John Shaffer Phipps
Encyclopedia
John Shaffer Phipps was an American lawyer and businessman who was an heir to the Phipps family
fortune and a shareholder of his father-in-law's Grace Shipping Lines. He was a director of the Hanover Bank, U.S. Steel Corp.
and W. R. Grace & Co.
to Henry Phipps
.
On November 4, 1903 he married Margarita Celia Grace at Battle Abbey
in Battle, East Sussex
, England
. She was the daughter of Michael P. Grace
and niece of William Russell Grace
, Irish
immigrants who became very successful in business. John and Margarita had four children. They were: John Henry Phipps, Michael Grace Phipps, Hubert Beaumont Phipps
, and Margaret Helen Phipps who married J. Gordon Douglas, Jr.
John amassed almost 2500 acres (10.1 km²) of rolling Virginia farm lands in The Plains, Virginia
including Brenton, an 1889 stone manor house. A polo
player and Thoroughbred
racehorse owner, the property assembled from 1928 onwards would be the site of his Rockburn Stud farm. Upon his death in 1957 it passed to son, Hubert.
Phipps purchased an old 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) Quaker farm on Long Island
where he built a large mansion with magnificent gardens that following his death was became a non-profit organization that today is known as Westbury House & Gardens
and is open to the public. In the 1920s he purchased a several large properties in West Palm Beach, Florida
including one that was once used as a pineapple plantation. He subdivided the property and turned it into the three largest subdivisions containing luxury residential homes in what is now the El Cid Historic District
. John Phipps built a home for himself he called "Casa Bendita." A large oceanfront mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, it was designed in 1921 by architect Addison Mizner
. Today, the property is occupied by his granddaughter, Susan Phipps Cochran, and her husband.
He died on April 27, 1958 in Palm Beach, Florida
.
Phipps family
The Henry Phipps family of the United States was founded by Henry Phipps, Jr., the son of an English shoemaker who emigrated in the early part of the 19th century to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before settling in Pittsburgh. When a child, Henry Phipps was a friend and neighbor to Andrew Carnegie...
fortune and a shareholder of his father-in-law's Grace Shipping Lines. He was a director of the Hanover Bank, U.S. Steel Corp.
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
and W. R. Grace & Co.
W. R. Grace and Company
W. R. Grace and Company is a Columbia, Maryland, United States based chemical conglomerate.The company has two main divisions, Davison Chemicals and Performance Chemicals. The Davison unit makes chemical catalysts, refining catalysts, and silica-based products that let other companies make...
Biography
Known as "Jay", he was born in 1874 in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
to Henry Phipps
Henry Phipps
Henry Phipps, Jr. was an American entrepreneur and major philanthropist.-Biography:He was the son of an English shoemaker who emigrated in the early part of the 19th century to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before settling in Pittsburgh. When a child, he was a friend and neighbor to Andrew Carnegie...
.
On November 4, 1903 he married Margarita Celia Grace at Battle Abbey
Battle Abbey
Battle Abbey is a partially ruined abbey complex in the small town of Battle in East Sussex, England. The abbey was built on the scene of the Battle of Hastings and dedicated to St...
in Battle, East Sussex
Battle, East Sussex
Battle is a small town and civil parish in the local government district of Rother in East Sussex, England. It lies south southeast of London, east of Brighton and east of the county town of Lewes...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She was the daughter of Michael P. Grace
Michael P. Grace
Michael Paul Grace was an international businessman who was a shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of W. R. Grace and Company of New York City and of Grace Brothers & Co. Ltd...
and niece of William Russell Grace
William Russell Grace
William Russell Grace was the first Roman Catholic mayor of New York City and the founder of W. R. Grace and Company.-Biography:He was born on May 10, 1832 in Ballylinan, County Laois, Ireland....
, Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrants who became very successful in business. John and Margarita had four children. They were: John Henry Phipps, Michael Grace Phipps, Hubert Beaumont Phipps
Hubert Beaumont Phipps
Hubert Beaumont Phipps was a Virginia publisher and editor as well as a breeder of thoroughbred horses and purebred cattle. He was a member of the prominent Phipps family who made a fortune in steel as partners with Andrew Carnegie in the steel-making business in Pittsburgh,...
, and Margaret Helen Phipps who married J. Gordon Douglas, Jr.
John amassed almost 2500 acres (10.1 km²) of rolling Virginia farm lands in The Plains, Virginia
The Plains, Virginia
The Plains is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 266 at the 2000 census. It is centered around Virginia Route 55 and Virginia Route 245...
including Brenton, an 1889 stone manor house. A polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
player and 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...
racehorse owner, the property assembled from 1928 onwards would be the site of his Rockburn Stud farm. Upon his death in 1957 it passed to son, Hubert.
Phipps purchased an old 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) Quaker farm on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
where he built a large mansion with magnificent gardens that following his death was became a non-profit organization that today is known as Westbury House & Gardens
Old Westbury Gardens
Old Westbury Gardens is the former estate of John Shaffer Phipps , heir to a U.S. Steel fortune, in Nassau County, New York. It has been open to the public for tours since 1959....
and is open to the public. In the 1920s he purchased a several large properties in West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
including one that was once used as a pineapple plantation. He subdivided the property and turned it into the three largest subdivisions containing luxury residential homes in what is now the El Cid Historic District
El Cid Historic District
The El Cid Historic District is a U.S. historic district located in West Palm Beach, Florida. The district is bounded by Flamingo Drive, South Flagler Drive, Dyer Road and South Dixie Highway. It contains 281 historic buildings.-External links:* at...
. John Phipps built a home for himself he called "Casa Bendita." A large oceanfront mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, it was designed in 1921 by architect Addison Mizner
Addison Mizner
Addison Cairns Mizner was an American resort architect whose Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival style interpretations left an indelible stamp on South Florida, where it continues to inspire architects and land developers. In the 1920s Mizner was the best-known and most-discussed...
. Today, the property is occupied by his granddaughter, Susan Phipps Cochran, and her husband.
He died on April 27, 1958 in Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
.
Further reading
- Article on "Casa Bendita" with photo collection at the New York Social Diary.com
- Photos of Westbury House & Gardens
- Halcyon Days: An American Family Through Three Generations by Peggie Phipps Boegner (daughter of John Shaffer Phipps), Richard Gachot (1987) Harry N. Abrams, Inc. ISBN 0-8109-1064-0
- "Brenton", The Plains, Virginia