Henry Morrison Flagler Outline

Henry Morrison Flagler
by Gil Wilson

Parents
The Flagler family moved from Bladen Germany to the New York colony. Solomon
Flagler was Henry's grandfather born May 8, 1760 and died Nov 24, 1839. His
grandmother was Esther Elizabeth Ostrom (April 19, 1760 - Oct 30, 1813). She had 11
children one of whom was named Henry, Isaac's brother. They were married in the
Presbyterian church in Dutchess April 30, 1780.

1828 Sept 15 Isaac Flagler (22 April 1789 in Dutchess county, New York - July 23
1876) and Elizabeth Caldwell Harkness (1794 - 1861) of Geneva were married by
Rev. Dr. Axtell at the Geneva Presbyterian. Rev. Isaac Flagler was Pastor of the
Presbyterian Church in Fayette, Seneca Co. In 1823 Rev. Isaac Flagler was the
pastor of the The First Church of Christ in Sidney. Elizabeth Harkness was the widow
of Dr. Daniel Harkness of Milan, Ohio. She had been previously married Hugh
Morrison who also died. Her son Stephen Harkness was a successful businessman.
Rev Flagler was the widower of Ruth Delano Smith and Jane B. Ward. In 1836 Rev.
Flagler moved to Toledo Ohio. He was a supply pastor of the Toledo Presbyterian
Church. He was a supply pastor from the American Home Missionary Association. He
was heavily involved in the temperance movement (in 1838 he was president of the
Temperance Society) and the fight for racial equality. He was relieved from his
position for performing an interracial marriage. In August of 1844 Isaac Flagler
returned to Hopewell, New York and became the full time pastor of Hopewell
Presbyterian.

The children of Rev. Isaac Flagler include: Mary Hester Flagler and Jane Augusta
Flagler from his wife Jane B. Ward. Anne Carolyn Flagler (called Carrie) from his
marriage with Ruth Delano Smith.

Early Life
1830 January 2 Birth of Henry Morrison Flagler in Hopewell, New York. He was born
in the Hopewell Presbyterian church parsonage where his father had been the supply
pastor for 1828 and baptized on August 22, 1830. He was named after his uncle
Henry and Elizabeth's first husband. He dropped out of school in the 8th grade. He
went west serving as a deck hand on Erie Canal Boats. At the Erie Canal he
encountered the new use of cement in making the canal. In 1844 he arrived at
Republic, Ohio to live with half-brother (in the store) and worked at L. G. Harkness
and Company. He arrived with a French coin, a nickel, and four pennies. (Flagler
would keep the French coin for the rest of his life.) 1849 moved to Bellevue for a job at
Chapman, Harkness and Company. His sister Jane Flagler North died in East
Bloomfield, New York. 1852 he became a partner in Harkness and Company a grain
company. The company also ran a distillery.

Marriage #1
November 9, 1853 Henry married Mary Harkness On March 1, 1855 Jenny Louise
Flagler was born (died March 25, 1889). On June 18,1858 Carrie Flagler born (named
after Henry's half-sister.) In 1861 Elizabeth Chapman Harkness Flagler (mother) dies.
On December 7, 1861Â Carrie dies (Carrie is 3 year old.)

Business
1865 Flagler and York Salt Company went bust with salt production. During the Civil
War salt was essential preparing meat for the military. So many people had invested in
salt production that a bubble occurred which burst on the conclusion of the war. Henry
moved to Cleveland. In 1867 he partnered in Rockefeller, Andrews and Flagler, a oil
refinery company in Cleveland, Ohio. He bought a house on Euclid Ave with 9 rooms.
1870 January 11 Standard Oil Company incorporated as a joint stock company. Harry
Harkness Flagler was born December 2, 1870 In July 1876Â Isaac Flagler (father)
dies. 1877 Standard Oil moves its headquarters to New York and the Flagler family
also moves to New York. Their city home was on the corner of Fifty-fourth Street at
Fifth Avenue. In New York he renovates Satanstoe a 40 room summer home on 32
acres on Long Island sound. (This land was made famous by a book by James
Fenimore Cooper entitled Satanstoe in 1845.) After all his renovations he renamed his
property Lawn Beach but the name Satanstoe stuck. Flagler bought a yacht called the
Columbia. (He would also own over time the sloop Eclipse, the schooner Columbia
and the yacht Alicia.)1878 Trip to Jacksonville, Florida. On May 18, 1881 Jenny
Louise married John Arthur Hinckley. This marriage would last 11 years, end in a
charge of adultery and no children. Mary Harkness Flagler died 1882. January 2Â
Standard Oil Trust formed.

