Anson Phelps Stokes
Encyclopedia
For other men with the same name, see Anson Phelps Stokes (disambiguation)
Anson Phelps Stokes (February 22, 1838–June 28, 1913) was a merchant, banker, publicist, philanthropist, and became a multimillionaire. Born in New York City, he was the son of James Boulter and Caroline (Phelps) Stokes; brother of William Earl Dodge Stokes
and Olivia Eggleston Phelps Stokes. One of his grandfathers was London merchant Thomas Stokes, one of the 13 founders of the London Missionary Society
, and Anson Stokes later actively supported the American Bible Society
, the American Tract Society
and the American Peace Society
. His other grandfather, Anson Greene Phelps
, was a New York merchant, born in Connecticut and descended from an old Massachusetts family.
, a mercantile establishment founded by his grandfather Phelps and his uncle, William Earle Dodge
, in the 1830s. The company began importing and trading in metal and eventually became a mining business.
In 1861, he became a partner and also a member of the firm of Phelps, James & Company in Liverpool
. In 1879, he organized Phelps, Stokes & Company, a bank.
Phelps became involved in the mining interests of Phelps Dodge Corporation in the American West. In 1874 the Nevada legislature, after a bitter debate, approved a bond project to extend a railroad line to Austin, Nevada
(the state senator sponsoring the bill was secretary for a mining company that needed the rail line). The legislature authorized Lander County to grant a $200,000 bond for the project, but the authorization would expire after five years. It wasn't until after Stokes came to Austin that the project got started 4 ½ years later. Stokes brought in General James H. Ledlie
, a former Union officer in the Civil War, to direct the project, and crews went to work desperately, only to bring the line within 2 miles (3.2 km) of the Austin town limits with less than a day left before the deadline. An emergency meeting of the Austin Town Board extended the town limits by 2 miles (3.2 km), allowing the last rails to be laid just minutes before the deadline. The 92 miles (148.1 km) line from Battle Mountain to Austin became the Nevada Central Railroad
.
In 1897, when Stokes still had a financial interest in several of the local mines, he built "Stokes Castle
", a three-story stone tower just outside of Austin. The building was only occupied for a month, then fell into disrepair.
Stokes married Helen Louisa, daughter of Isaac Newton Phelps, on October 17, 1865. In 1893, he built Shadowbrook, a 100 room Berkshire Cottage at Lenox, Massachusetts
. Shadowbrook was so large that a family anecdote tells of Anson Phelps Stokes Jr. being told by his mother while playing outside one day that because there was a storm gathering he should come inside and bicycle in the attic. In 1902, Stokes bought land at the southern tip of Long Neck, a small peninsula in Darien, Connecticut
and built Brick House, where he and his family lived for many years. (Andrew Carnegie
occupied Brick House for several summers, and in 1917 he bought Anson Phelps' estate Shadowbrook, where he died in 1919.) The Stokes family also had a summer house, or Great Camp, on Upper St. Regis Lake
in the Adirondacks, where family members spend their summers to this day.
Anson lost one of his legs 15 years previously in a horse-riding accident, when he was thrown against a tree and his leg crushed.
At his death on June 29, 1913, in New York City, Anson Stokes was survived by nine children: four sons and five daughters. One of his sons was also named Anson Phelps Stokes
(1874–1958), an educator and clergyman. Another was Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes. His personal wealth was estimated at USD$250,000,000 at the time of his death, or about USD$ in today's dollars.
Anson Phelps Stokes (disambiguation)
Anson Phelps Stokes may refer to:* Anson Phelps Stokes , born in New York City, a merchant, banker, publicist, and multimillionaire...
Anson Phelps Stokes (February 22, 1838–June 28, 1913) was a merchant, banker, publicist, philanthropist, and became a multimillionaire. Born in New York City, he was the son of James Boulter and Caroline (Phelps) Stokes; brother of William Earl Dodge Stokes
William Earl Dodge Stokes
William Earle Dodge Stokes was an American multimillionaire responsible for developing much of New York's Upper West Side.-Early life:...
and Olivia Eggleston Phelps Stokes. One of his grandfathers was London merchant Thomas Stokes, one of the 13 founders of the London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
, and Anson Stokes later actively supported the American Bible Society
American Bible Society
The American Bible Society is an interconfessional, non-denominational, nonprofit organization, founded in 1816 in New York City, which publishes, distributes and translates the Bible and provides study aids and other tools to help people engage with the Bible.It is probably best known for its...
, the American Tract Society
American Tract Society
The American Tract Society is a nonprofit, nonsectarian but evangelical organization founded on May 11, 1825 in New York City for the purpose of publishing and disseminating Christian literature. ATS traces its lineage back through the New York Tract Society and the New England Tract Society to...
and the American Peace Society
American Peace Society
The American Peace Society is a pacifist group founded upon the initiative of William Ladd, in New York City, May 8, 1828. It was formed by the merging of many state and local societies, from New York, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, of which the oldest, the New York Peace Society, dated...
. His other grandfather, Anson Greene Phelps
Anson Greene Phelps
Anson Greene Phelps was a co-founder of mining company Phelps Dodge, which he founded in 1833 along with his son-in-law William E. Dodge.-Early life:...
