William Henry Bush

William Henry Bush (October 22, 1849 – April 9, 1931) was an American businessman and rancher. Born in Martinsburg, New York, he sold barbed wire and hats in the Western United States. He became a rancher in Texas and a multi-millionaire due to helium deposits on his landholdings.

William Henry Bush
BornOctober 22, 1849
Martinsburg, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 9, 1931 (1931-04-10) (aged 81)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Resting placeGraceland Cemetery, Chicago
OccupationBusinessman, rancher
Net worthUS$2,175,000[1]
Spouse(s)Elva Glidden
Ruth Russel Gentry
Children2 daughters
Parent(s)James Bush
Caroline Lucretia Hills
RelativesJoseph Glidden (father-in-law)

Early life

William Henry Bush was born on October 22, 1849 in Martinsburg, New York.[2] His father was James Bush and his mother, Caroline Lucretia Hills.[2]

Career

Bush was hired by Joseph Glidden, the inventor of barbed wire, to find ranching lands in Texas and promote the new invention.[2] With Henry B. Sanborn, he established the Frying Pan Ranch in Potter County.[2]

With his brother-in-law, F. T. Simmons, Bush co-founded the Bush, Simmons, and Company, a hat company, in 1885.[2] By 1903, Bush founded the Bush Hat Company and served as its President.[2]

Bush was the founder of the city of Bushland, Texas in 1903, which was named in his honor.[2] It was founded as a railway stop on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.[2]

Much of the land which Bush possessed was replete with helium deposits.[1] As a result, Bush became a multimillionaire. He was worth US$2,175,000 by 1931.[1][3]

Personal life

Bush married Elva Glidden, Joseph Glidden's daughter, in 1877.[2] On October 20, 1908, he married Ruth Russel Gentry.[2] They had two daughters, Caroline Gentry Bush, who married Frederick Latham Emeny, and Ruth Emmeline Bush, who married Francis Thomas O'Brien.[4] Bush attended the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago.[2]

Death and legacy

Bush died on April 9, 1931 in Chicago.[2] Two thirds of his estate went to his widow and two daughters.[1][3][5] His cousin, Herbert S. Bush of DeKalb, Illinois, also received some inheritance.[3][5] Furthermore, he donated US$100,000 to the Presbyterian Hospital of Chicago and US$25,000 to the Chicago Art Institute.[1]

Secondary source
  • Paul Howard Carlson. Empire builder in the Texas Panhandle : William Henry Bush. College Station, Texas: Texas A & M University Press. 2009. 186 pages.[6]

References
  1. "William Bush Will Is Filed For Probate". The Daily Chronicle. DeKalk, Illinois. April 16, 1931. p. 9. Retrieved September 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Anderson, H. Allen (June 12, 2010). "BUSH, WILLIAM HENRY". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  3. "DeKalb Man Heir". Dixon Evening Telegraph. Dixon, Illinois. April 16, 1931. p. 2. Retrieved September 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Gentry, Richard (1909). The Gentry family in America, 1676 to 1909 : including notes on the following families related to the Gentrys: Claiborne, Harris, Hawkins, Robinson, Smith, Wyatt, Sharp, Fulkerson, Butler, Bush, Blythe, Pabody, Noble, Haggard, and Tindall. London, UK: Grafton Press. p. 412. Caroline Gentry Bush Frederick Latham Emeny.
  5. "Shares In Estate". Belvidere Daily Republican. Belvidere, Illinois. April 20, 1931. p. 7. Retrieved September 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Empire builder in the Texas Panhandle : William Henry Bush". WorldCat. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
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