Marriage #2
1883 June 5 Married Ida Alice Shourds (born July 4, 1848, died July 10,1930) at the
Madison Avenue Methodist Church in New York. Ida was Mary Harkness Flagler's
nurse. Henry was 53 and Ida Alice Shourds a former actress was 35. She had bright
blue eyes, a profusion of red hair, and a violent and often uncontrollable temper. 1883
December honeymoon to Florida through March 1, 1884. He originally stayed at the
St. James Hotel in Jacksonville. They toured to an unknown St. Augustine location
1885 after a trip up the St. Johns River to Tocoi. February 17 he returned to St.
Augustine stayed at San Marco Hotel witnessed the celebration of the landing of
Ponce de Leon in March 1885. He met with San Marco builder James A. McGuire and
San Marco hotel manager Osborn D. Seavey and made a new friend in Dr. Andrew
Anderson (who would put together the land for the Ponce de Leon Hotel.) He also
talked to Franklin Smith who convinced him of the value of cement and coquina
construction for the new hotels through his home Villa Zorada.

Building of St. Augustine Hotels and other structures
1885 December 1 ground breaking on the Ponce de Leon Hotel 1887 May or June
ground breaking for Alcazar Hotel by hotels designed by the new firm of John Carriere
and Thomas Hastings. In 1887 May Henry Flagler sells land to Franklin Smith to build
the Casa Monica 1887 May 30 Ponce de Leon finished 1887 since the winter season
is past hotel will open in 1888. October 6 Jenny Louise married Frederick Hart
Benedict 1888. January 10 Ponce de Leon (a 540 room hotel opened 1888.) April 20
Henry Flagler buys the Casa Monica Hotel with all furnishings, renamed the Cordova.
1888 May 22 Henry Flagler assembles women at Ponce de Leon to discuss plans to
build a hospital. 1888 December 25 Alcazar Hotel opens 1889. February 9 Jennie
Louise gives birth to a baby girl 1889, Margery who dies a few hours after birth. Â
Jennie gets progressively worse and doctors recommend a trip to Florida. March 25,
1889 Jennie Louise Benedict dies on Elias C. Benedict's, her father-in-law, yacht
Oneida outside the Charleston, South Carolina harbor as Henry Flagler awaits at the
dock. (This yacht would later become famous again as the "floating hospital" where
President Grover Cleveland had his surgery for cancer in 1893.) Grace Methodist
Episcopal Church, North was built by Flagler in part to pay for the land acquired for
the Alcazar Hotel.

In St. Augustine Henry Flagler also build laundry facilities, the Casino attached to the
Alcazar, the barracks for workers, an artist studio, the railway station, (which he
moved from the grounds of the San Marco Hotel,) the railway hospital, the YMCA, the
jail, the rehab of the Cathedral with the addition of the tower after the Cathedral
burned, and the Ancient City Baptist Church. He paved streets, built a water works to
bring non-sulphur water to the hotels, a sewer system for the hotels, and an electric
plant for the hotels.

In addition his hotels brought artists, musicians, bands for entertainment to St.
Augustine. He started sports entertainment such as tennis, golf, swimming, bicycling,
baseball and bowling.

Railroads
1890 January 20 completed bridge across the St. Johns River at Jacksonville (see
some companies owned by Henry Flagler) 1890 March 1 Alicia Hospital opened.
1890 March 16 Memorial Presbyterian Church dedicated in memory of Jennie Louise
Benedict. 1892 Charter from the State of Florida to allow building of railroad to Miami
1892 Feb 3 Grand Ball Hermitage Ball commemorative of Andrew Jackson. This
would become the highlight of Ida Alice's St. Augustine social life. 1892 May 28
incorporated the Florida Coast and Gulf Railway Company. Flagler moves on March
1,1892 into Kirkside (beside the church) Ida Alice's St. Augustine Mansion. It was
designed by Carriere and Hastings and constructed by McGuire and McDonald. 1892
August Town of West Palm Beach laid out. 1892 first trip by Mary Lilly to St.
Augustine. 1893 The Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax; Indian River Ry. trademark
of pineapple.

