Louis K. Liggett
Encyclopedia
Louis K. Liggett was an American drug store magnate who founded Rexall
and was later chairman of United Drug Company.
) in 1875, the son of John Templeton Liggett and Julia A. (Kroh) Liggett, his wife. His middle name is often erroneously given as Kohl.
in Newton, Massachusetts
. The main house, built in 1895, was modeled on Gwydr Hall in Wales
. Musa Liggett died in 1931. The estate was donated in 1937 to Cardinal William Henry O'Connell
, Archbishop of Boston, who in 1941 donated it to Boston College
, which used it to create its Upper Campus. The main house is now known as O'Connell House and is the center of the Upper Campus. On April 22-23, 1938, the furniture and other property of the late Musa Bence Liggett were sold at auction by Louis K. Liggett's order at American Art Association-Anderson Galleries in New York City.
. He died on June 5, 1946, in Brookline and was entombed in the Liggett Mausoleum in Newton Cemetery in Newton.
Rexall
Rexall was a chain of North American drugstores, and the name of their store-branded products. The stores, having roots in the federation of United Drug Stores starting in 1902, licensed the Rexall brand name to as many as 12,000 drug stores across the United States from 1920 to 1977...
and was later chairman of United Drug Company.
Early life
Louis Kroh Liggett was born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
) in 1875, the son of John Templeton Liggett and Julia A. (Kroh) Liggett, his wife. His middle name is often erroneously given as Kohl.
Marriage and family
On June 26, 1895, Liggett married the former Musa Bence (born in Michigan on March 19, 1873), the daughter of George W. Bence and Lavinia Bence, his wife. They had three children.Estate in Chestnut Hill Newton
From 1916 to 1937, Louis Liggett owned and occupied a 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) estate at 185 Hammond Street in the village of Chestnut HillChestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Chestnut Hill is a wealthy New England village located six miles west of downtown Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Like all Massachusetts villages, Chestnut Hill is not an incorporated municipal entity, but unlike most of them, it encompasses parts of three separate municipalities, each of...
in Newton, Massachusetts
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
. The main house, built in 1895, was modeled on Gwydr Hall in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Musa Liggett died in 1931. The estate was donated in 1937 to Cardinal William Henry O'Connell
William Henry O'Connell
William Henry O'Connell was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1907 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1911.-Early life:...
, Archbishop of Boston, who in 1941 donated it to Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, which used it to create its Upper Campus. The main house is now known as O'Connell House and is the center of the Upper Campus. On April 22-23, 1938, the furniture and other property of the late Musa Bence Liggett were sold at auction by Louis K. Liggett's order at American Art Association-Anderson Galleries in New York City.
Later life
In 1936 he toured America and parts of Canada with the Rexall Train to promote Rexall stores and products. In 1937 Louis Liggett moved to 170 Ivy Street, in nearby BrooklineBrookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
. He died on June 5, 1946, in Brookline and was entombed in the Liggett Mausoleum in Newton Cemetery in Newton.
Resources
- The Rexall Story: A History of Genius and Neglect by Mickey C. Smith ISBN 0-7890-2472-1