Thomas Gilcrease
Encyclopedia
William Thomas Gilcrease (1890–1962) was an American oilman, art collector and philanthropist. During his lifetime, Gilcrease collected more than 10,000 artworks, 250,000 Native American artifacts and 100,000 rare books and documents, including the only surviving certified copy of the Declaration of Independence
. He was the founder of Gilcrease Museum
in Tulsa, Oklahoma
.
on February 8, 1890. Mary "Elizabeth" (Vowell) Gilcrease was of Creek ancestry and, shortly after the birth, the family moved to Indian Territory
to take advantage of the 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) allotments in the Creek Nation. The family lived on Creek Nation tribal lands near Eufaula. Gilcrease's father ran a cotton gin in the nearby community of Mounds, Oklahoma
.
At the turn of the century, the federal government dissolved the Indian Nations land by distributing parcels into private ownership. At age nine, Gilcrease's 1/8 Creek heritage entitled him to receive 160 acres (650,000 m²) located about twenty miles (32 km) southwest of Tulsa, Oklahoma
. In 1905, drillers struck oil in the area. His land, sitting astride the huge Glenn Pool Reserve, made Gilcrease a multi-millionaire by the time he was twenty. Though he struggled early in his career, he proved to be an astute businessman. He founded the Gilcrease Oil Company in 1922, and with early successes, was able to purchase more land. Gilcrease established his company headquarters in San Antonio, Texas
in 1937 and also maintained an office in Europe. In 1949, the headquarters of the company returned to Tulsa.
On August 22, 1908, Gilcrease married Belle M. Harlow, a member of the Osage tribe, and fathered two sons – William Thomas Gilcrease, Jr., who was born on July 23, 1909 in Oklahoma
and died on March 16, 1967 in Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County, Texas
, and Barton Eugene Gilcrease, who was born on April 12, 1911 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, and died on September 25, 1991 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
. The couple's marriage ended in divorce in 1924. On September 3, 1928 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, he married 19 year old Norma Smallwood
, Miss America
for 1926, and former Miss Tulsa, whose full name was Norma Des Cygne Smallwood, the daughter of Edward Smallwood and Mahalia Angela (Robinette) Smallwood.
William "Thomas" Gilcrease, Sr. and Norma (Smallwood) Gilcrease were the parents of one daughter Des Cygne Lamour Gilcrease. She was born on June 12, 1929, in Tulsa, Oklahoma
. Thomas Gilcrease, Sr. filed for divorce in October, 1933, for extreme cruelty and gross neglect of duty. The Gilcrease-Smallwood marriage ended in divorce on May 2, 1934.
During the 1920s and 1930s Gilcrease became inspired by the collections of European art museums. He began to collect oil paintings and other artifacts of the American West in 1922. The Gilcrease collection expanded over the next 20 years, with the majority obtained after 1939.
In 1946, Gilcrease was honored by the Sioux
Nation, made an honorary tribal member and given the name Wicarpi Wakatuya, which means "High Star".
Declining oil prices in the 1950s created financial difficulties for Gilcrease. Although his oil income was not insubstantial, major collection purchases limited his cash flow and placed him in a position of being unable to meet his current debt. Concerned about the integrity of his collection, Gilcrease offered it for sale as a unit in 1954. Swift action by the people of Tulsa enabled the debt to be covered by a local bond issue, and the collection remained in Oklahoma.
Thomas Gilcrease died of a heart attack
on May 6, 1962. After a funeral service based on traditional Indian rites, he was buried in a mausoleum on the grounds of his estate, where his mother was buried after her death on June 11, 1935.
, Acee Blue Eagle
, and Willard Stone
, each of whom created works held in the collection.
In 1943, Gilcrease moved to San Antonio and opened the Museum of the American Indian, also known as the Gilcrease Museum. However, the San Antonio site failed to attract a large number of visitors. In 1947, he purchased the entire collection of the late Phillip Gillette Cole, an avid New York collector. The collection contained twenty-seven bronzes and forty-six paintings by Charles Russell
, seventeen bronzes and twelve paintings by Frederic Remington
, photographs by Edward Curtis, and documents and correspondence of well known figures in the American West.