Hotels and Railroads Expand South
Opening on January 1, 1888 in Ormond Beach was the Ormond Hotel built by John
Anderson of Portland Maine and Joseph Price of Kentucky. An interest in the hotel
was bought by Flagler in 1890. He fully purchased the hotel and land in 1891 for
$112,500. McGuire and McDonald were called on to expand and renovate the new
hotel. It was expanded eventually to 600 rooms. It was a massive wood structure. The
hotel would later contain an 18 hole golf course and would later be the scene of
automobile racing. The railroad was extended to Daytona Beach. Eventually the
railroad main line would run from Jacksonville to Key West a distance of 522 miles.
When the railroad was finally completed it would contain 765 miles of tracks.

Palm Beach
In 1893 Flagler purchased 140 acres on the Atlantic Ocean in what would become
Palm Beach. February 11, 1894 Royal Poinciana opened in West Palm Beach which
was a 1150 room structure. It was the largest wooden structure for its time in the
world. 1894 March 22 railroad reaches Lake Worth (named after General William
Worth of Seminole Indian War fame). 1894 March 31 Henry Flagler gives control of
the Ponce de Leon, Alcazar and Cordova hotels to Harry. April 2, 1894 the railroad
was completed to West Palm Beach. 1894 April 5 Harry Harkness Flagler marries
Miss Anna Louis Lamont (May 12, 1870 - Dec 18, 1940) in New York.

1895 work begins on the Palm Beach Inn which would later be called The Breakers.
1896 built the Palm Beach Inn (renamed the Breakers Hotel in 1901) overlooking the
Atlantic Ocean in Palm Beach. The Palm Beach Inn served as an entertainment
center for the Royal Poinciana like the Alcazar to the Ponce de Leon Hotel. The
Beach Casino had a saltwater pool 150 feet by 50 feet and a gallery that surrounded
the pool. It originally contained 250 guest rooms. In the new Breakers in 1901 the
building was enlarged by McGuire and McDonald. In 1903 a fire destroyed the
building which was reopened in 1904 as a even larger hotel.

September 13 railroad name changed to Florida East Coast Railway. James
Ingraham who would be in charge of the Model Land Company was responsible for
the building and development of Palm Beach. Also in 1894 Flagler buys the St.
Augustine Daily Herald and on August 30, 1899 he merges it with The St. Augustine
Record. Buying up newspapers throughout the state guaranteed Flagler a good press.
In 1896 he built the port of Palm Beach which included a 1000 foot pier into the ocean.
In Palm Beach Flagler built the first 9 hole golf course in the State of Florida.

Flagler Empire Goes Overseas
In 1898 Flagler bought the already famous Royal Victorian Hotel in Nassau. The hotel
had existed from the time of the American Civil War. McGuire and McDonald
renovated the hotel with electricity, private bathrooms, decorations to the structure
and improvements to the grounds.

He then built the Colonial Hotel. The Colonial would be the more expensive stay. The
hotel had 350 rooms and could house 600 guests. The hotel included tennis courts, a
greenhouse and a swimming pool.

He instituted a steamship line between Miami and Nassau delivering the mail, freight
and boatloads of winter tourists. Flagler formed the Florida East Coast Steamship
company which ran boats to Nassau, Miami and Key West. Joseph R Parrott the Vice
President of the FEC became the Vice President of the Steamship company. The
Northumberland was the first steamship that traveled between Miami and Nassau.
The Shelter Island was the first ship to Key West but sunk on it's maiden's voyage.
The Biscayne traveled to Miami. Della was the second boat to Miami. In 1898 with the
creation of Flagler Miami the terminus of the railroad and the steamship line was
transferred to Miami. The Monticello was the next boat chosen for the voyage to
Nassau from Miami. The City of Richmond renamed the City of Key West was chosen
for the Key West run. This boat had been earlier owned by a St. Augustine resident
and was used in filibustering efforts in Cuba. The Miami was launched on October 23,
1897. She held 125 passengers and had electric lights and fans throughout. In 1899
the Havana route was added with the Cocoa and the Lincoln later renamed
Martinque. In 1910 Flagler merged his boat line with Henry Plant and created the
Peninsular and Occidental Steamship Company (Flagler had been in business with
Henry Plant since 1882 with a holding company for the Plants ships, railroads, and
hotels.)

