Harry Harkness
Encyclopedia
Harry Stephen Harkness was an early American aviator
and racing driver. Born in Cleveland, Ohio
, of a wealthy family and son of Standard Oil
investor Lamon V. Harkness
, Harkness financed the building of many early airplanes. As a noted racer of the day, he was retroactively awarded the 1902 American Automobile Association
National Championship
in 1951. 1902 was the first year of AAA sanctioned racing. His personal yacht was taken by the United States Navy
, becoming and was credited with sinking 3 German U-boat
s during World War I
. Harkness sued the US government in 1918 because he did not believe that he was adequately compensated for the value of his yacht. He died of influenza
in 1919, at his home, 270 Park Avenue, New York.
Harry commissioned in 1918 the prestigious Schmieg/Hungate/Kotzian furniture manufacturer to exclusively create the Artcase for Steinway Model B from Steinway & Sons circa 1918.
Harry Harkness led a group of investors who bought the Sheepshead Bay Race Track
, a thoroughbred
horse racing
facility they converted to use as an auto racing
track. Following Harkness' unexpected death the facility was sold to real estate developers. Following his death, his first wife, Mrs Marie M Cowan (nee Harkness nee Marbeck), who he married in 1906 and divorced in 1916, sued for his entire $20 million estate, claiming he was of unsound mind when leaving the estate to his second wife, Mrs Florence Steuber Harkness nee Gaines.
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and racing driver. Born in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, of a wealthy family and son of Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
investor Lamon V. Harkness
Lamon V. Harkness
Lamon Vanderburgh Harkness was an American businessman and a partner in Standard Oil who was one of the company's largest stockholders. Lamon V. Harkness became involved with Standard Oil through his father Stephen V...
, Harkness financed the building of many early airplanes. As a noted racer of the day, he was retroactively awarded the 1902 American Automobile Association
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
National Championship
American Championship Car Racing
Since 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
in 1951. 1902 was the first year of AAA sanctioned racing. His personal yacht was taken by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, becoming and was credited with sinking 3 German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Harkness sued the US government in 1918 because he did not believe that he was adequately compensated for the value of his yacht. He died of influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
in 1919, at his home, 270 Park Avenue, New York.
Harry commissioned in 1918 the prestigious Schmieg/Hungate/Kotzian furniture manufacturer to exclusively create the Artcase for Steinway Model B from Steinway & Sons circa 1918.
Harry Harkness led a group of investors who bought the Sheepshead Bay Race Track
Sheepshead Bay Race Track
Sheepshead Bay Race Track was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility built on the site of the Coney Island Jockey Club at Sheepshead Bay, New York...
, a thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
facility they converted to use as an auto racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
track. Following Harkness' unexpected death the facility was sold to real estate developers. Following his death, his first wife, Mrs Marie M Cowan (nee Harkness nee Marbeck), who he married in 1906 and divorced in 1916, sued for his entire $20 million estate, claiming he was of unsound mind when leaving the estate to his second wife, Mrs Florence Steuber Harkness nee Gaines.