William Volker
Encyclopedia
William Volker was an entrepreneur who turned a picture frame business into a multimillion-dollar empire and who then gave away his fortune to shape much of Kansas City, Missouri
, both through the William Volker Fund
and anonymously earning him the nickname of "Mr. Anonymous."
Volker was born in Hanover, Germany, and moved with his family to Chicago
in 1871. In 1876 at the age of 17 he began working for a picture frame manufacturer. When the owner died three years later he bought the company and moved to Kansas City in 1880 where he started the William Volker Company at 6 West 3rd Street.
His picture frame and window shade business boomed and he remained a bachelor until marrying in 1911 at age 52. Returning from his honeymoon he announced he had put $1 million in his wife's name and that he planned to give away $10 million.
He was to spend the rest of his life giving away his fortune often anonymously. Among his donations was 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) and a house that was to start the University of Kansas City which became the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, both through the William Volker Fund
William Volker Fund
The William Volker Fund was a charitable foundation established in 1932 by Kansas City, Missouri, businessman and home-furnishings mogul William Volker. Volker founded the fund with the purposes of aiding the needy, reforming Kansas City’s health care and educational systems, and combating the...
and anonymously earning him the nickname of "Mr. Anonymous."
Volker was born in Hanover, Germany, and moved with his family to 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...
in 1871. In 1876 at the age of 17 he began working for a picture frame manufacturer. When the owner died three years later he bought the company and moved to Kansas City in 1880 where he started the William Volker Company at 6 West 3rd Street.
His picture frame and window shade business boomed and he remained a bachelor until marrying in 1911 at age 52. Returning from his honeymoon he announced he had put $1 million in his wife's name and that he planned to give away $10 million.
He was to spend the rest of his life giving away his fortune often anonymously. Among his donations was 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) and a house that was to start the University of Kansas City which became the University of Missouri-Kansas City.