Founding of the City of Miami
Miami had seen many people before Flagler from the Native people through Pedro
Menendez but until the Great Freeze of December 24 and 28, 1894 and the February
6, 1895 freeze. Miami remained a backwater. In all probability Flagler would have
stopped his building in Palm Beach but in 1894 a freeze destroyed orange production
and economically damaged the state of Florida through loss of crops and tourists.
Tuttle sent word to Flagler that Miami was untouched by the freeze. Flagler sent
Ingram to check the conditions. Flagler was sent a package from Julia Tuttle and
Ingram from Miami that contained orange blossoms (or maybe lime blossoms)
untouched by the freeze. With a economic deal from Tuttle Flagler continued the
railroad and the hotels to Miami. Flagler provided streets, a municipal water works and
the railroad. Tuttle provided the land. The city of Miami was born on July 26, 1896.
April 15, 1896Â railroad completed to Miami. January 16, 1897 Royal Palm 450 rooms
opens in Miami. The swimming pool was 114 ft long and 50 feet wide. James
McDonald creates a summer hotel called Hotel Biscayne to serve the Florida East
Coast system (December 14, 1897). In 1897 Flagler also leased the Russell House in
Key West and renamed it the Hotel Key West.

Model Land Corporation
In 1896 Flagler created the Model Land Corporation to manage his vast land holdings.
In all he received several million acres of land from railroad holdings through the 1888
to 1910 period. These included 2,050,000 acres from the State of Florida for
encouraging railroad building in Florida. James Ingraham was the land commissioner
and general agent. The company hired agents (including FEC railroad agents). This
corporation was based in St. Augustine.

Alice goes insane
Alice starts collecting pictures of other peoples babies. She took a party of friends on
one of her husband's yachts and after a storm came up refused to return to shore. On
March 23, 1897, rambling incoherently about her impending marriage to the Czar of
Russia.

At Devil's toe the doctors came to commit her. She locked herself in her room. She
tried to have a maid get a detective to observe the proceedings but a doctor was
substituted for the detective. 1895 October 24 Alice placed in the House of Dr.
Choate.In 1899, the New York Supreme Court declared her insane and incompetent.
Date uncertain - Henry has major argument with Harry. Never talks to Harry again.

Alice was released from the House of Choate after six months. Once again at Devil's
Toe she was dragged of to an asylum after having "delusions." 1897 March 23 final
commitment of Ida Alice. The doctors based their case on 3 points: 1. threats on the
life of Henry Flagler. 2. She was approaching menopause. 3. She was addicted to a
Ouija board. May 24, 1900 Ida Alice moved to Pleasantville Sanitarium in Westchester
County, N.Y. On November 1, 1901 Justice Clark of the New York courts gave Dr.
McDonald an increase to $25,000 per for Ida Alice's care. She had her own private
residence and other luxury.

Marriage #3
1901 April 9 bill introduced to allow divorce on grounds of insanity in Florida. 1901
April 25 bill signed into law. 1901 August 13 divorce of Henry Flagler to Ida Alice
Flagler granted in Florida with Judge Minor S. Jones ; Ex Gov Fleming Mrs. Flagler's
guardian. 1901 August 21 Henry Flagler engaged to Mary Lily Kenan (born June 14,
1867). He was 71 she was 34. 1901 August 24 married Mary Lily Kenan - the bride
received 1 million, members of family 50,000 each bride 32 years old; married by Rev.
Dr. Peyton H. Hoge, party consisted of Flagler, Attorney Mr. Ashley, Mr. and Mrs. W.
A. Pick, Capt and Mrs. E. W. Lucas, Miss Hannah Bowles. They were married at
Liberty Hall the family home at Kenansville near Wilmington, North Carolina. 1901
Sept. 15 Mary Harkness Flagler born (Harry's) (Sept 15, 1901 - 1967). 1902 Whitehall
was finished. It was designed by Carrere and Hastings the same architects who
created the Ponce de Leon and Alcazar Hotels it was Henry's wedding present to
Mary. 1902 Hotel Continental opens in Atlantic Beach outside of Jacksonville. It was
created as a summer hotel. March 11, 1903 Elizabeth Lamont Flagler born (Harry's).
June 9, 1903 the Breakers burns and is rebuilt. March, 1904 William Kennan becomes
a director in all Flagler corporations and a vice-president. April 19, 1905 Florida
Senate passes bill repealing "Flagler" divorce law - Gov Broward made the repeal one
of the issues of his campaign. In 1908 he resigned as Vice-President of Standard Oil.
He had also served as secretary and treasurer. Elizabeth Lamont Flagler, daughter of
Harry Flagler was born March 11, 1908. In 1909 Flagler opened the last of the hotels
-- The Long Key Fishing Camp. It contained a 2 story lodge and a dozen cottages. It
would accommodate 100 guests. Jean Louise Flagler, daughter of Harry Flagler, was
born on April 18, 1910. In 1911 he resigned as a Director of Standard Oil.