Gilcrease hired architect Alexandre Hogue
to design a museum to be placed on Oklahoma property he had purchased in 1914. In 1949, he opened the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art on this estate. During the remainder of his life Gilcrease lived in an adjacent home, built of native sandstone. The rock home, dating from approximately 1912, had been extensively remodeled over the years and was surrounded by a garden specializing in plants used by the Indians.
In 1954, fearing that Gilcrease Museum would be sold and leave Tulsa, a small group of citizens organized a bond election. Tulsa's citizens approved, by a 3-to-1 margin, the $2.25 million bond issue which paid Gilcrease's outstanding debts. In response, Gilcrease deeded his entire collection to the City of Tulsa in 1955, and conveyed the museum buildings and grounds to the city in 1958. In addition, Gilcrease committed oil property revenue to Tulsa for museum maintenance until the bond was fully repaid.
After the transfer of the collection, Gilcrease continued to fund archaeological excavations and acquire additional materials. These materials were bequeathed to the museum upon his death on May 6, 1962.
, holds what is considered among the world’s largest and most comprehensive collections of fine art, artifacts, and archives dealing with the American West. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Institute grounds display 23 acres (93,077.8 m²) of thematic gardens showcasing the gardening styles of different time periods in the American West.
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
. He was the founder of Gilcrease Museum
Gilcrease Museum
Gilcrease Museum is a museum located northwest of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. The museum now houses the world's largest, most comprehensive collection of art of the American West as well as a growing collection of art and artifacts from Central and South America...
in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
.
Biography
Gilcrease was the son of William Lee Gilcrease and Mary "Elizabeth" (Vowell) Gilcrease, and was born in Robeline, Natchitoches County, LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
on February 8, 1890. Mary "Elizabeth" (Vowell) Gilcrease was of Creek ancestry and, shortly after the birth, the family moved to Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
to take advantage of the 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) allotments in the Creek Nation. The family lived on Creek Nation tribal lands near Eufaula. Gilcrease's father ran a cotton gin in the nearby community of Mounds, Oklahoma
Mounds, Oklahoma
Mounds is a town in Creek County, Oklahoma, United States. Mounds is located just south of Tulsa; the population was 1,153 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mounds is located at ....
.
At the turn of the century, the federal government dissolved the Indian Nations land by distributing parcels into private ownership. At age nine, Gilcrease's 1/8 Creek heritage entitled him to receive 160 acres (650,000 m²) located about twenty miles (32 km) southwest of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. In 1905, drillers struck oil in the area. His land, sitting astride the huge Glenn Pool Reserve, made Gilcrease a multi-millionaire by the time he was twenty. Though he struggled early in his career, he proved to be an astute businessman. He founded the Gilcrease Oil Company in 1922, and with early successes, was able to purchase more land. Gilcrease established his company headquarters in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
in 1937 and also maintained an office in Europe. In 1949, the headquarters of the company returned to Tulsa.
On August 22, 1908, Gilcrease married Belle M. Harlow, a member of the Osage tribe, and fathered two sons – William Thomas Gilcrease, Jr., who was born on July 23, 1909 in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and died on March 16, 1967 in Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and Barton Eugene Gilcrease, who was born on April 12, 1911 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, and died on September 25, 1991 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The couple's marriage ended in divorce in 1924. On September 3, 1928 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, he married 19 year old Norma Smallwood
Norma Smallwood
Norma Descygne Smallwood captured first place in both the bather's review and the evening gown contest and the following evening was crowned Miss America 1926....
, Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
for 1926, and former Miss Tulsa, whose full name was Norma Des Cygne Smallwood, the daughter of Edward Smallwood and Mahalia Angela (Robinette) Smallwood.
William "Thomas" Gilcrease, Sr. and Norma (Smallwood) Gilcrease were the parents of one daughter Des Cygne Lamour Gilcrease. She was born on June 12, 1929, in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. Thomas Gilcrease, Sr. filed for divorce in October, 1933, for extreme cruelty and gross neglect of duty. The Gilcrease-Smallwood marriage ended in divorce on May 2, 1934.
During the 1920s and 1930s Gilcrease became inspired by the collections of European art museums. He began to collect oil paintings and other artifacts of the American West in 1922. The Gilcrease collection expanded over the next 20 years, with the majority obtained after 1939.
In 1946, Gilcrease was honored by the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
Nation, made an honorary tribal member and given the name Wicarpi Wakatuya, which means "High Star".