, was a New York merchant, born in Connecticut and descended from an old Massachusetts family.
Career
As a boy he started his career working in the family business, Phelps, Dodge & CompanyPhelps Dodge
Phelps Dodge Corporation was an American mining company founded in 1834 by Anson Greene Phelps and William Earle Dodge, Sr.. On March 19, 2007, it was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan and now operates under the name Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.-History:...
, a mercantile establishment founded by his grandfather Phelps and his uncle, William Earle Dodge
William E. Dodge
William Earle Dodge, Sr. was a New York businessman, referred to as one of the "Merchant Princes" of Wall Street in the years leading up to the American Civil War. Dodge was also a noted abolitionist, and Native American rights activist and served as the president of the National Temperance...
, in the 1830s. The company began importing and trading in metal and eventually became a mining business.
In 1861, he became a partner and also a member of the firm of Phelps, James & Company in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. In 1879, he organized Phelps, Stokes & Company, a bank.
Austin, Nevada
Austin is a small, unincorporated community located in Lander County, Nevada, in the United States. As of 2004, its population is approximately 340. It is located on the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range at an elevation of . U.S...
(the state senator sponsoring the bill was secretary for a mining company that needed the rail line). The legislature authorized Lander County to grant a $200,000 bond for the project, but the authorization would expire after five years. It wasn't until after Stokes came to Austin that the project got started 4 ½ years later. Stokes brought in General James H. Ledlie
James H. Ledlie
James Hewett Ledlie was a civil engineer for American railroads and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He is best known for his dereliction of duty at the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg.-Early life:Ledlie was born in Utica, New York...
, a former Union officer in the Civil War, to direct the project, and crews went to work desperately, only to bring the line within 2 miles (3.2 km) of the Austin town limits with less than a day left before the deadline. An emergency meeting of the Austin Town Board extended the town limits by 2 miles (3.2 km), allowing the last rails to be laid just minutes before the deadline. The 92 miles (148.1 km) line from Battle Mountain to Austin became the Nevada Central Railroad
Nevada Central Railroad
The Nevada Central Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad, completed in 1880 between Battle Mountain and Austin, Nevada. The railroad was constructed to connect Austin, the center of a rich silver mining area, with the transcontinental railroad at Battle Mountain.However, by the time that the line...
.
In 1897, when Stokes still had a financial interest in several of the local mines, he built "Stokes Castle
Stokes Castle
Stokes Castle is a three-story stone tower located just outside of Austin, Nevada. It was built by Anson Phelps Stokes, a mine developer, railroad magnate, and banker. Intending the building as a summer home, Stokes began building the castle in 1896, completing it in 1897.The castle is patterned...
", a three-story stone tower just outside of Austin. The building was only occupied for a month, then fell into disrepair.
Family
Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Set in Western Massachusetts, it is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,077 at the 2000 census. Where the town has a border with Stockbridge is the site of Tanglewood, summer...
. Shadowbrook was so large that a family anecdote tells of Anson Phelps Stokes Jr. being told by his mother while playing outside one day that because there was a storm gathering he should come inside and bicycle in the attic. In 1902, Stokes bought land at the southern tip of Long Neck, a small peninsula in Darien, Connecticut
Darien, Connecticut
Darien is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. A relatively small community on Connecticut's "Gold Coast", the population was 20,732 at the 2010 census. Darien was listed at #9 at CNN Money's list of "top-earning towns" in the United States as of 2011...
and built Brick House, where he and his family lived for many years. (Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
occupied Brick House for several summers, and in 1917 he bought Anson Phelps' estate Shadowbrook, where he died in 1919.) The Stokes family also had a summer house, or Great Camp, on Upper St. Regis Lake
Upper St. Regis Lake
Upper St. Regis Lake is a part of the St. Regis River in the Adirondacks in northern New York State. Along with Lower St. Regis Lake and Spitfire Lake, it became famous in the late 19th century as a summer playground of America's power elite, drawn to the area by its scenic beauty and by the...
in the Adirondacks, where family members spend their summers to this day.
Anson lost one of his legs 15 years previously in a horse-riding accident, when he was thrown against a tree and his leg crushed.
At his death on June 29, 1913, in New York City, Anson Stokes was survived by nine children: four sons and five daughters. One of his sons was also named Anson Phelps Stokes
Anson Phelps Stokes (philanthropist)
Anson Phelps Stokes , was an American educator, clergyman, author, philanthropist and civil rights activist.Stokes was one of three men of the same name; his father was multimillionaire banker Anson Phelps Stokes, and his son was the Bishop Anson Phelps Stokes, III, an Episcopal bishop.He was born...
(1874–1958), an educator and clergyman. Another was Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes. His personal wealth was estimated at USD$250,000,000 at the time of his death, or about USD$ in today's dollars.
External links
- Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Anson Phelps Stokes, ca. 1898, by Cecilia BeauxCecilia BeauxCecilia Beaux was an American society portraitist, in the manner of John Singer Sargent. She was a near contemporary of better-known American artist Mary Cassatt and also received her training in Philadelphia and France...
(1855–1942) at the Metropolitan Museum of ArtMetropolitan Museum of ArtThe Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the... - Stokes Castle Photographs