & Co. of which he acquired ownership interest in 1873. The newly renamed James W. Ellsworth & Co. enjoyed enormous success with mines operating in OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and offices in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
He served as the president of the Union National Bank of Chicago from 1896 to 1898 during which time he was a signatory of National Bank
National bank
In banking, the term national bank carries several meanings:* especially in developing countries, a bank owned by the state* an ordinary private bank which operates nationally...
notes.
Ellsworth owned a number of residences including ones in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Hudson, Ohio
Hudson, Ohio
Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 22,262 at the 2010 census. It is an affluent exurban community and is part of the Akron, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Florence, Italy.
The Ellsworth family
He married Eva Frances Butler on November 4, 1874. He had one son, Lincoln EllsworthLincoln Ellsworth
Lincoln Ellsworth was an arctic explorer from the United States.-Birth:He was born on May 12, 1880 to James Ellsworth and Eva Frances Butler in Chicago, Illinois...
(1880-1951), who was born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Lincoln later made contributions to aviation in the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
and Antarctica, flying across the continent of Antarctica with Herbert Hollick-Kenyon
Herbert Hollick-Kenyon
Herbert Hollick-Kenyon was an aircraft pilot who made significant contributions towards aviation in Antarctica.-Early life:...
in 1935. James Ellsworth was vitally interested in polar exploration and donated vast sums of money to Roald Amundsen
Roald Amundsen
Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He led the first Antarctic expedition to reach the South Pole between 1910 and 1912 and he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. He is also known as the first to traverse the Northwest Passage....
's expedition to the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
in 1925, in which Lincoln was a pilot. He also had a daughter named Clare.
Membership in the Numismatic Society
Ellsworth joined the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society in 1893, reflecting his lifelong passion of coin collecting. Over his lifetime he amassed an incredible 2,000-piece collection including:- (2) 1804 dollars
- the finest known 1787 Brasher doubloon
- the largest collection of 1792 pattern coins
- many copper coins, including fine cents
His collection of copper coins were eventually sold to George Clapp in 1923 who donated the coins to the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society and were the centerpiece of the "Sheldon scandal" in the 1890s.
His Hudson legacy
Ellsworth returned to Hudson in 1907 to find the town in disarray. A series of fires at the turn of the century had destroyed many buildings downtown and his beloved Western Reserve AcademyWestern Reserve Academy
Western Reserve Academy is a private, mid-sized, coeducational boarding and day college preparatory school located in Hudson, Ohio.-History:...
had closed its doors in 1903 due to financial problems. Ellsworth vowed to restore the town to its former glory by reconstructing downtown, overhauling utilities, re-opening Western Reserve Academy (as an all-boys institution) and beginning construction of new academic and dormitories on campus (including 'Ellsworth Hall'). Ellsworth's strong belief in prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
led to rather unusual arrangements with the city, such as a 50-year ban on alcohol sales, for which he agreed to upgrade the sewer system throughout the city.
Ellsworth is buried in Hudson, Ohio
Hudson, Ohio
Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 22,262 at the 2010 census. It is an affluent exurban community and is part of the Akron, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area...
at the Markillie-St Mary's Cemetery. His grave-marker has the following inscription "His life was like a star....and dwelt apart."