Amos Eno
Encyclopedia
Amos Richards Eno of Simsbury, Connecticut
was an American merchant of dry goods who expanded into real estate in New York City
, built the Fifth Avenue Hotel
and established a prominent family fortune, of which the New York real estate alone was estimated at $20,000,000 at the time of his death.
Having clerked in a small general store in Hartford, Connecticut
, he married Lucy Phelps, also of Simsbury, and moved to New York, where he and his cousin John J. Phelps opened a profitable dry goods business. While making a fortune in the dry goods business, Eno Amos parlayed his profits into real estate investment in Manhattan, New York, buying corner lots and occasionally full undeveloped city blocks. His brownstone
-fronted store at 74 Broadway had the reputation of having been the first use of brownstone in the city. Retiring from active participation as a merchant, he concentrated in 1856–59 in building the famous Fifth Avenue Hotel
at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street in Madison Square
, Manhattan. North of the Square he built a brick four-storey house at 233 Fifth Avenue that served as his residence for many years, then from 1890 housed the Reform Club of New York, recently (1888) founded by Anson Phelps Stokes
.
He and relatives established the Second National Bank of New York, headquartered in the hotel. In 1884 scandal hit the family bank when one of Amos' sons, John Chester Eno, president of the bank, embezzled millions of dollars and then fled to Canada to avoid prosecution. Eno never closed the bank, though three to four million dollars were withdrawn in panic, and made good his son's embezzlement, "though he never recovered from the shock".
After settling his son's debts, Amos retreated to the family summer residence in Simsbury, the Amos Eno House
(1820, on the National Register of Historic Places
) which had been erected by Eno's father-in-law, Elisha Phelps
. Every summer the Eno family would visit the house, which was enlarged by Eno and by his daughter Antoinette Eno Wood. He was a founding benefactor of the Simsbury Free Library, among other local philanthropic gestures.
He held the greater part of a full block facing Broadway in Longacre Square (now Times Square
. His last real estate speculations were in open lots in the Upper West Side
.
Eno's portrait by Eastman Johnson
, commissioned by his family in 1899, was a posthumous one, based on photographs; it is conserved in the New York State Museum
. A grandson, Amos Richards Eno Pinchot
(1873–1944), was an American reformist, a mainstay and the historian of the Progressive Party, 1912-16
.
Simsbury, Connecticut
Simsbury is a suburban town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 23,234 at the 2000 census. The town was incorporated as Connecticut's twenty-first town in May 1670.-Early history:...
was an American merchant of dry goods who expanded into real estate in 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...
, built the Fifth Avenue Hotel
Fifth Avenue Hotel
The Fifth Avenue Hotel was a former luxury hotel located at 200 Fifth Avenue in New York City, New York from 1859 to 1908. It occupied the full Fifth Avenue frontage between 23rd Street and 24th Street, at the southwest corner of Madison Square in the borough of Manhattan.- Site and construction...
and established a prominent family fortune, of which the New York real estate alone was estimated at $20,000,000 at the time of his death.
Having clerked in a small general store in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, he married Lucy Phelps, also of Simsbury, and moved to New York, where he and his cousin John J. Phelps opened a profitable dry goods business. While making a fortune in the dry goods business, Eno Amos parlayed his profits into real estate investment in Manhattan, New York, buying corner lots and occasionally full undeveloped city blocks. His brownstone
Brownstone
Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:...
-fronted store at 74 Broadway had the reputation of having been the first use of brownstone in the city. Retiring from active participation as a merchant, he concentrated in 1856–59 in building the famous Fifth Avenue Hotel
Fifth Avenue Hotel
The Fifth Avenue Hotel was a former luxury hotel located at 200 Fifth Avenue in New York City, New York from 1859 to 1908. It occupied the full Fifth Avenue frontage between 23rd Street and 24th Street, at the southwest corner of Madison Square in the borough of Manhattan.- Site and construction...
at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street in Madison Square
Madison Square
Madison Square is formed by the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The square was named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States and the principal author of the United States Constitution.The focus of the square is...
, Manhattan. North of the Square he built a brick four-storey house at 233 Fifth Avenue that served as his residence for many years, then from 1890 housed the Reform Club of New York, recently (1888) founded by Anson Phelps Stokes
Anson Phelps Stokes
For other men with the same name, see Anson Phelps Stokes Anson Phelps Stokes was a merchant, banker, publicist, philanthropist, and became a multimillionaire. Born in New York City, he was the son of James Boulter and Caroline Stokes; brother of William Earl Dodge Stokes and Olivia Eggleston...
.
He and relatives established the Second National Bank of New York, headquartered in the hotel. In 1884 scandal hit the family bank when one of Amos' sons, John Chester Eno, president of the bank, embezzled millions of dollars and then fled to Canada to avoid prosecution. Eno never closed the bank, though three to four million dollars were withdrawn in panic, and made good his son's embezzlement, "though he never recovered from the shock".
After settling his son's debts, Amos retreated to the family summer residence in Simsbury, the Amos Eno House
Amos Eno House
The Amos Eno House is a historic home in Simsbury, Connecticut. It is also known as the 1820 House.-Prior to Amos Eno:The house was built in 1822 by Elisha Phelps, who was given the land by his father, Noah. Noah Phelps was a graduate of Yale University, a lawyer and a judge. The first floor...
(1820, on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
) which had been erected by Eno's father-in-law, Elisha Phelps
Elisha Phelps
Elisha Phelps was a United States Representative from Connecticut. He was the son of Noah Phelps and father of John Smith Phelps who was a United States Representative from Missouri. He was born in Simsbury, Connecticut. In 1800, he was graduated from Yale College and from Litchfield Law School...
. Every summer the Eno family would visit the house, which was enlarged by Eno and by his daughter Antoinette Eno Wood. He was a founding benefactor of the Simsbury Free Library, among other local philanthropic gestures.
He held the greater part of a full block facing Broadway in Longacre Square (now Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
. His last real estate speculations were in open lots in the Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
.
Eno's portrait by Eastman Johnson
Eastman Johnson
Eastman Johnson was an American painter, and Co-Founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, with his name inscribed at its entrance...
, commissioned by his family in 1899, was a posthumous one, based on photographs; it is conserved in the New York State Museum
New York State Museum
The New York State Museum is a research-backed institution in Albany, New York, United States. It is located on Madison Avenue, attached to the south side of the Empire State Plaza, facing onto the plaza and towards the New York State Capitol...
. A grandson, Amos Richards Eno Pinchot
Amos Pinchot
Amos Richards Eno Pinchot was an American reformist. He never held public office but managed to exert considerable influence in reformist circles and did much to keep progressive ideas alive in the 1920s....
(1873–1944), was an American reformist, a mainstay and the historian of the Progressive Party, 1912-16
Progressive Party (United States, 1912)
The Progressive Party of 1912 was an American political party. It was formed after a split in the Republican Party between President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt....
.