Declining oil prices in the 1950s created financial difficulties for Gilcrease. Although his oil income was not insubstantial, major collection purchases limited his cash flow and placed him in a position of being unable to meet his current debt. Concerned about the integrity of his collection, Gilcrease offered it for sale as a unit in 1954. Swift action by the people of Tulsa enabled the debt to be covered by a local bond issue, and the collection remained in Oklahoma.
Thomas Gilcrease died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on May 6, 1962. After a funeral service based on traditional Indian rites, he was buried in a mausoleum on the grounds of his estate, where his mother was buried after her death on June 11, 1935.
Art collection
The Gilcrease collection of traditional art, Native American art, artifacts and documents was acquired over a lifetime. Gilcrease began to collect oil paintings and other artifacts of the American West in 1922. At a time when few were interested in Native American art or artifacts of the American West, Gilcrease supported a number of Oklahoma Indian artists, including Woody CrumboWoody Crumbo
Woodrow "Woody" Crumbo was an American Indian artist, flautist, and dancer of Potawatomi descent. As an independent prospector, he found one of the largest beryllium veins in the nation. His paintings are held by several prominent museums, including the Smithsonian Institution and the...
, Acee Blue Eagle
Acee Blue Eagle
Acee Blue Eagle , also named Alex C. McIntosh, Chebon Ahbulah , and Lumhee Holot-Tee , was a Muscogee Creek-Pawnee-Wichita artist, educator, dancer, and flute player.-Background:...
, and Willard Stone
Willard Stone
Willard Stone was an important Native American artist of the 20th century, best known for his wood sculptures done in a distinctively personal, flowing style inspired by Art Deco.-Biography:...
, each of whom created works held in the collection.
In 1943, Gilcrease moved to San Antonio and opened the Museum of the American Indian, also known as the Gilcrease Museum. However, the San Antonio site failed to attract a large number of visitors. In 1947, he purchased the entire collection of the late Phillip Gillette Cole, an avid New York collector. The collection contained twenty-seven bronzes and forty-six paintings by Charles Russell
Charles Russell
- People :* Charles Addison Russell , U.S. Representative from Connecticut* Charles Albert George Russell , Essex and England batman* Charles Edward Russell , American muckraking journalist, author, and activist...
, seventeen bronzes and twelve paintings by Frederic Remington
Frederic Remington
Frederic Sackrider Remington was an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in depictions of the Old American West, specifically concentrating on the last quarter of the 19th century American West and images of cowboys, American Indians, and the U. S...
, photographs by Edward Curtis, and documents and correspondence of well known figures in the American West.
Gilcrease hired architect Alexandre Hogue
Alexandre Hogue
Alexandre Hogue was an American artist active during the 1930s through the 1960s. He is a realist painter associated with the Dallas Nine; the majority of his works focus on Southwestern and Midwestern landscapes during the Dust Bowl.-Biography:Hogue was born on February 22, 1898 in Memphis,...
to design a museum to be placed on Oklahoma property he had purchased in 1914. In 1949, he opened the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art on this estate. During the remainder of his life Gilcrease lived in an adjacent home, built of native sandstone. The rock home, dating from approximately 1912, had been extensively remodeled over the years and was surrounded by a garden specializing in plants used by the Indians.
In 1954, fearing that Gilcrease Museum would be sold and leave Tulsa, a small group of citizens organized a bond election. Tulsa's citizens approved, by a 3-to-1 margin, the $2.25 million bond issue which paid Gilcrease's outstanding debts. In response, Gilcrease deeded his entire collection to the City of Tulsa in 1955, and conveyed the museum buildings and grounds to the city in 1958. In addition, Gilcrease committed oil property revenue to Tulsa for museum maintenance until the bond was fully repaid.
After the transfer of the collection, Gilcrease continued to fund archaeological excavations and acquire additional materials. These materials were bequeathed to the museum upon his death on May 6, 1962.
The Gilcrease Institute
The Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art, now called the Gilcrease MuseumGilcrease Museum
Gilcrease Museum is a museum located northwest of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. The museum now houses the world's largest, most comprehensive collection of art of the American West as well as a growing collection of art and artifacts from Central and South America...
, holds what is considered among the world’s largest and most comprehensive collections of fine art, artifacts, and archives dealing with the American West. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Institute grounds display 23 acres (93,077.8 m²) of thematic gardens showcasing the gardening styles of different time periods in the American West.