William Henry Bush

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William Henry Bush
BornOctober 22, 1849
Martinsburg, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 9, 1931 (1931-04-10) (aged 81)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Resting placeGraceland Cemetery, Chicago
OccupationBusinessman, rancher
Spouse(s)Elva Glidden
Ruth Russel Gentry
Children2 daughters
Parent(s)James Bush
Caroline Lucretia Hills
RelativesJoseph Glidden (father-in-law)

William Henry Bush (October 22, 1849 – April 9, 1931) was an American businessman and rancher. Born in Martinsburg, New York, he sold barbed wire and hats in the Western United States. He became a rancher in Texas and a multi-millionaire due to helium deposits on his landholdings.

Early life[]

William Henry Bush was born on October 22, 1849 in Martinsburg, New York.[2] His father was James Bush and his mother, Caroline Lucretia Hills.[2]

Career[]

Bush was hired by Joseph Glidden, the inventor of barbed wire, to find ranching lands in Texas and promote the new invention.[2] With Henry B. Sanborn, he established the Frying Pan Ranch in Potter County.[2]

With his brother-in-law, F. T. Simmons, Bush co-founded the Bush, Simmons, and Company, a hat company, in 1885.[2] By 1903, Bush founded the Bush Hat Company and served as its President.[2]

Bush was the founder of the city of Bushland, Texas in 1903, which was named in his honor.[2] It was founded as a railway stop on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.[2]

Much of the land which Bush possessed was replete with helium deposits.[1] As a result, Bush became a multimillionaire. He was worth US$2,175,000 by 1931.[1][3]

Personal life[]

Bush married Elva Glidden, Joseph Glidden's daughter, in 1877.[2] On October 20, 1908, he married Ruth Russel Gentry.[2] They had two daughters, Caroline Gentry Bush, who married Frederick Latham Emeny, and Ruth Emmeline Bush, who married Francis Thomas O'Brien.[4] Bush attended the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago.[2]

Death and legacy[]

Bush died on April 9, 1931 in Chicago.[2] Two thirds of his estate went to his widow and two daughters.[1][3][5] His cousin, Herbert S. Bush of DeKalb, Illinois, also received some inheritance.[3][5] Furthermore, he donated US$100,000 to the Presbyterian Hospital of Chicago and US$25,000 to the Chicago Art Institute.[1]

Secondary source[]

  • Paul Howard Carlson. Empire builder in the Texas Panhandle : William Henry Bush. College Station, Texas: Texas A & M University Press. 2009. 186 pages.[6]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "William Bush Will Is Filed For Probate". The Daily Chronicle. DeKalk, Illinois. April 16, 1931. p. 9. Retrieved September 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l Anderson, H. Allen (June 12, 2010). "BUSH, WILLIAM HENRY". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "DeKalb Man Heir". Dixon Evening Telegraph. Dixon, Illinois. April 16, 1931. p. 2. Retrieved September 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  4. ^ Gentry, Richard (1909). The Gentry family in America, 1676 to 1909 : including notes on the following families related to the Gentrys: Claiborne, Harris, Hawkins, Robinson, Smith, Wyatt, Sharp, Fulkerson, Butler, Bush, Blythe, Pabody, Noble, Haggard, and Tindall. London, UK: Grafton Press. p. 412. Caroline Gentry Bush Frederick Latham Emeny.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Shares In Estate". Belvidere Daily Republican. Belvidere, Illinois. April 20, 1931. p. 7. Retrieved September 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  6. ^ "Empire builder in the Texas Panhandle : William Henry Bush". WorldCat. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
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