The Overseas Railroad
After Miami the next goal became extending the rail line to the city of Key West a town
of 20,000. In 1902 the surveys would start. At one point he would have 4,000 men
working on the new extension. He would face 3 hurricanes and 128 miles of water and
islands. In Florida he had already sent $30,000,000 with this section of the railroad he
would spend $20,000,000 more. In 1906 hurricane kills 130 workers. In 1906 work
started on the 7 mile bridge. It would take 546 concrete piers to complete the bridge. In
1909 the second hurricane hit killing 40 workers. In 1910 the 3rd hurricane hit with one
worker being killed. January 22, 1912 the first official train arrives in Key West,
Florida. Advertised time between New York and Havana was 2 nights. In 1915 the first
of 3 car carriers were completed. It was named the Henry M Flagler.

Death of Henry Flagler
1913 January 15 Henry Flagler falls down stairs at Whitehall. 1913 May 20 Henry
Flagler dies. Harry had been telegraphed by Mary Lilly in New York that his father was
dying. When Harry saw him it was too late and he was heavily sedated and almost
comatose. Her fear was that Harry (with Dr. Anderson's help) would attempt a
reconciliation with Henry. There was no deathbed reunion.

Aftermath
1913 May 23 body lies in state at Ponce de Leon before removal to Memorial
Presbyterian. 1916. Later the bodies of Mary Harkness Flagler, Jennie Louise and her
baby were buried with Henry Flagler in a alcove attached to the church.

William Kenan became the family trustee of the Flagler estate and the leader of the
Flagler empire. Flagler's death had left Mary Lily as one of the richest women in the
world.

Oct, 1913 Number 2 man James R. Parrott dies.

November 16, 1916 Mary Lily married Robert Worth Bingham. 1917

June 27, 1917 Mary Lily dies with questions arising about cause of death.

1919 D. W. Griffiths buys Satanstoe and builds movie studio. It proves his undoing.
Satanstoe will later burn to the ground.

September 20, 1919 Continental Hotel burns

1922 Colonial burns. Property sold to British government.

1925 March 18 Breakers Hotel burns for the 2nd time rebuilt by Kenans management
(currently still in operation) (also Hotel Palm Beach caught fire from the Breakers).
Whitehall sold, becomes a hotel.

1925 Hotel Victoria sold.

1927 After the death of J oseph Greaves, the Royal Palm does not reopen

1928 March 30 Harry Harkness Flagler becomes Chairperson of the The
Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.,

1928 Royal Poinciana condemned.

1930 July 10 Ida Alice dies. She died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 82.

1932 Alcazar Hotel Closes/Cordova closes.

1935 Royal Poinciana tore down.

1937 last piece of the Royal Palm destroyed.

September 1, 1935 huge hurricane washes away large parts of the Overseas railroad.
FEC chooses not to rebuild. Today significant portions of U.S. 1 contain the old
cement trestles of the Overseas Railroad.

1950s Ormond Hotel sold to Robert Woodward.

1952 Death of Harry Flagler.

1957 Hotel Key West by then known as the Tropical Hotel burned.

1959 - Whitehall Hotel went out of business. Purchased by Mrs. Flagler Matthews.

1960 - February Henry Morrison Flagler Museum opened at Whitehall.

1961 - Edward Ball, trustee for the Alfred DuPont estate gains control of Florida East
Coast Railway.

July 28, 1965 William Kenan dies.

1967 March Hotel Ponce de Leon closed. Flagler College is opened using Ponce de
Leon Hotel and Markland .

July, 1992 Ormond razed.

1999 December 10 Casa Monica reopens.