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1899 w/ Henry Morrison Flagler
Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC) St. Augustine to Key West (1912)
Florida’s First Developer
New York City had become the center of the global universe, welcoming all who came, hoping to find a better life. Henry Morrison Flagler and his friends were living the best of lives, as life entered the 20th Century. Packed up the train, and moved to Mi-a-mi.
Friends in High (Society) Places.
Rockerfeller
Ford
Firestone
Thomas A. Edison
The Wright Brothers
Learning to Fly
Before walking on the moon, man had to first get off the ground.
compiled b/ The Henry M. Morrison Flagler Museum.
Henry Morrison Flagler
1830 — b. Jan. 2
Hopewell, New York
1852 – D. M. Harkness and Company, partners with half brother Dan Harkness.
1853 – Married Mary Harkness, Nov. 9.
1855 – First child, Jennie Louise, born March 18.
1858 – Second child, Carrie, born June 18.
1859 – Became acquainted with John. D. Rockefeller, a commission agent with Hewitt and Tuttle for the Harkness grain company.
1861 – Daughter Carrie dies at age 3.
1862 – With brother-in-law Barney York, founded Flagler and York Salt Company, a salt mining and production business, in Saginaw, Mich.
1865 – The Civil War ends, causing a drop in the demand for salt. Flagler and York Salt Company collapses, leaving Flagler in heavy debt.
1866 – Moves to Cleveland, Ohio and reenters the grain business as a commission merchant.
1867 – Needing capital for his nascent oil business, J. D. Rockefeller approaches Flagler, who obtains $100,000 from Steven Harkness, half-brother of Dan Harkness. Rockefeller, Andrews and Flagler form partnership with Flagler in control of Harkness’ interest.
1870 – On Jan. 10, Rockefeller, Andrews and Flagler create a joint-stock corporation named Standard Oil. Son, Harry Harkness, born Dec. 2.
1872 – Standard Oil leads the American oil refining industry in production
1877 – Standard Oil moves headquarters to New York City, where Flaglers relocate.
1878 – Upon advice from Mary’s physician, Flagler and his wife visit Jacksonville for the winter.
1881 – Mary Harkness Flagler dies at 47 on May 18.
1883 – Flagler marries Ida Alice Shourds. They travel to St. Augustine, where Flagler finds hotel facilities and transportation systems inadequate.
1885 – Returns to St. Augustine; begins construction on the 540-room Hotel Ponce de Leon. Purchases the Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax Railroad.
1888 – Hotel Ponce de Leon opens Jan. 10 as an instant success.
1889 – Daughter Jennie Louise dies following complications of childbirth.
ORMOND BEACH
1890 – Builds railroad bridge across the St. Johns River to gain access to southern half of state. Purchases the Ormond Beach Hotel in Ormond Beach.
PALM BEACH
1894 – Flagler’s 1,150-room Hotel Royal Poinciana in Palm Beach is completed. Train service is extended to West Palm Beach. Ida Alice Shourds Flagler is institutionalized for mental illness.
Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Indian River Railway is renamed the Florida East Coast Railway.
1896 – The Palm Beach Inn opens in Palm Beach. Railway reaches Biscayne Bay.
MIAMI
1897 – Flagler’s Hotel Royal Palm opens in Miami.
1901 – The Florida Legislature passes a bill that made incurable insanity grounds for divorce. Flagler divorces Ida Alice.
1901 – Aug. 24, Flagler marries Mary Lily Kenan of North Carolina.
The PALM BEACH INN IS RENAMED THE BREAKERS.
1902 – The Flaglers move into WHITEHALL, the Palm Beach winter retreat Flagler has built as a wedding present for Mary Lily.
1903 – The Breakers is destroyed by fire. Rebuilt and opens in 1906.
1905 – Expansion of the Florida East Coast Railway to Key West begins.
1911 – Flagler ceases being an active director at Standard Oil.
1912 – Flagler rides the first train into Key West on Jan. 21.
1913 – Flagler dies May 20 in Palm Beach and is buried in St. Augustine.